Introduction to interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies minor. Scientific, cultural, ethical, and economic concepts that affect environmental sustainability and global economic justice. Key texts. Participatory classroom environment. prereq: Soph or jr or sr

Students synthesize multiple disciplinary perspectives and integrate insights gained from various approaches/methods. Concepts/scholarship related to sustainability. Applying knowledge/experience to real sustainability problems. prereq: [3003 or GLOS 3304, [jr or sr] in sustainability studies minor] or instr consent

Concepts of resource use. Financial/economic feasibility. External effects, market failures. Resource use, environmental problems. Measuring impacts of resource development. Economics of alternative resource programs, environmental strategies. prereq: 1101 or ECON 1101 or 1101H or ECON 1101H

Techniques of analysis and planning for transportation services. Demand-supply interactions. Evaluating transportation alternatives. Travel demand forecasting. Integrated model systems. Citizen participation in decision-making. prereq: 3201 or equiv, upper division CSE, or grad student

Systems approach, its application to transportation engineering/planning. Prediction of flows and level of service. Production functions, cost optimization, utility theory, demand modeling, transportation network analysis, equilibrium assignment, decision analysis, multidimensional evaluation of transportation projects. prereq: Math 2373 or equivalent, Math 2263 or equivalent. CEGE 3101 or equivalent, CEGE 3102 or eqiuvalent, CEGE graduate student or instructors consent.

Political processes in management of the environment. How disagreements are addressed by different stakeholders, private-sector interests, government agencies, institutions, communities, and nonprofit organizations.

Policies affecting land use planning at local, state, and federal levels. Ecosystem and landscape scale planning. Collaborative and community-based approaches to planning for ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Class project applies interdisciplinary perspectives on planning and policy, including information gathering techniques, conservation planning tools, and evaluation of planning options.

International perspectives on resource use and sustainable development. Integration of natural resource issues with social, economic, and policy considerations. Agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, non-timber forest products, water resources, certification, development issues. Global case studies. Impact of consumption in developed countries on sustainable development in lesser developed countries.

Microeconomic principles and their application to natural resource management problems. Economic and policy tools to address market failures. Discussion of regulatory and market-based instruments. Discounting and compounding concepts. Methods for conducting financial and economic analyses of natural resource management projects. Decision criteria when conducting benefit/cost analysis of natural resource projects. Methods for valuing non-market natural resource goods and services. Economics of managing renewable natural resources such as forests and fisheries. Land economics. Payments for environmental services. Planning and management problems. Case studies. prereq: MATH 1031 or equivalent.

Concepts/issues relating to industrial ecology and industry as they are influenced by current standards/regulations at local, state, and national levels. prereq: APEC 1101 or ECON 1101 or 3261W

Concepts/issues relating to inventory, subsequent analysis of production systems. Production system from holistic point of view, using term commonly used in industrial ecology: "metabolic system."

Environmental problems such as climate change, ozone depletion, and loss of biodiversity.

Methods, formal/informal, for analyzing environmental/natural resource policies. How to critically evaluate policies, using economic/non-economic decision-making criteria. Application of policy analysis to environmental/natural resource problems. Recognizing politically-charged environment in which decisions over use, management, and protection of resources often occur. Prereqs: ESPM 3241W or ESPM 3271 and ESPM 3261, undergrads with jr or sr standing.

Concepts, major issues relating to industrial ecology and industry as they are influenced by current standards/regulations at local, state, and national levels. prereq: APEC 1101 or ECON 1101

Through readings, lectures, discussions, written assignments, and presentations this course introduces the critical issues underpinning global change and its environmental and social implications. The course examines current literature in exploring evidence for human-induced global change and its potential effects on a wide range of biological processes and examines the social and economic drivers, social and economic consequences, and political processes at local, national, and international scales related to global change. This is a Grand Challenge Curriculum course.

Development of transportation policy, making of transportation plans, deployment of transportation technologies. Lectures, interactive case studies, role playing.

Systems of production/distribution, especially in nonindustrial societies. Comparison, history, critique of major theories. Cross-cultural anthropological approach to material life that subsumes market/nonmarket processes.

This course explores significant environmental issues (such as environmental justice, toxic chemicals, climate change) through the analysis of texts from diverse literary genres. It focuses as much on issues of language and meaning as it does on the subjects these texts concern. Students examine the formal dimensions of these texts, as well as their social and historical contexts. In addition, students are introduced to the underlying scientific principles, the limitations of technologies, and the public policy aspects of each of these issues, in order to judge what constitutes an appropriate response to them. Students also learn how to identify and evaluate credible information concerning the environment.

Normative/professional ethics, and leadership considerations, applicable to managing natural resources and the environment. Readings, discussion.

