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Environmental Studies

Also see the Graduate Program in Sustainability and Environmental Management.

Courselist

• ENVR E-101 Environmental Management I (Fall)
• ENVR E-102 Environmental Management II (Spring)
• ENVR E-105 Strategies for Sustainability Management (Spring)
• ENVR E-108 Environmental Systems: A Problem-Solving Approach to Understanding Environmental Processes (Spring)
• ENVR E-109 Environmental Politics (Fall)
• ENVR E-110 Ocean Environments (Spring)
• ENVR E-115 Introduction to Sustainable Development (Fall)
• ENVR E-116 Planning for Carbon Neutrality: Practical Methods for Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Spring)
• ENVR E-119 Sustainable Buildings: Design, Construction, and Operations (Fall)
• ENVR E-120 Environmental Ethics and Land Management (Fall)
• ENVR E-126 Bicycle Environments and Public Health: Case Study Cities (Fall)
• ENVR E-130 Global Climate Change: The Science, Social Impact, and Diplomacy of a World Environmental Crisis (Spring)
• ENVR E-140/W Fundamentals of Ecology (Fall)
• ENVR E-142/W Conservation Biology and Sustainable Use of Forested Landscapes (Spring)
• ENVR E-145 Introduction to Environmental Justice (Spring)
• ENVR E-150 Life Cycle and Risk Assessment (Fall)
• ENVR E-155 Advanced Life Cycle Assessment and Corporate/Product Sustainability Assessment (Fall)
• ENVR E-157 Investing in a Sustainable Future (Fall)
• ENVR E-160 Critical Thinking about Environmental and Public Health Issues (Spring)
• ENVR E-200 Graduate Research Methods and Scholarly Writing in Environmental Management (Fall)
• ENVR E-599 Capstone Projects in Environmental Management (Fall)

ENVR E-101 Environmental Management I (11925)

This course examines environmental issues by focusing on the themes of human populations, global perspective, sustainability, management methods, and science and values. The fundamentals of the driving forces that influence the environment; management structures; water resources, quantity, and quality; land resources, food supply, and food safety; and waste management are presented. A one-day field trip to Cape Cod is scheduled on a weekend in the fall. Additional optional site visits are scheduled during the semester. Prerequisites: high school biology and chemistry. (4 credits)

ENVR E-102 Environmental Management II (21783)

This course covers the environmental aspects of energy sources and their externalities, atmospheric resources and air quality, global issues, the built environment, and transportation. Like its complementary course ENVR E-101, this course examines environmental issues through the lens of human populations, global perspective, sustainability, management methods, and science and values. Optional seminars and other opportunities for learning and engagement are scheduled during the semester. Prerequisites: high school biology and chemistry. (4 credits)

ENVR E-105 Strategies for Sustainability Management (21808)

Sustainability is explored at the nexus of a local business, the local government, and local citizens. A case method approach is used to help students develop the skills to develop a sustainabilty management system for a local business. Other cases are used to reinforce the concepts and sharpen skills. (4 credits)

ENVR E-108 Environmental Systems: A Problem-Solving Approach to Understanding Environmental Processes (23047)

This course is dedicated to understanding the chemical and physical principles that control the fate and partitioning of environmental pollutants in water, air, and soil, and teaching the problem-solving skills to evaluate the processes. As an environmental journalist, manager, regulator, academic, or advocate, it is often necessary to be able to quickly assess the potential impact of an environmental disturbance or the possible mitigation by a remediation strategy. Most often, a reasonable estimation within an order of magnitude can be derived by simplifying the system to its key features, by making thoughtful assumptions, and applying a basic physical or chemical model that can be solved analytically without complex computer simulations. In this course, emphasis is placed on teaching problem solving, and therefore giving students skills they can later apply toward environmental problems in their careers. Each class is structured around an interesting environmental problem that illustrates the physical or chemical principles that are taught that day. Prerequisite: college-level chemistry and a working knowledge of algebra. (4 credits)

ENVR E-109 Environmental Politics (13485)

This course is an introduction to the history, organization, goals, and ideals of environmental protection in America. It examines the shift in emphasis from nature protection to pollution control to sustainability over the twentieth century and develops critical tools to analyze changing conceptions of nature and the role of science in environmental policy formulation. Of central interest is the relationship between knowledge, uncertainty, and political or legal action. Theoretical approaches are combined with case studies of major episodes and controversies in environmental protection. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Environmental Science and Public Policy 78. (4 credits)

ENVR E-110 Ocean Environments (21784)

This course provides students with a "window to the underwater world" while taking them on a virtual tour of the world's oceans and their environments. Topics include coral reef ecology, marshes and bays, the open ocean, the deep sea, aquaculture, ocean research at sea, marine fouling organisms, ocean pollution, sustainability and management of oceanic resources, and a special presentation on seashells of the world. Students have the opportunity to participate in local ocean conferences and field trips to the New England Aquarium and Cape Cod National Seashore. Distance students can participate virtually or conduct independent local field trips. (4 credits)

