Introduction to causes and physical characteristics of disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, storm surge, thunderstorms, tornadoes, landslides, wind waves, meteor impacts, mass extinctions. [3-0-0]
Introduction to Earth's climate system: radiation balance, greenhouse effect, atmosphere and ocean circulation, plate tectonics, biosphere interactions, and the carbon cycle. Applications to understand the causes of climate change, from long-term climate evolution to modern human-induced climate change. (Consult the Credit Exclusion list, within the Faculty of Science section in the Calendar.) [3-0-0]
Earth's origin, composition, structure, and natural resources. Plate tectonics as the driving force for volcanism, mountain building, and earthquakes. Imaging Earth's interior. Environmental geoscience and sustainability. (Consult the Credit Exclusion list for the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.) [3-0-0]
The creation, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and policies at the international, national, and sub-national levels. Examination and critique of laws, principles, and policies dealing with issues such as climate change, pollution, and biological diversity. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: 4th-year class standing.
Sustainability analysis through a series of case studies. Example approaches include cost-benefit analysis, trade-offs analysis, and life-cycle analysis. Active learning in a computer lab using real-world data. [2-2-0] Prerequisite: One of ENVR 200, ASIC 220, SCIE 220, GEOG 211. Third-year standing.
Current issues. Application to agricultural, energy, and resource systems in terrestrial and aquatic contexts. Analysis of complex problems; incorporation of science into novel interdisciplinary solutions. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Class standing 3, and either (1) one of ENVR 300, BIOL 230, FRST 201 or (2) other demonstrated ecology background.
Instructor-guided collaboration between student teams and community partners on community-based environmental science projects. Teams articulate project questions and goals, devise methods, conduct research and communicate results. Credit will be given for only one of ENVR 400 or ENVR 449. [3-0-0; 3-0-0] Prerequisite: ENVR 300.
The complexities of socio-ecological issues facing practitioners of environmental sciences including ethics and social equity. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: 3rd-year class standing.
Environmental research. Students investigate research methodologies and reporting in a range of scientific disciplines and fields. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Open to all students with third-year, or higher, standing in the Faculty of Science.