Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship Minor

The minor in Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship offers a multidisciplinary approach to the theory and practice of sustainability and stewardship.

By providing students with a broad-based awareness of sustainability and stewardship issues we hope to produce broadly trained and responsible citizens who understand and can apply relevant scientific understanding of fundamental ecological and environmental phenomena; recognize the social, economic, and political context of environmental decisions at the individual, community, and global level.

CONTACT:

Dr. Alice Jones, ESS Coordinator
Eastern Kentucky Environmental Research Institute
Moore B-18   859.622.6914
alice.jones@eku.edu

A student may minor in Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship by completing a minimum of 18 semester hours in the following courses but with no more than two courses with the same prefix.

Courses Approved for Spring 2012

Spring 2012 ENVS Course List. Below are the courses being offered during the Spring of 2012, including one section each of ENG 210W and ENG 365 approved for Spring 2012 semester only:

ENG 210W Enjoying Literature. *Dr. Szubinska's web-based section ONLY approved for the ENVS Minor.   II. Prerequisite: Eng 102 or 105 (B) or Hon 102.  Understanding and enjoying the distinctive aesthetic qualities, forms and meanings of literary works within  ethical and cultural contexts. gen. Ed. IIIB or VII

ENG 365 Appalachian Literature. *Dr. Erin Presley’s MWF 10:10-11:00 a.m. section ONLY approved for the ENVS Minor. (3)  I. Cross listed as aPP 365.  Prerequisite:  Eng 102 or 105 or Hon 102.  Study of selected major Appalachian literature, with emphasis on twentieth-century writers such as Agee, Arnow, Chappell, Dykeman, Miller, Norman, Roberts, Smith, Still, and Wolfe.  Credit will not be awarded for both Eng 365 and APP 365.

In addition, the following courses are being offered in the Spring of 2012:

Course Descriptions 2011-2012 Catalog

AGR 306 The Global Society’s Food Supply.  (3)  A.  a study of the complexities of the global food and fiber supply including the production, manufacturing and distribution systems.  these studies include historical influences, current topics and health related food issues 

AGR 308 Agricultural Economics. (3) I, II.  Prerequisite:  ECO 230.  an introduction to the economic environment of the agribusiness sector.  Examines the role of agriculture in the U.S. and world economies.  Includes concepts and principles concerning individual agribusiness decision making 

AGR 318 Soil/Water Conservation Technology. (3) A, I.  Principles and procedures for basic surveying and soil-water conservation systems.  this will include how rainfall, run-off, erosion, contours, ponds, lagoons, drainage, and irrigation interact with the desired conservation system. 2 lec/2 lab. 

AGR 319 Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. (3) II. Prerequisite: Junior Standing. Principles of energy and how those needs can potentially be met in the future will be discussed. Comparisons of existing energy sources (fossil fuels, nuclear power) with renewable sources (biomass, solar, and tidal) 

AGR 340 Conservation of Agricultural Resources. (3) A.  Conservation of soils and their fertility, erosion and control, soil conservation methods for individual farms, water supply and distribution, problems of water and air pollution, problems resulting from the population explosion 

AGR 345 Sustainable Agroecosystems. (3) A, I.  Prerequisites:  any course in chemistry, agr130, and 131; or oHo 131 and 132 or BIo 131.  acomprehensive study of new technology related to crop, and pest management practices which could enhance economic returns, environmental quality 

ANT 370 Primate Conservation (3) A.Prerequisite: ant 201. the local human and biological impact of conservation programs affecting primate communities throughout the world.  topics include forest fragmentation, historical perspectives on conservation, agroforestry, ecotourism, ethnography, and disease. 

ANT 371 Primate Ecology & Sociality. (3) A. Completion of ant 201 is advised before taking ant 371. Ecological relationships within primate communities. Students examine primate social structure, habitat use, diet, locomotion, seasonality, plant-primate interactions, and predator-preyrelationships. 