ENVR E-115 Introduction to Sustainable Development (12421)

This course introduces the concept and practice of sustainable development (SD). It examines the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of SD by focusing on changing patterns of consumption, production, and distribution of resources. This course has an international focus and examines the impact of globalization, the role of the private sector, and NGOs. Economic evaluation of environmental impacts, environmental and social assessments, concepts, and methodologies are introduced. Prerequisites: introductory courses in environmental sciences, economics, and social science. Graduate-credit students must demonstrate knowledge of economics at the level of ECON E-10a. (4 credits)

ENVR E-116 Planning for Carbon Neutrality: Practical Methods for Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction (23253)

A new field of greenhouse gas emissions management has emerged, which specializes in helping institutions and corporations identify and mitigate their contributions to climate change. This course reviews the tools and strategies necessary to set and achieve a carbon reduction goal. (4 credits)

ENVR E-119 Sustainable Buildings: Design, Construction, and Operations (12989)

Our built environment has a substantial impact on energy and material resources as well as being a critical determinant of health, comfort, and productivity for occupants. In response, there are numerous local, national, and international entities adopting green, sustainable criteria for new construction and renovations. This course approaches sustainable development for buildings by examining how building components and systems affect human performance and well being. Sustainable development starts with site planning and evaluation, and proceeds through construction, commissioning, and occupancy phases. The course includes many case studies of historic and contemporary structures exemplifying various sustainability features. The course presents rating systems for high performance buildings developed by the US Green Building Council and other international organizations. Field trips are arranged to tour buildings and green roofs in the Boston area. (4 credits)

ENVR E-120 Environmental Ethics and Land Management (11926)

This course examines the ethical dilemmas faced by human cultures throughout history in their use of land and natural resources. Topics include the environmental ethics of game and wildlife management, natural resource use, water management, biological diversity, fisheries, ocean protection, and agricultural production. Emphasis is given to the different perceptions of the environment and the different strategies that cultures have employed to resolve ethical disputes over land management and resource use. The tensions between urban, suburban, agricultural, ranching, and mining communities over the management of federal land, water projects, national wildlife areas, national forests, and national parks receive particular emphasis. Special attention is devoted to the problem of suburban sprawl. (4 credits)

ENVR E-126 Bicycle Environments and Public Health: Case Study Cities (13458)

Students examine the relation of bicycling, the built environment, and public health issues including physical activity, obesity, global warming, and pollution through a comparison of cities in the US to cities in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. Discussions center on design guidelines, policies, laws, and populations served. (4 credits)

ENVR E-130 Global Climate Change: The Science, Social Impact, and Diplomacy of a World Environmental Crisis (22039)

This course introduces students to the science of climate change, drawing attention to the latest research and evolving pattern of scientific data on climate that has emerged in recent years. In addition, emphasis is given to analyzing the social changes and adaptations that human communities have already made and those they will most likely have to make as the Earth's climate continues to change in the coming years. Special attention is given to the diplomatic efforts that have been launched since the creation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) in 1992. (4 credits)

ENVR E-140/W Fundamentals of Ecology (12779)

This course introduces basic concepts in the ecology of individual organisms, their populations, and the biological communities in which they live. Emphasis is on terrestrial plant and animal ecology. The historical, evolutionary, and ecological processes determining the distribution of ecosystems, habitats, and species are introduced. Evolutionary processes responsible for the adaptations of individuals are examined to understand the diversity of species and their features. Theories of competition, predation, disease, and mutualism help explain the functioning of biological communities. These fundamentals establish a basis for examining the challenges imposed by humans on the functioning of natural ecosystems. The sustainable harvesting and use of natural resources, the implications of human population growth and size, and the transformation of natural communities through human activities and policies are examined in this ecological context. The course features a weekend field trip and other activities. (4 credits)

ENVR E-142/W Conservation Biology and Sustainable Use of Forested Landscapes (22762)

The future quality and diversity of life on Earth depends on how well forests are conserved and managed in the tropical and temperate zones. This course deliberately compares tropical rainforests, which occur mostly in underdeveloped countries, with temperate forests, in countries like our own, in terms of ecological processes and policy approaches to protect biodiversity, maintain ecosystem services—including climate change mitigation—and sustain development. Ecological concepts relevant to conservation strategies for forest communities and populations are first examined. Then techniques of economic valuation that guide policymakers in selecting forest land use options, including the benefits and costs of protected areas, are introduced. Finally, the options of sustainable agroforestry and natural forest management, which can directly and indirectly contribute to conservation goals, are discussed from a joint ecological, economic, and sociopolitical perspective. A Saturday field trip links tropical forest land use with New England's forest history and management issues. (4 credits)

