Roles played by urban forestry and greenspace systems in a rapidly changing world; topics include urban ecology, urban forest conservation, urban forest management, climate change, society and human well-being, design and planning, urban/rural interface issues, and urban forest policy.
Sociological approaches to the study of environmental conflicts, issues, movements, impact of changing technology, economic development on the environment.
Interdisciplinary science of climate change and its impacts; options for mitigation and adaptation.
Faculty and students from different disciplines act as an interdisciplinary team studying specific resource problems with ecological, economic, demographic and social dimensions. Techniques and methods are emphasized to show their value in integrating knowledge, defining policy and facilitating communication. Several sections with different emphasis offered each year.
Psychological theory and research on the interaction between organisms and the physical environment; emphasis on applications to the design and management of constructed and natural environments. Credit will be granted for only one of PSYC 421 or PSYC 321.
Offerings respond to current policy debates, topics of emerging interest, availability of visiting scholars, and interest in non-traditional courses incorporating practitioner expertise, interest in particular disciplinary perspectives missing from core courses and electives, and interest in specific regions or countries.
Climate science and impacts including: carbon management options; mitigation and energy system changes; efficiency options; 'end-of-pipe' solutions; vulnerability and adaptation to climate change; carbon economics and organization-level strategies in a carbon-constrained world.
Energy sources, markets, and impacts critical to energy policy, including oil, natural gas and coal markets; electricity and utilities policy; local and global environmental impacts; renewable energy; nuclear power and security; energy efficiency; technological innovation; and energy poverty.
Ecological consequences of the global political economy.
Domestic and international determinants of environmental policy; alternative approaches to environmental protection. The sustainable development paradigm; public opinion and interest group pressures; risk assessment; mandatory, voluntary and market-based policy instruments.