Sustainability & Environmental Studies

ENV 101-Introduction to Environmental Studies 

This interdisciplinary, introductory seminar explores current environmental issues from a variety of perspectives (historical, social, and scientific) and disciplines (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences). Attitudes toward the natural world and approaches to public and private decision-making are examined in terms of environmental justice issues. Field trips are taken to examine local and regional practices and issues. 

Piggush T/Th 7:45, 9:25

Remsburg T/Th 2:15

Wellik T/Th 11:00, 12:40

Frost M/W 2:15, 3:55

Higgins 3 Internet sections

ENV 310 Cr.3

Food, Culture, and the Environment

This course provides an opportunity to investigate reasons for our food choices and impacts of the food system. Students meet professionals in the food system and ask questions that are both personal and societal. What led to our "normal" food options? Why is food waste a big deal for the planet? How are other people affected by our food choices? Is organic farming a solution? What can we do to reduce our carbon and water footprints? To investigate these kinds of questions, the course incorporates interviews, photography, video presentations, readings, service learning, food sampling, and discussion groups. Prerequisite: ENV 101. Offered Occasionally.

Remsburg T/Th 9:25

ENV 354: Sustainability and Indigenous Knowledge

This class will explore sustainability through Indigenous perspectives, emphasizing relationships among people, place, and the more-than-human world. Students will begin the semester by examining oral traditions and the impacts of colonialism on Indigenous people and the natural environment. We will then consider land and water management practices, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), Indigenous food systems, the Land Back Movement, Natures Rights, and climate adaptation. Through readings, discussions, and experiential learning, students will critically engage with how Indigenous knowledge can inform sustainable futures while recognizing the importance of sovereignty and reciprocity.

Higgins Wed. 1:10 PM

ENV 450 Cr.1-3

Internship in Environmental Studies

Direct work experience with an agency or organization that deals with environmental issues or problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. The student works under supervision of both faculty adviser and agency staff member. Examples of sites include governmental agencies, advocacy groups, environmental education centers, alternative technologies companies, and environmental compliance divisions of corporations. All internships must be approved in the semester prior to the semester that the internship occurs. Repeatable for credit - maximum three. Prerequisite: ENV 201; declared environmental studies minor. Consent of internship coordinator. Consent of instructor. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

Remsburg, time arranged with instructor

ENV 496-Community Engaged Sustainability Capstone  

As a culmination of the environmental studies minor, this course has two main purposes. The first is to take action locally on an environmental service-learning project. Action in the community builds professional skills, offers networking, and solidifies student interests. The second purpose is to help students clarify personal and career goals that are based on their environmental philosophy. Hearing from recent graduates and professionals in environmental fields provides students with a wide variety of perspectives and ideas as they consider their future decisions.  

Remsburg      F 9:55-11:55 AM

BIO 307 Cr.3

Ecology

A study of interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of living organisms. The basic principles of ecology are presented in order to develop an understanding of the nature of these interactions at the individual, population and community levels of biological organization. Prerequisite: BIO 203. Offered Fall, Spring.

BIO 341 Cr. 3

Limnology

This course includes fundamentals of aquatic ecology, with special reference to community ecology. Taxonomy, stratification and succession of organisms to be investigated. Energy traffic through aquatic ecosystems will also be investigated. Field trips required. Lect. 2, Lab 3. Prerequisite: BIO 103 or 105, one additional biology course, one semester of chemistry.

GEO 101 Cr.4

Earth Environments

This course concentrates on understanding the earth's dynamic environments through the study of processes and physical and human interactions related to the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. A scientific approach is used to examine fundamental concepts in earth and environmental science related to topics such as plate tectonics, landform development, atmospheric processes, global climate, and water resources, in order to provide an understanding of how the earth system functions and the human role in these phenomena. Lect. 3, Lab 2. Offered Fall, Spring.

GEO 211 Cr.3

Global Climate Change

This course serves as an introduction to causes of natural and human-induced climate change, and the current and future impacts of climate change on environmental systems and society. Actions that could be taken by governments, industry, non-profit organizations, and individuals to mitigate the magnitude and effects of climate change will be addressed. The course will investigate social, cultural, and political aspects associated with climate change policy, including how vulnerability, resilience, and adaptability to a changing climate vary across the globe. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

GEO 221 Cr 4

Weather and Climate

An introduction to physical principles and the dynamic processes that govern the behavior of the atmosphere at global and regional scales. Spatial and temporal variations of energy, moisture, circulation, and weather systems; and the patterns of the world climate systems are discussed. Lect. 3; Lab 2. Prerequisite: GEO 101

GEO 460 Cr. 3

Environmental Hazards

Environmental processes are investigated in light of the hazards they might pose for development and how they may be avoided, mitigated and managed. Prerequisite: GEO 221 or 222, junior standing

CHM 412 Cr. 3

Aquatic and Soil Chemistry 

This course examines the role of chemistry in shaping our environment, focusing specifically on aquatic and terrestrial systems. Students will learn how to apply fundamental chemical principles to complex real systems in order to characterize environmental behavior. Learning to understand and predict the fate of organic and inorganic pollutants in soil-water systems will be emphasized. Special topics that relate to current events will also be explored, and the connection between environmental issues and social/economic challenges will be examined.

MIC 434 Cr. 3

Aquatic Microbial Ecology

This course is an ecological study of bacteria, cyanobacteria and algae of aquatic ecosystems. Topics include microbial strategies for survival under various environmental conditions, the role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycling of elements, interactions of microorganisms with other aquatic biota, the role of microorganisms in pollution problems, and applications of microbial ecology to biotechnology. Laboratory emphasis is on experimental design and sampling techniques, quantification of microbial biomass, and measurement of microbial activities in aquatic habitats. One weekend field trip required. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Lect. 2, Lab 3.

