Environmental Studies, Spring 2005 - Courses - Antioch University New England

Environmental Studies Courses
Spring 2005

Master’s Programs
Doctoral Program (Ph.D)

Master’s Programs

Added to ALL ES Master’s Courses 01/31/05:
Instructor’s signature is required to add any ES Master’s semester-long courses after the second week of the semester.

ES 506
Advanced Professional Seminar for Resource Management & Administration
Competency Areas: RMA - Required
Restricted to second year RMA.

This seminar provides students with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the environmental professions, to examine career goals and to build a professional peer support network. Utilizing a career development approach, core faculty will work with students to identify career paths, establish personal goals, develop job search skills, and explore professional issues.

Section A: Michael Simpson
Time: Fridays, 8:30 - 11:00 am,
February 11 & 18, March 11 & 18 and
Saturday & Sunday, March 5 & 6, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Meeting Dates Changed 12/022/04:
Fridays, January 28, February 11 & 18, March 11,
8:30 - 11:00 am, and
Saturday and Sunday, March 5 & 6, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 1

ES 523
Advocacy Clinic II
Competency Areas: EAO - Required; CB, EE, Cert, RMA & IND - Elective

This hands-on, project-based course offers participants the opportunity to engage in supervised practical fieldwork on behalf of actual “clients” -- organizations at the local, state, national or international level working for environmental protection, corporate accountability, and social justice. Working in small group teams and individually, students will choose, design, conduct and evaluate advocacy projects from a wide variety of client proposal requests. The goal of the course is to provide students with a strong supervised experiential learning opportunity in the field with more group support, attention to theory, and supervision than an individual practicum placement usually allows. Course elements include focus on corporate campaign strategizing, project planning & management, research & lobbying skills, effective communication (e.g., media releases, briefing papers), and project evaluation.

Section A: Abigail Abrash-Walton
Time: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESF 528
Amphibian Field Biology
Ecology & Conservation
Competency areas: Natural Communities II

This course will focus on the biology and ecology of amphibians, particularly those native to New England and the measures being taken to monitor and conserve amphibian populations. The spring is an exciting time of year to study amphibians as a number of species, the Ambystomid salamanders in particular, are much more conspicuous than usual due to their spring courtship and breeding behaviors. The course will take advantage of these weather sensitive phenomena by including field trips to known hot spots.

Section A: Tom Tyning
Time: Fridays, April 1 & 15, 7:00 - 9:30 pm, and
Saturdays, April 2, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm and April 16,
8:30 am - 8:30 pm
Maximum: 18
Credits: 2

ESE 515
Conceptual Development & Learning Theory
Competency Areas: EE - Required; Cert - Elective, EAO, CB, IND, & RMA - Elective
Priority to EE students.

This course attempts to delve deeply into the nature of the thinking process. What is thinking? How does it develop? What is intelligence? Are learning and intelligence related? We will consider current research on the process of thinking and learning styles, comparing some opposing points of view on how learning occurs and discussing the presumed stages of cognitive development. This course will give a comprehensive understanding of the potential conceptual abilities of children and adults and a framework for understanding and structuring curricula.

Section A: Cindy Thomashow
Section B: Sue Gentile
Time: Fridays 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 15 per section
(1 seat per section reserved for
Science Education student)
Credits: 3

ESP 603
Corporate Power, Globalization and Democracy
Competency Areas: Environmental Issues II

The future of the world ultimately depends on how people decide to organize and conduct their economic and political lives. This course will take a critical look at the issues that democratic societies face in an era marked by transnational corporations, “free” trade regimes, the international debt crisis, structural adjustment, and the growing dominance of neoliberalism as a political ideology. In particular, we will explore the economic and policy mechanisms that drive corporate globalization’s “race to the bottom” in working conditions, human rights, democratic participation, environmental protection, public health, and ecological sustainability. The course will also examine a range of economic and policy alternatives that might help create more just, democratic, and sustainable societies.