ENVR E-145 Introduction to Environmental Justice (22548)

This course examines the interplay of race, socioeconomic status, and interest group politics and the formulation and implementation of US federal and state environmental policies. Students consider the proposition that low income and minority populations, whether residing in urban or rural communities, bear a disproportionate burden of environmental pollution and its health consequences. Attention is given to the evidence and opinion that there exists within the United States, as well as globally, a pattern of environmental inequity, injustice, and racism. Further, we evaluate the contention that underlying this pattern is a historical failure of the mainstream environmental movement to provide for the needs of traditionally marginalized communities. Recent proposals to address the problems of environmental racism and injustice are discussed and analyzed. (4 credits)

ENVR E-150 Life Cycle and Risk Assessment (12390)

Policymakers, communities, civil society, academics, and business leaders around the world are increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impacts of production and consumption. A broad field of work known as industrial ecology is emerging to respond systematically to these concerns, seeking to redesign and realign industrial systems and activities to be more ecologically and socially sound. Central within the field of industrial ecology is life cycle assessment (LCA), which involves systems analysis of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of product systems. This course enables participants to develop a hands-on, in-depth understanding of the frameworks, principles, tools, and applications of life cycle assessment. We also introduce basic methods of toxicology and risk assessment, as these disciplines and their models underlie many of the tools used in LCA and environmental management. Prerequisites: college math and biology. (4 credits)

ENVR E-155 Advanced Life Cycle Assessment and Corporate/Product Sustainability Assessment (13389)

This course builds on ENVR E-150 and enables participants to deepen their hands-on, in-depth understanding of the frameworks, principles, tools, and applications of life cycle assessment (LCA). We engage with emerging methods and tools that go beyond standard ISO 14040-style LCA, for advanced assessment of the environmental, social, and socio-economic impacts of both product systems and the companies and global supply chains which supply them. The course includes use of professional LCA software and databases, and introduces students to newly emerging tools for sustainability assessment. Prerequisite: college math and biology; ENVR E-150, or the equivalent. (4 credits)

ENVR E-157 Investing in a Sustainable Future (13420)

Businesses and policy makers must now respond to the climate change challenge that constrains greenhouse gas emissions. Being able to assess the sustainability strategy and performance of a company, and particularly its approach to carbon management, is becoming an important complement to the more conventional skills of successful investment and general managers. This course begins with an overview of expected impacts of climate change on various sectors of the economy followed by lectures on corporate social responsibility and carbon accounting. Finally, technologies, systems, and practice are presented. (4 credits)

ENVR E-160 Critical Thinking about Environmental and Public Health Issues (22435)

Our ideas about complex environmental and public health issues such as climate change, industrial chemicals, and species extinction are largely formed by simplistic and dramatized media coverage and distorting political spin from all sides. In this course, students learn how to think about these issues more carefully. As a result, their views and perspectives are better informed and their choices are more intelligent and healthier for them and their families. Topics include risk perception—the psychology that explains why we are often more afraid of lesser risks and less afraid of bigger ones, and how that perception gap can be dangerous; media coverage of environmental and public health issues; risk analysis—the controversy over choosing policy options based on economics; the risk sciences of epidemiology and toxicology—what they can and cannot tell us; and hormesis—the discovery by toxicologists that small exposures to toxic substances may be beneficial. Other issues include endocrine disruption, radiation, air pollution (indoor and outdoor), pesticides, major causes of death (heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and accidents), and emerging infectious diseases. (4 credits)

ENVR E-200 Graduate Research Methods and Scholarly Writing in Environmental Management (12422)

This proseminar emphasizes the theoretical and practical aspects of a person's involvement in environmental management. Students develop critical thinking and scholarly writing skills and develop a thesis proposal. Prerequisites: students must be in their final semester before beginning work on a thesis for the ALM in sustainability and environmental management program. They must have completed the analytical skills and ecology requirements, and earn a satisfactory score on the test of critical reading and writing skills. Students who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course. In addition, at the first class meeting, students complete an assignment that demonstrates strong writing and analytical skills. See the steps to complete before attending the first class session for more details. (4 credits)

ENVR E-599 Capstone Projects in Environmental Management (13067)

This course provides students with the preparation for and the opportunity to complete a capstone project related to their professional interests. Capstone projects could include an analysis of a community, industrial, or global environmental issue, or creation of an environmental curriculum or media product. Prerequisites: students must be in their final semester as candidates in the ALM in sustainability and environmental management program. They must have completed all the course work for the program, including completion of the analytical skills and ecology requirements; they must also earn a satisfactory score on the test of critical reading and writing skills. In addition, they should have already met with George Buckley to discuss their project concept. Students who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course. (4 credits)

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