Environmental Studies

This course focuses on food domestication as a major contributor to human societies and cultures as well as to ecological changes around the world. Small-scale gardening is examined through time and space in conjunction with service-learning primarily using our campus gardens.

Food unites people in ritualized gatherings, while it also divides them over politics and economics. Besides considering food’s place in anthropology, this course will examine food and identity—food as it relates to cultural, class, and gendered identities—as well as food’s significance in social, political, and economic systems. This course is writing-intensive, and students will become active in Cottey’s organic garden as a part of this course.

Involves all basic sciences (geology, physics, chemistry, and biology) in introducing scientific study of biogeochemical cycles and energy flow through ecosystems. It especially considers impact of human activities on populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Presents chemical principles at an introductory level with an emphasis on the use of these principles to understand and describe chemical processes that occur in the environment. Covers fundamentals including atomic and molecular structure, measurement and stoichiometry, solutions, acid-base chemistry, nuclear chemistry, energy, and behavior of gases. Not open to students with credit in CHE 110, CHE 120, or CHE 210.

Introduces basic chemistry laboratory work with experiments designed to show applications of chemistry to the investigation and analysis of the environment.

An interdisciplinary course focused on the specific ways that human activity can lead to the accumulation, depletion, and alteration of chemicals in the environment, and the resulting effects of changed chemical levels on both the environment and the people who live in the environment. The intersection of environmental chemistry and social justice will be explored through an examination of the disparate ways in which members of different groups, both nationally and internationally, experience acute and/or chronic negative effects from living in degraded and contaminated environments. Supporting topics will include activism, environmental remediation, law and policy.

This course focuses on food domestication as a major contributor to human societies and cultures as well as to ecological changes around the world. Small-scale gardening is examined through time and space in conjunction with service-learning primarily using our campus gardens.

Food unites people in ritualized gatherings, while it also divides them over politics and economics. Besides considering food’s place in anthropology, this course will examine food and identity—food as it relates to cultural, class, and gendered identities—as well as food’s significance in social, political, and economic systems. Students will become active in Cottey’s organic garden as a part of this course.

Involves all basic sciences (geology, physics, chemistry and biology) in introducing scientific study of biogeochemical cycles and energy flow through ecosystems. It especially considers impact of human activities on populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Presents chemical principles at an introductory level with an emphasis on the use of these principles to understand and describe chemical processes that occur in the environment. Covers fundamentals including atomic and molecular structure, measurement and stoichiometry, solutions, acid-base chemistry, nuclear chemistry, energy, and behavior of gases. Not open to students with credit in CHE110, CHE 120, or CHE 210.

Introduces basic chemistry laboratory work with experiments designed to show applications of chemistry to the investigation and analysis of the environment.

An interdisciplinary course focused on the specific ways that human activity can lead to the accumulation, depletion, and alteration of chemicals in the environment, and the resulting effects of changed chemical levels on both the environment and the people who live in the environment. The intersection of environmental chemistry and social justice will be explored through an examination of the disparate ways in which members of different groups, both nationally and internationally, experience acute and/or chronic negative effects from living in degraded and contaminated environments. Supporting topics will include activism, environmental remediation, law, and policy.

Introduces outdoor safety, first aid, survival skills, appropriate clothing and outdoor equipment, orienteering, use of a compass, GPS, and map reading skills. Activities will consist mainly of day hiking with an additional opportunity each semester for caving, goecashing, or night hiking. Course combines lecture, activity and required weekend participation. Meets for 8 weeks.

Environmental awareness and ethics goes hand in hand. Environmental awareness develops with understanding of ethical relationships that humans share with the non-human world. This course will examine frameworks in environmental ethics, intergenerational justice, food justice, animal rights, land ethics, and ecological justice. This course will have a service learning component.

This is a 100-level introductory course that will introduce the field of environmental studies. Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary field and it borrows concepts from multiple disciplines such as environmental sociology, human ecology, geomorphology, development studies, environmental health, and environmental planning and design. This course will introduce the various dimensions of the field including environmental ethics, ecosystem studies, earth and atmospheric sciences, globalization and environment, environmental movements, environmental policy, political ecology, environmental health, environmental justice, environmental economics, environmental planning, and GIS. It will also discuss the possible career opportunities that exist in the field.

This course will introduce students to the different world regions including regions in Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, and Europe. Students will learn the history, culture, population, territory, economy, and the environment of each region that will provide them with a comprehensive understanding of each. This course will make them globally aware of the different regions of the world and also keep them well informed of some of the current events that are affecting the regions.