Section A: Steve Chase
Time: Thursdays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 18
Credits: 3

ESE 514
Curriculum Design
Competency Areas: Cert - Required; EE - Required Alternate.; EAO,CB, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to ES Teacher Certification and FL03 ES EE students.

Designing curriculum is an extremely creative process, filled with controversies and dilemmas. It is a political, philosophical, and theoretical process. In this class, we will analyze, critique, and redesign both the explicit and hidden curriculum of a variety of materials as we attempt to resolve our conflicting conceptions of curriculum and develop our own philosophy of curriculum design. This is primarily a theory-based course with some opportunities for direct application. Consider this course as a way to help you move further along with your own questions and concerns about curriculum design and as an opportunity to twist, stretch, and flip your current understanding of what it means to design curriculum. In particular, we will experience first-hand and theoretically ideas like constructivism, democratic classrooms, coherent curriculum, authentic learning, problem solving and inquiry. This list of educational jargon will be more meaningful in a few months.

Section A: Jimmy Karlan
Time: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESF 510A
Desert Ecology
Competency Area: Natural Communities II

Please Note: Attendance at ALL pre-trip meetings is mandatory. Enrolled students who fail to drop the course at least 1 week before the first pre-trip meeting, or who fail to attend the first pre-trip meeting, will be held financially responsible for the cost of the trip and will forfeit their seat in the class. Students on the waitlist Must attend the first class if they wish to be admitted into the course. (Limited scholarship money is available to support students attending field study trips. If you are interested in applying for scholarship assistance, please see the ES department for eligibility guidelines.)

The Sonoran desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico has the highest level of species richness of any desert region in the world. Set against a dynamic backdrop of rugged, volcanic mountain ranges we will explore what many desert aficionados call The Desert Heart - the very core of North America’s desert landscape. Rich both in natural and cultural history, this region has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the emphasis of the course will be on Sonoran desert ecosystems and the fascinating adaptations that plants and animals have developed to be able to thrive in a landscape that gets just a few inches of precipitation a year, we will also investigate cross border issues that threaten the remarkable natural heritage of the region. These include conflicts surrounding water resources, grazing, and more recently impacts associated with illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The core of the trip will be in Mexico’s Pinacate National Park. The Pinacate is a volcanic landscape with about a dozen huge explosion craters, hundreds of cinder cones, and rugged lava flows. It has an exquisite mix of desert flora and fauna and holds the oldest human antiquities in the Americas including ancient footpaths that are at least 12,000 years old with some researchers suggesting that they may have originated 35,000 years ago.

Total cost including airfare, food, camping fees, etc. is approximately $1450.
Changed 11/19/04: Total cost including airfare, food, camping fees, etc. is approximately $1400.

Section A: Tom Wessels, Pete Throop and Rachel Thiet
Time: (Pre-trip meetings)
Wednesdays, January 26 and March 2,
6:00 - 9:00 pm
and (Study trip) Saturday - Sunday,
March 12 - 27
Maximum: 20
Location: Keene - Pre-trip meetings,
Arizona and Sonora
Mexico - Study trip
Credits: 3

ESXO 503
Dispute Resolution
Competency Areas: RMA - Required Alternate; IND - Strongly Recommended; EAO, EE, CB & CERT - Elective
First Priority to FL03 RMA & IND.
Second Priority to FL04 RMA & IND students.

Each of us has negotiated for something. Some of us thrive on it; others shrink from the mere prospect. This course is designed to give participants the skills to be able to approach dispute resolution with confidence. To that end, we will examine some of the underlying theory regarding alternative dispute resolution. Most of our in-class time, however, will be spent actually negotiating. Using materials developed at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard, during each class we will attempt to resolve particular factual disputes. Unlike other classes, in the event of an opening, waitlisted students may attend the first class meeting. There will be no adding this class after the first class meeting.
Note: All students are required to read Getting to Yes by Fisher, Ury and Patton and Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton & Heen prior to the first class meeting.

There will be a $35 materials fee.

