Courses

Surveys environmental studies, examining ecological, socioeconomic, political, aesthetic, and technological factors that influence the quality of life on Earth. Required for ENVS majors. Approved for arts and sciences CORE curriculum: natural science.

Covers a variety of topics not currently offered in the curriculum: offered depending on instructor availability and student demand. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary. Prereq., ENVS 1000.

Students work with an approved faculty sponsor to explore a topic in greater depth and to pursue an interest that is not offered in the formal curriculum. May be repeated up to 8 total credit hours. Prereq., ENVS 1000.

Introduces students to green design, industrial ecology, and life cycle analysis. Students use basic techniques of environmental auditing to analyze the CU-Boulder campus. Prereq., any two-semester science sequence. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Environmental Studies (ENVS) majors only.

Offers training in critical thinking and analytical writing skills appropriate to upper-division classes. Writing assignments integrate the subject matter of different topical areas. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: written communication. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Environmental Studies (ENVS) majors only.

Applies principles of population ecology, population genetics, biogeography, animal behavior, and paleobiology to the maintenance of biodiversity and natural systems. The resulting theory is then applied to conservation policy and management techniques.Prereq., EBIO 2040 or 2640. Same as EBIO 3040.

Examines contemporary issues in energy consumption and its environmental impact, including fossil fuel use and depletion; nuclear energy and waste disposal; solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources; home heating; energy storage; fuel cells; and alternative transportation vehicles. Includes some basic physical concepts and principles that often constrain choices. No background in physics is required. Same as PHYS 3070. Approved for arts and sciences CORE curriculum: natural science.

Explores mining related issues that have pronounced impact on the environment, economy and politics of the Four Corners region. Students apply their basic knowledge of environmental science, policy and values toward the understanding of and productive discourse about the conflicts and opportunities brought about by the mining industry in the Four Corners region. Course includes a seven day field trip, visiting mining and reclamation sites in New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Fulfills application requirement for Environmental Studies majors. Prereq., ENVS 1000 and one year natural science.

Examines major traditions in moral philosophy to see what light they shed on value issues in environmental policy and the value presuppositions of the economic, ecological, and juridical approaches to the environment. Prereq., sophomore standing or PHIL 1100, 1200, 2200, 3100, or 3200. Same as PHIL 3140. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: ideals and values. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 27-180 credits (Sophomore, Junior or Senior) only.

Emphasizes the integration of physical, chemical, and biological processes in controlling terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Ecosystem concepts are applied to current environmental and water quality problems. Includes field trips and a group project. Prereq., CHEM 1111 or CHEN 1211 and 1221. Same as CVEN 3434.

Examines sources of energy and other resources in light of their availability, use, environmental impact, as well as their impact on policy, economics and values. As fossil fuels are the dominant energy source today, particular emphasis is placed on climate impacts and the carbon cycle. All material is assessed through the lenses of the physical sciences, policy, ethics and economics. Prereq., a two-course sequence in any natural science. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as GEOL 3520. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

Engages students in exploring the realm of contemporary and historical climate policy at three major levels of government: international, national and local/regional. Through course lectures, discussions, readings and activities, students will become conversant with the actors, mechanisms and concerns involved in climate policy and politics, and develop their own sense of how to judge the success of climate policies.. Prereq., ENVS 1000.

Examines how mass media influence our society, specifically with regard to environmental issues and outcomes. Focuses on media influence over environmental politics and policy, environmental public opinion, popular culture, and environmental/scientific knowledge.

Describes the basic components of the climate system: the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and lithosphere. Investigates the basic physical processes that determine climate and link the components of the climate system, including the hydrological cycle and its role in climate, climate stability, and global change. Covers forecasting climate, its applications, and human dimensions. Prereqs., ATOC 1050 and 1060, or ATOC 3300/GEOG 3301, or GEOG 1001 and 1-semester calculus. Same as GEOG 3601 and ATOC 3600. Approved for arts and sciences CORE curriculum: natural science. Prerequisites: Restricted to Environmental Studies or Geography majors only.

Examines how society makes decisions about energy, and how these decisions affect the environment and the economy. Uses tools from policy analysis, economics, and other disciplines to build an in-depth understanding of energy's role in U.S. contemporary society. Recommended prereqs., ENVS/PHYS 3070.

Introduces students to the practice of doing research in environmental studies. Examines how to define a research problem, select methods, design research, construct arguments and evaluate others' research. Aims to familiarize students with the process of doing research and enable them to proceed with confidence in pursuing their own research topics. Recommended for juniors planning to write ENVS honors theses. Prereq., ENVS 1000. Recommended prereq., ENVS 3020. Restricted to juniors/seniors. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior).

Relates classroom theory to practice. Provides academically supervised opportunities for environmental studies majors to work in public and private organizations on projects related to students' career goals. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.

Focuses on the structural forces affecting environmental degradation and environmental behavior by examining the relationships between (a) inequality and democratic decision making and (b) undemocratic decision making; U.S. and corporate food and energy policy; and global environmental degradation. The course also focuses on the role that global inequality plays in fostering environmental degradation. Restricted to juniors/seniors. Same as SOCY 4027.

Includes field-oriented courses offered at irregular intervals during academic year or during summer sessions.

Covers a variety of topics not currently offered in the curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand. May be repeated upto 9 total credit hours, provided the topics vary. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior).

Covers a variety of topics not currently offered in the curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand. May be repeated upto 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary. Restricted to junior and senior ENVS majors.

Covers fundamentals of biogeochemical cycling, emphasizing water, carbon, and nutrient dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems; chemical interactions of atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere, and natural and human-managed environments. Prereqs., GEOL 3320 or EBIO 3270, and CHEM 1011 or higher. Same as GEOL and EBIO 4160

Introduces this interdisciplinary science, studying the interactions between atmospheric processes and living organisms (plants, animals, and humans). Discusses how organisms adapt to a changing environment. Uses a practical, problem-solving approach to explore these interactions. Prereq., GEOG 1001. Same as GEOG 4201.

Class covers research and field methods for biological disciplines associated with natural history museums: vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Emphasis is on field research techniques: observations, sampling, collection and preservation methods, and comparisons among elevation zones. Includes 5 field labs, 2 weekend trips, 5 lab practica, experience with several taxonomic experts, and individual research projects. Same as MUSM 4795 and EBIO 4795.

Examines a specific environmental topic in depth, synthesizing information from complex and controversial issues. Different course sections present different topics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Environmental Studies (ENVS) or Geography (GEOG) majors only.