FALL 2020 COURSES
Courses for the Environmental Studies Major
Courses for the Environmental Science Major
Courses for the ES Minor
Special Topics Course Descriptions
COURSES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR
Foundation Courses:
- ES 100 Environmental Concerns in Perspective
Core Courses:
- EC 104 Introduction to Microeconomics
- ES 223 Environmental Justice
- ES 224 Political Ecology
- PL 231 Environmental Politics and Policy
Cluster A Courses:
- AN 205 Mesoamerican Archaeology
- EC 104 Introduction to Microeconomics
- ES 223 Environmental Justice
- ES 224 Political Ecology
- ES 305 Environmental Education
- ES 307 Global Environmental Governance
- HP 131 Introduction to Public Health
- MB 351C Sustainability in the Business Context
- PL 231 Environmental Politics and Policy
- WLL 263C Green Italy: Gardens, Food, and Material Culture
Cluster B1 Courses:
- ES 252C Plastics Planet: The Promise and Perils of Polymers
- GE 101 Earth Systems Science
- GE 112 Introduction to Oceanography
- HP 242 Principles of Nutrition
Capstone:
- ES 374 Environmental Studies Research Capstone
Methods:
- EC 237 Statistical Methods
- ID 210 Introduction to GIS
- MS 104 Introduction to Statistics
- SO 227R Social Research Methods
COURSES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAJOR
Foundation Course:
- ES 100 Environmental Concerns in Perspective
Disciplinary Foundation Courses:
- BI 108 Organismal Biology
- CH 125 Principles of Chemistry
- GE 101 Earth Systems Science
Core Courses:
- ES 205 Ecosystem Science and the Analysis of Forested Landscapes
Cluster A Courses:
- AN 205 Mesoamerican Archaeology
- EC 104 Introduction to Microeconomics
- ES 223 Environmental Justice
- ES 224 Political Ecology
- ES 305 Environmental Education
- ES 307 Global Environmental Governance
- HP 131 Introduction to Public Health
- MB 351C Sustainability in the Business Context
- PL 231 Environmental Politics and Policy
- WLL 263C Green Italy: Gardens, Food, and Material Culture
Cluster B2 Courses:
- BI 241 Ecology
- CH 221 Organic Chemistry I
- CH 222 Organic Chemistry II
- ES 352D Science to Solutions: Managing Ecosystems for Productivity and Resilience
- GE 320 Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- HP 242 Principles of Nutrition
Capstone:
- ES 374 Environmental Studies Research Capstone
Methods:
- BI 235 Biostatistics
- ID 210 Introduction to GIS
- MS 104 Introduction to Statistics
COURSES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCEs MINOR
Foundation Courses:
- ES 100 Environmental Concerns in Perspective
- ES 205 Ecosystem Science and the Analysis of Forested Landscapes
Cluster A Courses:
- AN 205 Mesoamerican Archaeology
- EC 104 Introduction to Microeconomics
- ES 223 Environmental Justice
- ES 224 Political Ecology
- ES 305 Environmental Education
- ES 307 Global Environmental Governance
- HP 131 Introduction to Public Health
- MB 351C Sustainability in the Business Context
- PL 231 Environmental Politics and Policy
- WLL 263C Green Italy: Gardens, Food, and Material Culture
Cluster B1 Courses:
- GE 101 Earth Systems Science
- GE 112 Introduction to Oceanography
- HP 242 Principles of Nutrition
Cluster B2 Courses:
- BI 241 Ecology
- CH 221 Organic Chemistry I
- CH 222 Organic Chemistry II
- ES 352D Science to Solutions: Managing Ecosystems for Productivity and Resilience
- GE 320 Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- HP 242 Principles of Nutrition
SPECIAL TOPICS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:
ES 252C Plastic Planet: The Promise and Perils of Polymers Instructor: A. Ernst
Plastics are present in every facet of our lives, and their contributions to advances
in medicine, transportation, construction, and electronics that have provided huge
societal benefits. Those benefits come at a cost, however; plastics derive from limited
fossil fuels, leach toxic chemicals, litter our landscapes, and imperil marine life.