Section A: Rebecca Todd
Time: Fridays, January 21 - March 18
(*No class on February 25),
4:30 - 7:00 pm, and
Saturday March 12,
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Maximum: 12
Credits: 2

ESP 601
Ecological Economics and Public Policy
Competency Areas: Environmental Issues II

The premise of this course is that human actions are embedded within the natural environment. The political and economic systems that have been developed to meet the needs of a society are framed by the limitations of that environment. This course will allow students to explore how these societal institutions function to deal with questions such as freedom of choice, scarcity, ownership, equity, sustainability and change. The course will investigate the development of environmental policies as informed by science, economics, public opinion and legal precedent. Students will be introduced to the policy tools utilized to translate policy into implementation and how effective such approaches have been in meeting overall environmental policy objectives. The primary focus will be within the United States, but innovative approaches that have been developed and utilized in other countries will also be presented to the students.

Section A: Jim Gruber
Time: Thursdays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Section B: Michael Simpson
Time: Thursdays, 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Maximum: 16 per section
Credits: 3

ES 519
Ecological Research Design
Competency Areas: CB - Required ; EAO, EE, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Required of and Priority to CB students.

This course encourages successful ecological field research by building skills in hypothesis generation, selection of appropriate methods of data collection, use of correct statistical analyses, and effective presentation of results. Basic parametric and non-parametric statistical procedures (chi-square and related tests; ANOVA; regression and correlation analyses) are reviewed. Through lectures, lab exercises, group and individual research projects, and discussion of current literature in the field of conservation biology, students develop skills needed to conduct field studies aimed at biodiversity conservation and natural lands management.

Section A: Jon Atwood
Time: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 22
Added 12/022/04:
Section B: Jon Atwood
Time: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum 10
Credits 3

ESF 540
Ecosystems of Mount Desert Island
Competency Areas FL03: Natural Communities II

Please Note: Attendance at ALL pre-trip meetings is mandatory. Enrolled students who fail to drop the course at least 1 week before the first pre-trip meeting or who fail to attend the first pre-trip meeting will be held financially responsible for the cost of the trip and will forfeit their seat in the class. Students on the waitlist Must attend the first class if they wish to be admitted into the course. Students should be in good physical shape to be able to do a 10-mile a day hike.

Mount Desert Island arguably offers the most scenic landscape in New England with its dramatic exposed, glaciated mountains rising out of the Gulf of Maine. This field study trip will focus on the island’s terrestrial ecology including its geological history, fire ecosystems, outcrop succession of its granitic balds, and the impact of visitors on its fragile, coastal heath communities.

Cost: approximately $150 for food, camping, and transportation fees.

Sections A & B: Tom Wessels
Time: Section A: (Pre-trip meeting)
Wednesday, March 30,
6:00 - 9:00 pm and
(Study trip) Monday - Sunday, May 16 - 22
Section B: (Pre-trip meeting) Wednesday, March 30,
6:00 - 9:00 pm and
(Study trip) Monday - Sunday, May 23 - 29
Maximum: 16 per section
Credits: 2

ESE 528
Environmental Education Methods: Exhibit Research and Development
Competency Areas: EE - EE Methods Required Alternate; EAO, CB, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to ES Environmental Education students.

Museums and zoos have not been immune to the increasing environmental awareness among segments of American society. Although many non-formal ‘science’ institutions have long inspired an interest in natural history and endangered species, until recently ‘environmental’ education has not been a strong agenda. Many zoos/museums are pushing the boundaries of the traditional diorama or static exhibit to tackle contemporary social and environmental concerns and by mounting concept rather than object-oriented exhibitions. The new generation of environmental projects tend to contain more political, economic, social and public policy-oriented elements than before. Just how far to push this envelope and still ‘entertain’ the audience of leisure seekers is a continual concern for these institutions. The Bronx Zoo has consciously and deliberately set an agenda of educating for conservation and care for the environment. Their exhibits are engaging and provocative, sometimes directly challenging the audience to relate their personal lifestyle choices to the impact on environmental issues, habitat loss and endangered species. We will study their process for deciding on and designing, researching and evaluating the effectiveness of these cutting-edge exhibits. Cost - approximately $350.

