Catalog Course Description

This course provides an examination of the interactions of organisms with each other and the environment and the role they play in regulating and maintaining environmental conditions. The central focus is on the role played by humans as a force in causing, correcting, and preventing environmental damage. Laboratory exercises include observation and collection trips to polluted and nonpolluted ecosystems, examination of field collections, field trips to landfills, water and wastewater treatment facilities.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Discuss current global environmental concerns and offer opinions substantiated by facts.
2. Illustrate with numerous examples the effects human activities have on the environment.
3. Discuss and provide examples of the effects altered environments have on human populations.
4. Analyze alternative sources of energy.
5. Formulate an argument concerning a specific environmental issue by finding facts using the Internet and other environmental literature.

Attributes

Natural Sciences (and scientific reasoning)
Liberal Arts