Course Search Results

How earth-atmosphere-hydrosphere-space systems produce events catastrophic to humans on the scale of individual lives to civilizations; root causes of earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes, tsunami, tornadoes, and asteroid impact, and their local, national, and global impact; spatial and temporal occurrences of these hazards; methods and processes for hazard preparedness, response, and recovery; social, economic, and policy aspects that affect and compound the magnitude of disasters associated with natural phenomena; case studies drawn from contemporary and ancient societies. GE: Sustainability.

One or more sections may be assigned to a TILE classroom.

Natural Sciences without Lab Sustainability

Biological and physical character of the Earth; interaction of humans with the environment, including impacts on ecosystems, climate, natural processes, resources; alternative options, including sustainability, waste management, energy, land reform. GE: Sustainability.

With human population growth and resource consumption growing exponentially, the impact of human interaction with the rest of our environment is increasingly relevant in many fields of study. Environmental Science is the interdisciplinary study of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity. Environmental Science has the applied goal of solving environmental problems, drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, and political science. The specific student learning outcomes for the overall course are:

• Ability to critically evaluate popular media articles related to Environmental Science;
• Ability to locate and interpret data relevant to Environmental Science and interpret it;
• Understanding the relationship between their day-to-day life and Environmental Science, particularly in the context of sustainability;
• Recognize the multi-faceted nature of Environmental Science.

This course is taught in a blended environment, including traditional lectures, discussion periods in TILE classrooms, online learning, and both individual and group projects.

Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab Sustainability

Introduction to sustainability knowledge, skills, and habits as a means to shape one's vision of a sustainable citizen; emphasis on basic skills of literacy, applied math, and finding information; traditional sustainability knowledge areas related to society, economy, and environment; intersecting themes (e.g., informed consumerism, eco-economics, and livable environments). GE: Sustainability. Social Sciences Sustainability

Historical perspective on business, science, geology, technology, politics, environment, and culture of the global oil industry; the rise of oil as the most influential international business of the last 150 years, the material foundation of economies, a major force in world politics, a shaper of daily life, and a guide to understanding Earth's deep history. Offered fall semesters. GE: Sustainability. Historical Perspectives Sustainability

Long-term patterns of human-environment interactions surveyed through archaeological case studies; varied scales of human impacts, including animal extinction, habitat destruction, agricultural practices, urban growth, state-level societies. GE: Sustainability.

Communities across the globe are increasingly concerned that the byproducts from our industrial lives are causing climate change and irreparable damage to our natural environment. Anthropology provides a rich source of information on how humans interact with nature, and provides a baseline for understanding ecosystems’ dynamic pasts, which together can be used to place today's environmental crisis in perspective. Using examples and case studies from around the world, this course surveys the changing nature of human-environmental interactions over the last 60,000 years. The lecture component of the course explores how long-term changes in social organization, subsistence patterns, population growth, and settlement practices have influenced the nature and scale of human impacts on the environment through time. This part of the course is organized around major categories of human impacts including animal extinction, habitat destruction, agricultural practices, effects of urban growth and development, and impacts of state level societies on the environment. The discussion section takes the themes and concepts outlined in lecture and applies them to our modern life to show how our relationship with the environment is an expansion of the human experience for the last several thousand years.

This course satisfies the Social Sciences GE.

Social Sciences Sustainability

Energy is considered the lifeblood of modern societies, and as energy production and consumption accelerates worldwide, it is imperative that energy becomes sustainable or it is derived from resources that can maintain current operations without jeopardizing energy needs or climate of future generations; examination of global transition toward sustainable energy systems from a social science perspective; application of the concept of sociological imagination to understand challenges and opportunities presented by worldwide energy transformation towards sustainability. GE: Sustainability. Social Sciences Sustainability

Interdisciplinary study of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity; how environmental problems can be solved and avoided by drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, chemistry, and political science; blended instructional environment, including traditional lectures, discussions in TILE classrooms, laboratory, online learning, peer-reviewed writing exercises, and service learning. Offered fall semesters. GE: Sustainability.

Fundamentals of Environmental Science (ENVS:1085) is an interdisciplinary exploration of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity. The course challenges students to explore how environmental problems can be solved and avoided by drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, chemistry, and political science. The course is delivered in a blended instructional environment, which includes traditional lectures, discussions and activity sessions in TILE classrooms, laboratory, online learning, peer-reviewed writing exercises, and service learning. The course is required for Environmental Science majors*, who are strongly encouraged to take this course during their first year. Other motivated students seeking a student-centered introduction to environmental science are also encouraged to enroll.  Offered fall semesters.

* exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by contacting the ES Program Coordinator, Andrew Forbes andrew-forbes@uiowa.edu.  Situations for an exception include if the student has transferred a 3sh environmental science course from another institution  or 3sh of Environmental Science AP credit.  In these situations the student enrolled in a 1sh laboratory course (ENVS:1090) to fulfill the requirement.  Another exception is if the student has previously received credit in ENVS:1080.  However, students considering majoring in Environmental Science are strongly encouraged to take ENVS:1085 rather than ENVS:1080.

Natural Sciences with Lab Sustainability

Underlying processes driving human/environment interaction, including climate change, deforestation, and natural disasters; environmental challenges, including declining biological diversity; human response to more frequent severe climate events; production of a more sustainable future. GE: Sustainability.

We currently need 1.6 earths to sustain our use of natural resources.  Where we live, what we eat, and our day-to-day activities modify the local environment. In turn, we are intricately connected to one another and to the environment on which our livelihoods depend. Understanding the global environment and the role people play within the earth system is essential to understanding current debates, policies, and their potential ramifications.  This course introduces students to the natural processes, ranging from microscopic to global, and explores how the science of the global environment helps us understand the connections between people and environment.  Students will learn how the earth's systems interact and the importance of these systems to people.  The processes of observation, analysis, and inference underlying the science will be discussed throughout.  This course provides an important foundation for future study of topics such as environmental studies, business, public health, journalism, and many other fields.

Natural Sciences without Lab Sustainability

How society balances its needs against those of the natural environment when addressing modern challenges like climate change, conservation, and energy crises; exploration of sustainability through the lens of U.S. environmental policy and politics; application of fundamental theories of public policy to answer questions—when do environmental problems become policy problems; what economic, social, and political forces shape environmental policy decisions; and what are the consequences of environmental policies for individuals and organizations? GE: Sustainability. Social Sciences Sustainability