Section A: Cynthia Thomashow & John Fraser
Time: (Pre-trip meetings)
Wednesdays, February 16 & March 9,
7:00 - 9:00 pm plus
Saturday & Sunday, February 26 & 27,
9:00 am - 4:30 pm and
(Study trip) Saturday - Wednesday, April 24 - 27
Location: Pre-trip meetings and weekend - Keene;
Study trip - New York
Maximum: 10
Credits: 3

ESE 539
Environmental Education Methods: Food in Schools
Competency Areas: EE - EE Methods Required Alternate; EAO, CB, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to: ES Environmental Education students.

Rising rates of childhood obesity, research that links nutrition and learning, as well as growing support for reshaping school lunch programs with local food and connections to small community-based farms have given rise to a national movement called “Farm to School.” Participants in this course will explore this movement and its impact on schools, including implementation of school gardens and related curricula, and methods for increasing access to and consumption of local food in school cafeterias. The USDA considers this movement a way to insure the ‘security’ of communities by supporting local farmers and food sources. Nutritionists consider this an ideal way to increase the freshness of food and, as a result, its nutritional value for children. Farmers benefit economically with the increase of local markets. It seems a win-win situation for all involved. When people begin to know where their food comes from, the effect on ecological literacy is significant. This class will meet six times over the semester on Thursday mornings. Additional sessions will be spent visiting a school-based food initiative. Students will spend either Thursday, February 10, 17 or 24 at a school assessing the cafeteria and food access/distribution, interviewing Food service directors, etc. The other Thursday, either April 21, 28 or May 5 will be spent visiting a school garden or greenhouse.

Section A: Deb Habib
Time: Thursdays, 8:00 am - 11:00,
January 20, February 3, March 3 & 31,
April 14 and May 12 plus 2 additional Thursdays TBA
Maximum: 16
(8 seats reserved for Science Education students)
Credits: 2

ESE 532
Environmental Education Methods:
Teaching Teachers Skills in Environmental Education
Competency Areas: EE - Methods Required Alternate; EAO, CB, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to ES Environmental Education Students.

In this course you will learn how to enable classroom teachers to integrate environmental education into their curricula. You will develop skills and methods in creating and facilitating programs for teachers who want to incorporate environmental themes in their teaching. We will explore how to work with teachers, interface with school culture, support field-based learning, and how we, as environmental educators, can offer effective programs that meet teachers’ professional development needs. With attention to agenda-setting (content, pacing, and timing), materials development, curriculum standards and assessment, participants will gain experience in planning programs from individual consultations to “half-day in-service” workshops to multi-day residential teacher training institutes. While the Connecticut River Watershed will be a unifying thematic focus for our work, knowledge and skills acquired in this course can be applied to any area of environmental education.

Section A: Sue Gentile
Time: Thursdays, January 20 - March 10,
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
(1 seat reserved for Science Education student)
Credits: 2

ESE 517
Environmental Education Methods:
Urban Environmental Education - A Focus on Place
Competency Areas: EE - Methods Required Alternate; EAO, CB, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to ES Environmental Education students.

In recent years the environmental education field has increasingly emphasized the importance of work in urban settings. Urban areas offer environmental educators the unique opportunity to reach large masses of people, utilize a vast array of rich human/cultural resources and study interesting ecological dynamics. As a result of a grant awarded to Antioch’s CO-SEED program, environmental education work has been established with three Boston schools in Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. For this course, we will access these three schools as lab sites to examine the opportunities and challenges of using local place as a thematic vehicle for delivering effective environmental education. We will meet with teachers, parents, school leaders and students to discover what they have learned and what they would like to see happen in the future. We will apply this to our own theoretical framework for environmental education, and consider the implications for environmental education as they relate to our own career ambitions.

*Students will be responsible for their own food and lodging.

