Program Overview

Environmental Studies (ENVS) Program

The Environmental Studies program at the University of Oregon offers a comprehensive curriculum that explores the complex relationships between human societies and the natural environment. The program is interdisciplinary, incorporating courses from the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities to provide students with a nuanced understanding of environmental issues.

Courses

The ENVS program offers a wide range of courses that cater to different interests and career goals. Some of the courses include:

• ENVS 196: Field Studies: [Topic] - A series of practical experiences on or off campus to understand principles or develop skills in performing selected tasks. (1-5 credits, repeatable 3 times for a maximum of 20 credits)
• ENVS 198: Laboratory Projects: [Topic] - An experience in a lab setting in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery. (1-12 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 199: Special Studies: [Topic] - Experimental course - topic varies. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 201: Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences - Contributions of the social sciences to analysis of environmental problems. (4 credits)
• ENVS 202: Introduction to Environmental Studies: Natural Sciences - Contributions of the natural sciences to analysis of environmental problems. (4 credits)
• ENVS 203: Introduction to Environmental Studies: Humanities - Contributions of the humanities and arts to understandings of the environment. (4 credits)
• ENVS 225: Introduction to Food Studies - An exploration of the field of "food studies" and examination of the role of food in historical and contemporary life. (4 credits)
• ENVS 335: Allocating Scarce Environmental Resources - Considerations for the design of environmental and natural resources policies and regulations. (4 credits, prerequisite: MATH 105Z or higher)
• ENVS 345: Environmental Ethics - Key concepts and various moral views surveyed; includes anthropocentrism, individualism, ecocentrism, deep ecology, and ecofeminism. (4 credits)
• ENVS 350: Ecological Footprint of Energy Generation - Detailed study of the ecological consequences of all forms of energy generation. (4 credits, prerequisites: ENVS 201, MATH 112Z)
• ENVS 399: Special Studies: [Topic] - Experimental course - topic varies. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 401: Research: [Topic] - Disciplined inquiry of a topic with varying techniques and assignments suited to the nature and conditions of the problem being investigated. (1-12 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 403: Thesis - A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree. (1-8 credits, repeatable 5 times)
• ENVS 404: Internship: [Topic] - Professional practice in an organization that integrates concepts studied at the university with career-related work experience. (1-12 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 405: Reading and Conference: [Topic] - A particular selection of material read by a student and discussed in conference with a faculty member. (1-18 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 406: Practicum: [Topic] - A series of clinical experiences under academic supervision designed to integrate theory and principles with practice. (1-12 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 407: Seminar: [Topic] - A small group of students studying a subject with a faculty member. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 408: Workshop: [Topic] - An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery. (1-8 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 409: Terminal Project - A presentation incorporating the knowledge and skills acquired from course work completed for a degree. (1-12 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 410: Experimental Course: [Topic] - Experimental course - topic varies. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 411: Environmental Issues: [Topic] - In-depth examination of a particular environmental topic. (4 credits, repeatable 2 times for a maximum of 12 credits when topic changes)
• ENVS 425: Environmental Education Theory and Practice - Learning theories, environmental literacy, and the planning, implementation, and evaluation of environmental education programs. (4 credits)
• ENVS 427: Environmental and Ecological Monitoring - Theory, design, and practice of monitoring sampling mapping, field techniques, data collection, management, analysis, and presentation methods. (4 credits)
• ENVS 429: Environmental Leadership: [Topic] - Partnering with governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, public schools, and local businesses, students develop service learning projects. (4 credits, repeatable 2 times for a maximum of 12 credits when topic changes)
• ENVS 430: Nature in Popular Culture - Examines the various ways that nature is represented in U.S. popular culture. (4 credits)
• ENVS 435: Environmental Justice - Environmental justice and its impact on current decisions, focusing on civil rights law, perception of risk, and relation of sustainability and equity. (4 credits, prerequisite: ENVS 201)
• ENVS 450: Political Ecology - Examines how social relations and economic, social, and cultural control of natural resources shape human interactions with the environment. (4 credits, prerequisite: ENVS 201)
• ENVS 455: Sustainability - Examines the evolution of the concept of sustainability and its complex and sometimes problematic uses among scholars, policymakers, environmentalists, and businesses. (4 credits, prerequisite or corequisite: ENVS 201)
