ENV 1XX Foundation of Sustainability
The purpose of this (nonmajors) class is to offer an introductory course on what students as responsible citizens need to know to become more environmentally literate and ecologically conscious. The course examines the way people are damaging the earth and, in the process, their own bodies and minds. It then presents essential tools necessary for both planetary and personal transformation. The Fulton Center for Sustainable Living and its staff take an active role in the course by instructing students and demonstrating sustainability projects on campus. ES, ETH
ENV 110 Introduction to Environmental Science
This course examines the interrelationship of causes of environmental issues that confront the human species: pollution, resource consumption, and human population. To thoroughly understand the root causes of these problems and discover acceptable, equitable solutions, an interdisciplinary approach is taken. The course combines ideas and information from the natural sciences, social sciences, and ethics to examines how the natural world operates and is connected. The course includes a laboratory component. ES
ENV 115 Gardening for Fitness and Pleasure
Provides hands-on skills for the small-scale gardener/agriculturist, while exploring the physical, scientific, artistic, spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of gardening. Basic gardening skills to be covered included composting and utilization of household refuse; soil management; seed storage, seeding and seedling management; including integrated pest management; post-harvest handling of perishable produce; organic gardening and other sustainable gardening practices. Weekly fieldwork will be supplemented with assigned readings and projects that will enhance the student’s enjoyment of gardening and the outdoors. 2 hours, 0.5 Credit. PE ACTIVITY CREDIT
ENV 170/270/370 Topics in Environmental Studies
Seminar course offered on an occasional basis. Possible topics include: Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Energy, Stewardship of Watershed Ecosystems (lab), Sustainable Architecture, and Permaculture Design (lab).
ENV 203 Science, Technology, and Society
A study of the relationships between technology and humans, ranging from traditional societies to the modern industrial and post-industrial West. Issues include the relationship of science and technology, technology and culture, and the effect of tools and machines on human experience. ES, ETH
ENV 204 Environmental Policy
Investigates selected environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective with a focus on how environmental issues shape policy in the United States. The course will explore the institutional setting in which environmental policy proceeds, the participants that are involved in creating policy, and the political, economical, and ethical factors that shape policy. Prerequisite: 201. ES, CC, WI
ENV 210/310 Environmental History
(Cross-listed as HIS 210/310)
A dynamic of how the natural environment impacts cultural development and how cultural perceptions impact nature. Primary components include: (1) The evolution of how humans have viewed themselves in relation to the American environment. With the assumption that wilderness was a basic ingredient of American culture, it will examine the changing attitudes toward wilderness in the country’s cultural development and how these attitudes translated into environmental impacts. (2) The experiential component of the class will require students to learn how to write local environmental history. They will learn to solve the mysteries involved in researching the environmental components of local history. ES
ENV 213 Natural History
Introduction to biological diversity and the basic principles of ecosystem structure and function. Emphasis on observation of living organisms in their natural habitats. Descriptive natural history and ecological relations among local flora and fauna, local geology and landforms. Three hours lecture; three hours laboratory. Prerequisite: BIO 102 or 110. ES, ESL
ENV 215 Environmental Impact Assessment
Historical survey of the impact of human beings on the environment. Topics include cultural-historical land use and its environmental impact; sustainable land use planning; and assessing the impact of development on the social and natural environment. Class will perform an environmental impact assessment of a campus, borough, or county plan or project. Prerequisites: 201. ES
ENV 216/316 Agroecology
Basic principles of ecology as they apply to agricultural systems. Comparison of industrialized and sustainable agriculture. Survey of traditional agricultural practices in global and historical context. Field and laboratory work in association with the Center for Sustainable Living. Students taking the course at the 300 level will complete a laboratory component. Prerequisite: 201 or BIO 102. ES, ESL
ENV 217 Environmental Stewardship
Inquiry into the experiential and practical aspects of environmental stewardship at the individual and institutional levels. The course examines the way human beings value the environment; bioregional awareness; and examines the philosophic, social, and scientific principles of ecological stewardship and land management. Students will participate in an ecological stewardship project. Prerequisite: ENV 201. ES
ENV 301 Ecological Perspectives in the Science and in the Humanities
Seminar course devoted to current theoretical topics in environmental and ecological thought, including deep ecology, ecofeminism, ecopsychology, and the effect of new paradigms in science on contemporary cosmologies and theories of nature. Prerequisite: 101 or 204. ES, ETH, WI
ENV 305/505 Environmental Education
The course introduces students to fundamental approaches, processes and goals of environmental education (EE). Much of the course will be fieldwork in which students will learn EE curriculum recognized and adopted on a national or statewide basis. Guest speakers, experiential learning, and field trips to EE centers are all integral parts of class content. The course uses a variety of EE instructional methods for classroom and field use. The Fulton Farm provides an excellent setting for many of the studies that will be undertaken by the class. Students will learn about the standards that the Pennsylvania Department of Education requires in EE curriculums, how to evaluate lesson programs and how to best deliver material in an engaging fashion. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. ES
ENV 355 Internship
Work experience with a significant academic component, typically a research paper or report and an accompanying oral presentation, which is complementary to the student’s field of interest. Summer internship opportunities are available at many institutions and students are encouraged to consider a variety of options. Several internship positions are available at the Center for Sustainable Living. These include, but are not limited to: working in all aspects of organic crop production and gardening; helping to establish and maintain a program in Community Supported Agriculture; maintaining land and trails, conducting tours of facilities and trails, and field research in applied ecology.
ENV 399 Senior Project
In-depth research on a topic chosen in consultation with a faculty member(s). Required for senior majors and open to minors. Prerequisite: senior, major or minor in Environmental Studies.
Other Courses in Environmental Studies Include:
BIO 314 Ecology
ENG 185 Writing About Literature and the Environment
RLS 220 Environmental Ethics
SOC 227/327 Environmental Sociology
SOC 310 Environmentally Sustainable Communities