Section A: Bo Hoppin
Time: (Pre-trip meeting) Thursday, April 21,
7:00 - 9:00 pm and
(Study trip) Saturday -Wednesday, April 30 - May 4 (Post-trip meeting) Friday, May 13, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Maximum: 14 (1 seat reserved for Science Ed student)
Credits: 2

ESP 567
Environmental Justice in the Mississippi Delta
Competency Areas: Environmental Issues II or Elective

Please Note: Attendance at ALL pre-trip meetings is mandatory. Enrolled students who fail to drop the course at least 1 week before the first pre-trip meeting or who fail to attend the first pre-trip meeting will be held financially responsible for the cost of the trip and will forfeit their seat in the class. Students on the waitlist Must attend the first class if they wish to be admitted into the course. (Limited scholarship money is available to support students attending field study trips. If you are interested in applying for scholarship assistance, please see the ES department for eligibility guidelines.)

This field studies course will address the general history and politics of the environmental justice movement in the United States, but focus particular attention on environmental justice issues (and the activist movement response) in “Cancer Alley,” the nearly 100-mile stretch along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. This area of Louisiana is home to the largest concentration of petrochemical plants in the world and faces a number of environmental and public health challenges, including a disproportionate pollution impact on poor people of color in the area. Besides pre- and post-trip meetings, this class will spend 12 days along the lower Mississippi meeting and talking with community activists, labor organizers, journalists, legislators, public health officials, chemical plant engineers, public relations officers, as well as biologists and ecologists. We’ll visit Baton Rouge and New Orleans as well as a variety of natural areas and smaller communities along the river that are impacted by the chemical plants. The will class will also include a final group presentation to ES students and faculty on the environmental justice movement in Louisiana. Cost - approximately $1000.

Section A: Steve Chase and Abigail Abrash Walton
Time: (Pre-trip meetings) Wednesdays, February 2 & 23, 7:00 - 9:00 pm,
(Study trip) Sunday - Thursday, March 13 - 25
(Post-trip meeting) Wednesday, April 6, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Meeting date added 01/31/05:
Post-trip meeting: Wednesday, April 27, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Maximum: 12
Credits: 3

ESP 551A
Environmental Law
Competency Areas: Environmental Issues II

This course will survey some critical federal environmental statutes in the United States and highlight important case law decided under those statutes. While an in-depth treatment of environmental law is not possible in a course of this length, we will examine the historical context of the major environmental statutes and regulations as well as their impact on land, air, water, and natural resources. We will explore how law and regulations are passed, and how the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government and the regulatory agencies function. The course objectives include becoming familiar with a new vocabulary and learning how to read a legal opinion. We will begin to understand what a lawyer does and how to think like a lawyer. This course will test our abilities to spot legal issues and deliver reasoned and reasonable arguments on opposing sides of an issue.

Section A: Rebecca Todd
Time: Thursdays, 9:00 - 11:30 am
Changed 12/01/04 to: Time: Thursdays, 8:00 - 10:30 am
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESS 576
Evolutionary Ecology
Competency Area: Biosphere Science II
Priority to FL04 students.

Starting with the 18th century, we will examine the development of evolutionary theory in Western science culminating in debates currently unfolding in the scientific community. Along the way we will study the mechanisms that drive speciation, review our current understanding of the history of life on Earth, and examine a number of topics including: punctuated equilibria versus gradualism, sexual versus asexual reproduction, natural selection versus symbiogenesis, sexual selection, kin selection, group selection, r and k selection, coevolution and niche structuring, and the implications of genetic technology on the future path of the evolution of life on Earth. The course will involve lecture/discussion, field applications, and one half of the course will be run as a seminar where students will share roles as facilitators.