GIS is being widely used in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Its use is increasing in popularity in academia, the public and private sector, health care, government services, industry, and others. In environmental studies, the use of GIS has increased in the recent years. This course will enable students to learn the basics of GIS theory, GPS, and remote sensing technologies; prepare and analyze maps using spatial analysis tools; and be familiar with the recent trends in the field. 3 credits

This course focuses on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and an essential interdisciplinary tool in environmental studies, business, art and other disciplines. Through practical applications of ESRI ArcView students learn GIS fundamentals and will become proficient in using GIS in many professional and academic fields. Topics include cartography, geodatabases, metadata and spatial analysis, as well as, building, editing, and analyzing GIS. Students will complete a final project with a topic of their choice.

This course is divided into three sections. The first part will examine ecosystem functions, concepts, and services. The second part will explore human impact on the ecosystems and its management approaches. The third part will investigate major ecosystems including aquatic, forest, prairie, desert, and cave ecosystems. Case studies analyzing problems and management issues of these ecosystems will be discussed. The practical aspect of this course will include a field trip to a major ecosystem.

In this course, students will analyze changing perceptions and uses of the environment in the United States from pre-contact time to the present. Emphasis will be placed on examples of sustainability and conservation practice.Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course will critically examine the extent to which the tourism industry has been sustainable. Students will first learn the history of the tourism industry and then examine how the idea of sustainable development has been attached to the industry. Next, the course will analyze the different dimensions of sustainable tourism including socio-cultural, environmental, and economic dimensions. Finally, the course will examine how and to what extent the tourism industry has been sustainable in different settings such as urban, rural, mountain, and wilderness areas.

This course will examine the physical geographic aspects including various dimensions of the atmosphere; solar energy, seasons and global temperature; water, weather, and climate systems; and earth-soil dynamics. Therefore, this course is divided into three parts: atmospheric system, water weather, and climate system, and earth-soil dynamics. The practical aspect of this course will include fieldtrip to geological facilities in Missouri.

Environmental Studies encompasses interdisciplinary research and multiple specializations. A topics course offers students the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding in one or more environmental topics. The topics will vary across semesters and include (but are not limited to): Climate Change, Wildlife Conservation, Geographies of Hope and Sustainable Development.

In this 300-level course, students will first learn about the concepts of globalization and population dynamics and then examine how environmental resources are impacted due to population pressure and the forces of globalization. They will also learn how environmental movements worldwide are responding to the forces of globalization. This course is divided into several sections. Concepts of globalization and population dynamics comprise the first section. The second section examines the effects of globalization on water resource, food system and biodiversity, waste, and energy resources. The third section will investigate the connection between globalization and environmental politics with a focus on the politics over climate change. The final part will study environmental movements in the United States and beyond.xs

This course analyzes basics of the environmental planning process and how to create and foster development and redevelopment that meets social, ecological and economic goals. Students will become familiar with Environmental Impact Assessment and how it should be carried out. Topic covered include: architecture - environmental aspects; historic buildings preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic build environment; urban environmental and social issues; building gender equality in urban life; globalization and its regional and international impacts on urban processes; pressure on the environment caused by human activities and structures.

Environmental Justice will focus on the works of the first generation EJ scholars who wwere inspired by environmental racism; conceptions of environmental inequality formation by the second wave of EJ scholars; and how environmental justice activism and theory expanded to include new empirical spaces in different national contexts. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

To provide students with valuable and tangible experience in practical aspects of realizing UN sustainability goals, and transfer theory into practice, this course allows students to engage in real-world, sustainability-related action research projects that provide benefits for a target community.

The capstone is the culmination of the student’s work in the major. Over a period of two semesters, students will complete a thesis under the direction of an Environmental Studies faculty member or professional expert. This course will focus on the first part of the project. Students will be exposed to peerreviewed scientific papers and will be able to strengthen their presentation skills. Students will learn how to write a research proposal which will include identifying a research title, writing a concise introduction, a background section, research questions, literature review, data collection and analysis methods, significance of the study, and a conclusion. Students will present their progress regularly and their research proposal at the end of the semester. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course is the second part of the capstone research project. Students will work on the research proposal that they wrote in capstone research Part I. This process will include writing IRB application, getting IRB approval, data collection and analysis, and thesis writing. Finally, students will present their final thesis to the faculty, students, and academic staff of Cottey College at the end of the semester. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

An analysis of changing perceptions and uses of the environment in the United States from pre-contact time to the present. Emphasis is placed on examples of sustainability and conservation practice. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

Introduces outdoor safety, first aid, survival skills, appropriate clothing and outdoor equipment, orienteering, use of a compass, GPS, and map reading skills. Activities will consist mainly of day hiking with an additional opportunity each semester for caving, goecashing, or night hiking. Course combines lecture, activity and required weekend participation. Meets for 8 weeks.

Environmental awareness and ethics goes hand in hand. Environmental awareness develops with understanding of ethical relationships that humans share with the non-human world. This course will examine frameworks in environmental ethics, intergenerational justice, food justice, animal rights, land ethics, and ecological justice. This course will have a service learning component.