Inequality in the form of extreme wealth and poverty in our world are major causes of environmental degradation. In addition, development failure as well as certain forms of economic growth always led to environment disasters. This course examines how our world?s economic and political systems and the livelihoods they engender have produced catastrophic local and global environmental conditions. Beyond this, the course explores alternative approaches of achieving sustainable environment and equitable development. prereq: Soph or jr or sr

This course takes a cross-cultural, historical, and transnational perspective to the study of the global food system. Themes explored include: different cultural and social meanings attached to food; social class and consumption; the global food economy; global food chains; work in the food sector; the alternative food movement; food justice; environmental consequences of food production.

This course introduces students to the theoretical and historical foundations of environmental racism and environmental inequality more broadly. We will examine and interrogate both the social scientific evidence concerning these phenomena and the efforts by community residents, activists, workers, and governments to combat it. We will consider the social forces that create environmental inequalities so that we may understand their causes, consequences, and the possibilities for achieving environmental justice prereq: SOC 1001 recommended

We examine environmental ideas, sustainability, conservation history; critique of the human impact on nature; empire and power in the Anthropocene; how the science of ecology has developed; and modern environmental movements around the globe. Case studies include repatriation of endangered species; ecology and evolutionary theory; ecology of disease; and climate change.

Philosophical basis for membership in moral community. Theories applied to specific problems (e.g., vegetarianism, wilderness preservation). Students defend their own reasoned views about moral relations between humans, animals, and nature.

This course takes a cross-cultural, historical, and transnational perspective to the study of the global food system. Themes explored include: different cultural and social meanings attached to food; social class and consumption; the global food economy; global food chains; work in the food sector; the alternative food movement; food justice; environmental consequences of food production. prereq: Soc majors/minors must register A-F

Examines the interaction between human society and the natural environment, focusing on the contemporary and global situation. Takes the perspective of environmental sociology concerning the short-range profit-driven and ideological causes of ecological destruction. Investigates how society is reacting to that increasing destruction prereq: 1001 recommended or a course on the environment, soc majors/minors must register A-F

This course introduces students to the theoretical and historical foundations of environmental racism and environmental inequality more broadly. We will examine and interrogate both the social scientific evidence concerning these phenomena and the efforts by community residents, activists, workers, and governments to combat it. We will consider the social forces that create environmental inequalities so that we may understand their causes, consequences, and the possibilities for achieving environmental justice prereq: SOC 1001 recommended

Ecological/ethical concerns of food production systems in global agriculture: past, present, and future. Underlying ethical positions about how agroecosystems should be configured. Decision cases, discussions, videos, other media.

Ecological approach to problems in agricultural systems. Formal methodologies of systems inquiry are developed/applied. prereq: [3xxx or above] course in [Agro or AnSc or Ent or Hort or PlPa or Soil] or instr consent

Ecological/ethical concerns of food production systems in global agriculture: past, present, and future. Underlying ethical positions about how agroecosystems should be configured. Interactive learning using decision cases, discussions, videos, other media.

Survey key aspects of green chemistry in modern research and development both in academia and industry, as well as relevant implications for the environment, technology, and public policy. prereq: [2302 or 2081 or equiv]

Basic concepts in ecology. Organization, development, function of ecosystem. Population growth/regulation. Human effect on ecosystems. prereq: [Jr or sr] recommended; biological sciences students may not apply cr toward major

Principles of ecology from populations to ecosystems. Applications to human populations, disease, exotic organisms, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity and global dynamics of the earth.

Principles of population growth/interactions, communities and ecosystem function applied to ecological issues. Regulation of populations, dynamics/impacts of disease, invasions by exotic organisms, biodiversity, global change. Lab. Scientific writing. Quantitative skill development (mathematical models, data analysis, statistics and some coding in R). prereq: [One semester college biology or instr consent], [MATH 1142 or MATH 1271 or Math 1272 or Math 1241 or Math 1242 or MATH 1281 or Math 1282 or equiv]

Regulation of energy and elements cycling through ecosystems. Dependence of cycles on kinds/numbers of species within ecosystems. Effects of human-induced global changes on functioning of ecosystems.

Geologic aspects of energy/material resources. Resource size/life-times. Environmental consequences of resource use. Issues of international/public ethics associated with resource production, distribution, and use.

Detection/attribution of global warming using concepts of radiation, climate system, and carbon cycle. Effects on society/biodiversity. National/global efforts/controversy over responses/consequences.