Section A: Tom Wessels
Section B: Rachel Thiet
Times: Section A: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Section B: Fridays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16 per section
(2 seats per section reserved for 2nd year ES students)
Credits: 3

ES 530
Environmental Journalism
COURSE ADDED (01/11/05)
Competency Area: Elective

This one-credit seminar will help interested students hone their writing skills and learn about the field of journalism. Besides reading and discussing one journalism text and meeting four times over the semester with Jim Rousmaniere, the editor of the Keene Sentinel, each student in this seminar will be responsible for researching, writing, and submitting two 700 to 900 word feature stories on local environmental challenges, controversies, or innovative breakthroughs among the 31 communities in the Keene Sentinel’s readership area. If acceptable for publication, these stories will appear in a special weekly series of feature article in the Keene Sentinel or on a web-page on Sentinel On-Line. Steve Chase, a core ES faculty member will also be available for one-on-one meetings and editorial assistance throughout the semester. To qualify for this course you must fill out a drop/add form to the Registrar and submit a short writing sample to Steve Chase by January 21. Accepted Students will be notified about whether or not they are accepted into the seminar by January 28. The first meeting, which will involve a tour of the Keene Sentinel and an orientation to feature newswriting and this seminar, will take place Wednesday morning, February 2. The other three seminar sessions will be held at the Keene Sentinel on selected Wednesday afternoons. This seminar will only run if a minimum of eight qualified students sign up. For more information, contact Steve Chase on First Class.

Section A: Jim Rousmaniere and Steve Chase
Time: Four Wednesday sessions:
February 2, 8-11 am; February 16, 1-4 pm;
March 9, 1-4 pm; and April 27, 1-4 pm
Wednesday, March 9 Class Changed (03/15/05) to: Wednesday, March 30
Location: Keene Sentinel, 60 West Street
Maximum: 12
Credits: 1

ESF 512
Field Mammalogy
Competency Areas FL03: Natural Communities II

Winter, with its snow, provides the best opportunity for field experiences in keeping track of local mammals and for field study of their behavior and ecology. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the mammals of the region. Topics covered will include: scatology and the study of tracks and their value for ecological studies and school environmental education; the autecology of large rodents, including field trips to active dens and lodges; the autecology of the cervids, including a field trip to a winter deer yarding area; autecology of mustelids, canids, and felids -- the larger mammals most sensitive to human actions; also issues in game and fur-bearer management.

Section A: Meade Cadot
Time: Fridays, 1:15 - 4:15 pm
Location: Harris Center
Maximum: 16
(1 seat reserved for Science Education student)
Credits: 3

ESAF 500
Financial Administration
Competency Areas: RMA - Required; EAO, CB, EE , Cert & IND - Elective
Required of and Priority to RMA students

This course is designed for students with little or no financial background and will introduce them to the basic concepts, terms, and processes of budgeting systems for nonprofit agencies. The course will include numerous case studies, computer work and an introduction to accounting procedures.

Section A: Jim Gruber
Time: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 18
Credits: 3

ESE 536
Foundations of Science and Environmental Education
Competency Areas: Cert - Required; EAO, CB, EE, IND & RMA - Elective
Required of and Priority to ES Teacher Certification students.

The objectives of this course are to explore a range of historical and contemporary methodologies of science and environmental education, to consider the relationship between the social context of science and environmental studies and how they are taught in the classroom, and to examine science as an evolving knowledge system. With consideration of philosophy and theory as well as practice, we will consider questions regarding the nature of science and environmental education and how we distinguish between them. You will reflect on your own personal experiences as a learner as you study trends of the past 150 years and ponder how these trends will apply to your practice as an educator.

Section A: Sue Gentile
Time: Fridays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ES 510
Geographic Information System (GIS): An Integrating Technology
Competency Areas: RMA - Required Alternate to Proposal Writing; EAO,EE , IND & Cert - Elective
Priority to RMA students.

This is an introductory course in the use of GIS software to create, manage and work with spatially explicit data. This class will explore how to access GIS information available on the WWW, extract and analyze quantitative data using ArcView 3.2 software, understand limitations associated with various data sources and use software for preparation of maps.