How has plastic come to dominate our lives and what are the human health and ecosystem
effects of this domination? In this course, we will examine the variety of modern
plastics, their basic chemical and physical properties, and the scale of society’s
dependence on them. From this foundation, we will analyze impacts to public health
and ecosystem functioning, along with policies that regulate plastics and the bioplastics
that might provide more sustainable alternatives.
ES 223 Environmental Justice Instructor: A.J. Schneller
An exploration of local, national, and international case studies that highlight the
origin of environmental racism and disproportionate impacts on underserved populations
from environmental hazards, vulnerability, and inequalities in enforcement of regulations.
Cases will demonstrate how unequal distributions of power affect individuals and communities,
through both overt and covert forms of discrimination. We’ll work to dissect the research
and policy challenges to incorporate environmental justice into environmental law,
collaborative problem solving, and advocacy tactics used to alleviate health, ecological,
economic, and equity issues facing communities. The course investigates contemporary
proactive shifts in the EJ Movement to advance climate justice and urban ecosystem
justice, and the provision of urban environmental amenities. Field trips to nearby
environmental justice sites in New York, and classroom visits by community influential,
lawyers, writers, and policy makers. Prerequisite: ES 100.
ES 352D Science to Solutions: Managing for Productivity and Resilience Instructor:
K. Covey
An in-depth investigation of environmental management. In this field-intensive course, students review the science of dynamic ecosystems and explore the ways environmental managers tackle complex problems. How do we decide what we want from human dominated and natural systems now, and how do we manage them to ensure they provide what we need tomorrow? Can we balance functional resiliency with human health and prosperity? Lectures, field tours, and quantitative laboratory exercises investigate global environmental challenges in a local context. Students will critically evaluate management strategies and explore practicable solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity and landscape-scale conservation, and sustainable resource use through ecosystem-focused modules exploring natural and urban environments. One weekend field trip is mandatory.
Prerequisites: ES 205 or ES 206, or permission of instructor.
Note: Three hours of lecture, three hours of lab per week.
MB 351C Sustainability in the Business Context Instructor: TBA
Ever wonder who makes your clothes, where your food comes from and how companies such
as Ben & Jerry’s and Patagonia have managed to build extremely successful companies
all while keeping sustainability as a core value? In this course, students will explore
a variety of sustainability related topics, including environmental and social sustainability
issues in managing supply chains, sustainable marketing, standards for measuring and
certifying sustainable operations and sustainability efforts in our local community.
The course will introduce students – through a series of case studies, projects and
guest lectures from industry leaders – to concepts, theories and models related to
sustainability. Sustainable and ethical business practices will also be a major theme
in the course.
WLL 263C Green Italy: Gardens, Food, and Material Culture Instructor: S. Smith
In this course students explore the relationship between green space, resources and esthetics in Italian culture from the Renaissance to the present. They consider how these elements concern food (its production, preparation and consumption). Each thematic grouping has an experiential component. For example, students study the Italian garden in history and literature; subsequently they visit Congress Park and Yaddo in Saratoga. The Italian market place is reflected in Arcimboldo’s portrait paintings of seasons (16th century). The hands-on component is a visit to the local Farmers’ Market; it is followed by preparation of a meal in the test kitchen. Material culture is a constant theme. The study of Italian orchards, vineyards, olive groves and fields of wheat evolves into a view of food gathering. After discussing durum wheat, the class meets in the test kitchen to make bread. Hand and mind combine in this course to explore the connections between the natural aspects of food production (the Mediterranean climate and hydrogeological risk) and the social aspects of food consumption (food culture). It also raises critical questions about sustainability of the food system through a discussion of the industrialization of food production and alternative food movements like Slow Food in Italy.