Ecology of ecosystems that are primarily composed of managed plant communities, such as managed forests, field-crop agroecosystems, rangelands and nature reserves, parks, and urban open-spaces. Concepts of ecology and ecosystem management. prereq: BIOL 1001 or BIOL 1009 or HORT 1001 or instr consent

Tourism is a significant industry locally, nationally, and internationally. Park and protected area attractions are among the most visited but also the most vulnerable attractions. This course is designed to familiarize you with the basic concept of park and protected area tourism, including cultural and ecotourism, and then develop your expertise to plan and evaluate sustainable tourism development and operations. Accordingly, you will complete assignments that apply the knowledge gained to planning and evaluation activities. This course is offered partially on-line. COURSE OBJECTIVES By the end of the class you will be able to: 1.Differentiate and appreciate the complexities involved with defining and developing nature, eco, heritage, geo-, park and protected, cultural and "sustainable tourism." 2.Identify specific social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with park and protected area tourism, how to measure them, and methods to minimize the negative and maximize the positive impacts. 3.Analyze domestic and international case studies of park and protected area tourism. 4.Critically evaluate park and protected area tourism services and effective management and planning. 5. Create elements of a business plan for park and protected area tourism operations that emphasize sustainability.

Introduction to themes/concepts of diverse, dynamic, and interdisciplinary field. Biological/social underpinnings of conservation problems/solutions. prereq: introductory biology course

Geographic patterns, dynamics, and interactions of atmospheric, hydrospheric, geomorphic, pedologic, and biologic systems as context for human population, development, and resource use patterns.

Organic fruit and vegetable production has been one of the fastest growing segments of the US economy for almost two decades, stimulating an overwhelming number of biological and ecological innovations to produce food using organic approaches. This course aims to increase student's knowledge of ecological concepts as applied to managing organic systems, with an emphasis on soil nutrient cycles and plant-soil-microbe interactions that serve as the cornerstone of organic systems. Students in this course will learn tools needed to manage an organic diversified vegetable operation. The course consists of two components. The lecture session is designed to help students think about concepts and principles that are useful in planning and managing production strategies on organic farms. We spend a significant amount of our time reviewing soil nutrient cycling and its critical importance for organic farms, including how to effectively use soil and organic nutrient inputs such as cover crops, manure and fertilizers, to provide vegetable crops with the nutrients they need to grow. We also learn about successful marketing strategies for organic produce. Finally, near the end of the semester we will discuss pest management, including both weeds and disease/insect pests, and compare different tillage options available to organic producers. What we learn is then applied to planning next year's season of the UMN student organic farm. Throughout, we will use case studies, guest speakers, games, and active learning discussion approaches to move these classroom sessions "beyond the lecture" and allow students to engage with the material in a meaningful way. The lab is designed to allow a space to put into action some of the concepts students learn in lecture, including soil organic matter analysis, microgreen propagation, calculation of organic fertilizer rates, and operation of driven and walk-behind tractors.

Detection/attribution of global warming using radiation, climate system, and carbon cycle. Effects on society/biodiversity. National/global efforts. Controversy over responses/consequences.

Introduction to theories/practices of ecological approaches to architectural design. Ecological context, implications/opportunities of architecture. Historical/theoretical framework for ecological design thinking. Issues studied at various scales: site/community, building, component.

Energy security. Environmental, economic, societal impacts. Current/emerging technologies for production/use, characteristics of renewable energy, key methods for efficient production. Current/probable future. Impact on sustainable development. prereq: Junior or senior

A quantitative approach to environmental problems, including the development of mass and energy balances and the application of fundamental principles of environmental chemistry and microbiology. Meets the University of Minnesota's liberal education environment theme through the incorporation of environmental function, problems, and solutions throughout the course. prereq: Chem 1062, Phys 1302, Math 1372 or equivalent

This course will serve as an introduction to the topics of solid and hazardous waste management. Classes will incorporate information about prevention, treatment options, and the regulations surrounding solid and hazardous waste. They will also provide an opportunity to observe different methods of waste treatment in action.

How sustainable housing practices build community. How community growth has impacted the environment and how natural events impact our communities. Science and technology required to build high performance houses.

This course will study nations, regions, cities, and communities that have adapted or are undergoing adaptation to climate change. The course will examine different approaches in planning, policy, economics, infrastructure, and building design that increase the adaptive capacity of human settlements. These approaches will vary in scale from the construction of new neighborhoods to the implementation of storm water gardens. The course will emphasize multi-functional strategies which couple climate change adaptation with other urban improvements. Learning Objectives: To understand role of climate adaptation in the reconfiguration of human settlements. To apply design thinking to the issue of climate adaptation in the context of an urban society.To apply knowledge to challenge-based coursework on managing climate risk, decreasing climate vulnerability, and building resilience to climate change.

Dynamic relationships between environmentally designed places and biological/physical contexts. Integration of created place and biological/physical contexts. Case studies, student design.

Examine links between cities and the environment with emphasis on air, soil, water, pollution, parks and green space, undesirable land uses, environmental justice, and the basic question of how to sustain urban development in an increasingly fragile global surrounding.