BIO 316 Ecology. (4) I, II.  Prerequisite: BIO 131 or 141.  Basic concepts and principles as applied to the study of organisms or groups of organisms in their interrelations to each other and to their environments.  2 lec/4 lab. 

BIO 317 Conservation of Wildlife Resources. (3) I, II.  (3) I, II.  Introduction to the principles and practices of conservation of plants and animals; requirements and values of wildlife resources; impact of human activities on resources.  May not be used to satisfy area, major, or minor requirements.  gen. Gen Ed VII(NS) Natural Science and Gen Ed 15 Natural Science and Gen Ed 16 Natural Science 

BIO 532 Conservation Biology.  (3)  L.  Prerequisite:  BIo 316 or instructor approval.  Examination of principles and practices of conservingglobal biological diversity.  Causes, consequences and rates of extinction.  application of philosophical, biological, sociological, and legal principles to the conservation of genes, species and ecosystem 

ECO 340 Environmental Economics.  (3)  A.  Cross listed as APP 340.  Prerequisite:  ECO 230.  applications of basic economic analysis to a study of the environment and environmental problems.  Major topics include benefit-cost analysis for environmental decision making, the potential for market-based solutions to environmental problems, and the role and development of environmental policy.  Credit will not be awarded for both ECO 340 and APP 340 

EHS 300 Water Supplies and Waste Disposal. (4) I, II.  Prerequisite:  EHS 280. Prerequisite/Corequisite:  BIO 320 or CLT 209 and CLT 211.  drinking water safety in both individual private systems and larger public systems. Maintenance of raw water quality, water purification, delivery systems, and surveillance.  techniques for collection, treatment, and disposal of sewerage also discussed. 

EHS 335 Hazardous and Solid Waste Management. (3) II.  Prerequisites: CHE 111, 111l and EHS 280; or departmental approval.  Corequisite: EHS 285.  nature of toxic and hazardous wastes and methods for their disposal to protect health and the environment and to prevent contamination of groundwater.  the environmental health and safety aspects of solid waste collection, treatment and disposal, and regulations governing waste management are also discussed. 

EHS 425 Environmental Health Program Planning. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  EHS 280 and 335.  administration, planning, implementation, and evaluation of environmental health programs. discussion of resources and promotional techniques, and the role of the environmental health specialist dealing with community, state, and regional agencies. 

GEO 302 Global Environmental Problems. (3) A. Examination of environmental problems and conservation strategies in the context of global change, with case studies from exemplary world regions, including rainforest, mountain, desert, and island biomes.  Gen Ed 12 Soc Sci Contemp Prob 

GEO 325 Environmental Land Use Planning.  (3)  A.  Examines how principles of landscape ecology, resource conservation, and environmental impact analysis are incorporated into land use decisions and public policy.  Emphasizes practical application at the site and regional scales. 

GLY 303 Environmental Geoscience. (3) A.  Prerequisite: any general education geology course or departmental approval. Investigation of the Earth as a complex set of interconnected systems that cycle elements, water, and earth materials over geologic and human time scales.  The course emphasizes global environmental changes that occur on the planet because of human actions.  Gen Ed VII(NS) Natural Science and Gen Ed 15 Natural Science and Gen Ed 16 Natural Science 

PHI 385   Environmental Ethics.  (3) A. an examination of historical and contemporary views of the values and rights of nature.  Possible topics include animal rights, conservationism, the land ethic, stewardship, deep ecology, ecofeminism, and indigenous approaches to the environment. 

REC 380 Natural Resource Tourism.  (3)  A.  Issues in understanding natural resource tourism, sustainability, tourism lifecycle, impacts associated with natural resource tourism, and effective management.  theoretical approaches, case studies and applications.  Emphasis on student participation and discussion. 

SOC 383 Environmental Sociology.  (3) A. the study and application of concepts from ecology, political economy and sociology to better understand the relationship between humans and their physical environment