Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    ENVS&

 Course #:    101

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5.5

 CIP:    260307

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Investigates connections between environmental problems (e.g. global climate change, air & water pollution, biodiversity & habitat loss) and human activities (e.g. population dynamics, fossil fuel use, deforestation, industrial agriculture). Utilizes sustainability and socio-economic perspectives to understand environmental degradation (e.g. eco-footprint, externalized costs, ecosystem services, natural capital).

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: ENGL 097 or EAP 098 with a grade of "C" or higher (or placement into ENGL 098); and either placement into OR co-enrollment in OR completion of a college-level Math course with a grade of "C" or higher.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 44

Lab: 22

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Natural Sciences  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe how natural systems (i.e. ecosystems, hydrosphere, the carbon cycle) operate.
2. Explain how natural systems are affected by human activities (e.g. population growth, fossil fuel use, deforestation, industrial agriculture).
3. Articulate the magnitude of environmental problems caused by and effecting humans.
4. Describe viable scientific, political, economic & social solutions to environmental problems.
5. Describe the impact of individual and collective choices on the viability of natural systems

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. Natural Systems (energy flow, atmosphere, global climate, hydrosphere, hydrologic cycle, soil formation & fertility, biogeochemical cycles)
2. Natural resources (wildlife, soils/ agriculture/ food, forests/grasslands, minerals, energy.)
3. Pollution (air pollution, water pollution, pesticides, waste.)
4. Human population
5. Biotic factors (ecosystem structure, energy flow, species interaction, population, community, succession, biomes).