PH 335 Cr.3

Environmental Health

This course will examine the interdisciplinary and global impacts of human-environment relationships. Emphasis is placed on the critical nature of our understanding these relationships in order to improve ecosystem health, human health and well-being, global economics and sustainability. Politics, economics, science, technology, human behavior (both individual and collective), history, ethics, and the media are examined for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all people through the creation of a sustainable global society. The science, methods and processes of environmental health will be considered. The role of environmental health in public and population health will be examined. Prerequisite: admission to the public health and community health education major or an environmental studies minor. Offered Fall, Spring.

GEO 200 Cr. 3

Conservation of Global Environments

Introduction to natural resources, resource management, environmental and land use ethics, environmental impacts of resource utilization and strategies to resolve environmental conflicts. Course examines the relationships between society and the environment from the global to the local scale.

GEO 310 Cr. 3

Transportation Equity and Sustainable Communities

This course explores the intersection of transportation, urban design, and sustainability. It examines the spatial patterns and processes of human mobility across different geographical scales and how transportation systems shape and are shaped by the built environment, land use patterns, social, environmental, and economic factors.  This interdisciplinary course draws on concepts and methods from transportation engineering, urban planning, geography, and environmental science to analyze and explore solutions for sustainable transportation systems in urban areas. Overall, this course provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex relationships between transportation systems and the built environment within the context of sustainable and equitable transportation solutions for the future.

GEO 427 Cr. 3

Sustainable Water Resource Management

This course is designed to engage students in critical thinking with regard to the management of water resources within the socio-ecological framework. Students will understand how the interacting dynamics of the natural environment, social factors, politics, and economics shape sustainable water resources policies and practices. 

PSY 302 Cr. 3

 Environmental Issues: Applied Psychology

This course is an exploration of psychological perspectives on environmental issues. The course covers a variety of topics, such as how our attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors have contributed to environmental degradation, how we can use social and cognitive psychological tools to promote environmentally sustainable behaviors, the psychological effects of environmental toxins and disasters, and the psychological benefits of nature.

REC 306 Cr.3

NatureRx: Environmental Ethics and Behaviors in Recreation and Tourism

This course provides an overview of the natural resources used for outdoor recreational pursuits and nature-based tourism. Students analyze leisure, recreation, and tourism activities dependent on natural resources, present issues associated with recreational land use, and develop environmental awareness and a personal environmental ethic. Offered Fall, Spring.

SOC 311 Cr. 3

 Rural and Urban Communities

Basic sociological concepts and principles are applied to understand social life within rural and urban communities. Focus will be on the political economy, the culture, and social problems of people as they live in different types of communities.

HIS 110 Cr. 3

World History 

*Sections available for ENV credit:

Sections  04, 05, 06 (Topic: Material Culture); 15, 16, 17 (Topic: Colonialism and Decolonization); 21, 22, 26 (Six Objects Changed the World)

This course examines world history using a specific theme. The course is global in scope from ancient times to the present and covers a minimum of three civilizations. Instructors trace the development of one theme over multiple historical periods and places in the world.

HIS 338 Cr. 3

Suar, Coffee, Rubber, Bananas: Commodities in World History

This course examines the history of everyday commodities we consume or use, often without considering where they came from (e.g., sugar, coffee, rubber, and bananas). Students focus on the development of plantation-style agriculture in the Americas, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Africa from the 1600s to the 1930s. Power relationships between laborers, landowners, colonial governments, and consumers are examined to connect trade goods to the historical societies in which they were produced. Particular emphasis is placed on links between European imperialism, labor migration, and inequality.

HIS 371 Cr. 3

Knowing the Oceans: A History of Human Understanding of the Ocean Environment

This course explores historical attempts to access and understand the two thirds of our planet often ignored by land-focused histories. The course follows a roughly chronological path, delving into a variety of different - and changing - ways of knowing, including religious, experiential, and scientific, and it examines the various people and groups whose interests led them to and beneath the sea, as well as the various individuals and organizations whose patronage provided the means to access it. Along the way, the course considers these investigators' complicated relationships with technology, which allowed, controlled, and shaped access to and understanding of the oceans. The goal is a more complex understanding of the place of the three-dimensional, global ocean in global scientific, technological, cultural, and environmental history.

Art 272 Cr. 4

Photography and Imaging I

This studio course serves as an introduction to digital photography, including digital camera functions, exposure techniques, digital workflow, image processing, and inkjet printing. Students learn the technical mechanics of the medium and are given hands-on projects to further their understanding of photography in aesthetic and conceptual terms. Students are encouraged to explore the possibilities of the medium, think critically about photographic works, and embrace creative risk as they learn and refine their craft. Class time will consist of demonstrations, lectures, discussions, studio/lab sessions, and group critiques. To complete the assignments for this course, each student must have access to an external hard drive and a digital camera with manual exposure control and the ability to capture RAW files. A limited number of cameras are available for rent through the UWL Photography Lab. Lect. 2, Studio 4.

*Students seeking ENV credit will design photography projects that focus on environmental issues

CST 312 Cr. 3

Environmental Communication

This course critically analyzes how climate change discourses permeate our daily lives by way of politics, culture, and media. Discourses concerning the environment are multifaceted as public understanding of science is complicated by lived experience, political values, and cultural identities. Throughout this course, students explore the central role that discourse plays in understanding and addressing climate change, and examine the discursive dynamics of a complex network of stakeholders and an often uninterested or uninformed citizenry. Climate change is a collective (shared) problem that requires collective and deliberative problem-solving. The course invites students into the realm of environmental advocacy as we develop strategies for entering "glocal" conversations about the fate of the Earth and the fate of the places we live, work, and enjoy everyday life.