• ENVS 459: Water, Public Health, and the Environment - Examines the provision of water and sanitation services around the world with a particular focus on its impacts for public health and the environment. (4 credits)
• ENVS 465: Wetland Ecology and Management - Examines management, law, and policies related to wetlands in an ecological framework. (4 credits, prerequisite: BI 307, BI 370, or GEOG 360)
• ENVS 467: Sustainable Agriculture - Examines sustainability issues in agricultural production and current food systems, focusing on environmental aspects of seed, water, soil, energy, and pest management. (4 credits, prerequisites: ENVS 201 or ENVS 202)
• ENVS 477: Soil Science - Chemical and physical characteristics and classification of soils, field soil identification, soil degradation. (4 credits, prerequisite: one from CH 111, CH 221Z, CH 224H)
• ENVS 493M: Passive Cooling - Conceptual and quantitative investigations of passive cooling design and performance. (4 credits, prerequisite: ARCH 491, equivalent to ARCH 493M)
• ENVS 503: Thesis - A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree. (1-16 credits, repeatable 8 times)
• ENVS 507: Seminar: [Topic] - A small group of students studying a subject with a faculty member. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 508: Workshop: [Topic] - An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery. (1-8 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 510: Experimental Course: [Topic] - Experimental course - topic varies. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 525: Environmental Education Theory and Practice - Learning theories, environmental literacy, and the planning, implementation, and evaluation of environmental education programs. (4 credits)
• ENVS 530: Nature in Popular Culture - Examines the various ways that nature is represented in U.S. popular culture. (4 credits)
• ENVS 535: Environmental Justice - Environmental justice and its impact on current decisions, focusing on civil rights law, perception of risk, and relation of sustainability and equity. (4 credits)
• ENVS 550: Political Ecology - Examines how social relations and economic, social, and cultural control of natural resources shape human interactions with the environment. (4 credits)
• ENVS 555: Sustainability - Examines the evolution of the concept of sustainability and its complex and sometimes problematic uses among scholars, policymakers, environmentalists, and businesses. (4 credits)
• ENVS 559: Water, Public Health, and the Environment - Examines the provision of water and sanitation services around the world with a particular focus on its impacts for public health and the environment. (4 credits)
• ENVS 565: Wetland Ecology and Management - Examines management, law, and policies related to wetlands in an ecological framework. (4 credits)
• ENVS 567: Sustainable Agriculture - Examines sustainability issues in agricultural production and current food systems, focusing on environmental aspects of seed, water, soil, energy, and pest management. (4 credits)
• ENVS 577: Soil Science - Chemical and physical characteristics and classification of soils, field soil identification, soil degradation. (4 credits)
• ENVS 593M: Passive Cooling - Conceptual and quantitative investigations of passive cooling design and performance. (4 credits, prerequisite: ARCH 591, equivalent to ARCH 593M)
• ENVS 601: Research: [Topic] - Disciplined inquiry of a topic with varying techniques and assignments suited to the nature and conditions of the problem being investigated. (1-16 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 603: Dissertation - A written document resulting from study or research and submitted as a major requirement for a degree. (1-16 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 604: Internship: [Topic] - Professional practice in an organization that integrates concepts studied at the university with career-related work experience. (1-5 credits, repeatable 9 times for a maximum of 10 credits)
• ENVS 605: Reading and Conference: [Topic] - A particular selection of material read by a student and discussed in conference with a faculty member. (1-16 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 606: Field Studies: [Topic] - A series of practical experiences on or off campus to understand principles or develop skills in performing selected tasks. (1-16 credits, repeatable 9 times)
• ENVS 607: Seminar: [Topic] - A small group of students studying a subject with a faculty member. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 608: Workshop: [Topic] - An intensive experience, limited in scope and time, in which a group of students focus on skills development rather than content mastery. (1-16 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 609: Terminal Project - A presentation incorporating the knowledge and skills acquired from course work completed for a degree. (1-16 credits, repeatable 8 times)
• ENVS 610: Experimental Course: [Topic] - Experimental course - topic varies. (1-5 credits, repeatable 99 times)
• ENVS 631: Environmental Studies Theory and Practice - Introduction to various disciplinary perspectives that contribute to environmental studies. (4 credits)
• ENVS 632: Environmental Studies Research Methodology - Identifying a clear and concise research problem, developing methodology to address that problem. (2 credits)
• ENVS 633: Environmental Studies Thesis Development - Interdisciplinary readings in environmental studies focused on topics chosen by each student in consultation with instructor. (3 credits)