Section A: Fash Farashahi
Time: Fridays, 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Maximum: 12
Credits: 3

ESP 561
Geographic Information System (GIS) for Conservation Biologists
Competency Area: CB - Required Environmental Issues II
Restricted to Conservation Biology students.

This is an introductory course in the use of GIS to effectively communicate spatially explicit environmental information. The class will explore how to access GIS information available on the WWW, extract and analyze data using ArcView software, create data files relevant to natural resource inventory work, and effectively transmit results to both lay and technical audiences. This class will emphasize use of GIS in a research context, especially including its role in habitat conservation planning and policy development.

Section A: Jon Atwood
Time: Thursdays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 12
Credits: 3

ESS 537
Geomorphology
Competency Area: Biosphere Science II

Understanding the geological history of the environment and the processes that shape its landscapes is an essential component of ecological literacy and ecological design intelligence. This course provides a background for evaluating surficial and bedrock geology and practical experience in specific field and laboratory skills needed to understand the development of landforms and the environmental implications of processes that shape the landscape. Emphasis is placed on map interpretation and field indentification of geomorphic features, especially as they occur in New England. A central focus relates landform characteristics and geomorphic processes to a variety of resource management issues.

Section A: Steve Lamb and Chris Covel
Times: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESP 595
Land Use Planning
Competency Areas: EAO, CB, EE, Cert, IND - Elective; RMA - Required Policy Alternate

The objective of this course is to provide students with a broad overview of land use issues and planning/management concepts. The course will introduce landscape ecology principles to build a foundation for sustainable land use planning at a broad scale. We will discuss ethical and legal implications for land use decision-making and examine implications of past and present human land use practices. The class will also engage in an applied land use planning project as method for building analytic and process-related skills. Although the course will refer to some of the technical aspects of community planning such as zoning and land protection, these topics are covered in greater depth in courses offered during spring and summer semesters.

Section A: Pete Throop
Time: Thursdays, 4:30 - 7:00 pm
Maximum: 15
Credits: 2

ESP 531
Literature of the Land
Competency Areas FL03: Environmental Issues II

In the last half of the 20th Century, nature writing emerged as a prominent literary genre that has made a significant contribution to the way we think, feel and act toward the environment. Texts will be selected from classic and contemporary nature writers. Discussions will focus on these works and their influence, and the unique way they address environmental issues - including wilderness and wildlife conservation, health and the environment, bioregionalism, environmental justice and activism. We will also use this literature as inspiration and model for our own writing process as a way to explore and articulate the experiences and issues most important for our ecological awareness and identity.

Section A: Fred Taylor& Rowland Russell
Time: Thursdays, 8:30 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ES 699C
Master’s Thesis
Competency Areas: CB - Required; RMA - Required Alternate; EAO & IND - optional with written approval of Program Director.
Prerequisite: Master’s Thesis Seminar and written permission from the thesis advisor attached to or on registration form.
It is recommended that students register for Master’s Thesis in their 5th semester.

As a culmination of a student’s work at Antioch, the Master’s Thesis should reflect the student’s particular focus of study and future professional interest. This effort should include a data collection component and the analysis and interpretation of that data framed within a theoretical context. The research can be quantitative, qualitative or literary in nature. All Environmental Studies students are required to have approval from their advisor prior to registering for the 3 credits allocated to the thesis work.

Section A: Jon Atwood
Section B: Peter Palmiotto
Section C: Rachel Thiet
Section D: Jim Jordan
Section E: Beth Kaplin
Section F: Michael Simpson
Section G: Tom Wessels
Section H: Tom Webler
Section I: Alesia Maltz
Section J: Steve Chase
Maximum: 6 per section
Credits: 3

ES 699D
Master’s Thesis Continuation
Required for all students continuing a Master’s Thesis for which they have previously registered.

Students must register for Master’s Thesis Continuation every semester until the thesis has been completed and signed off by your Master’s Thesis reader. Enrollment in Master’s Thesis Continuation confers half-time status for Financial Aid and loan deferment purposes through May 13, 2005.

Section A: ES Faculty
Maximum: 20
Credits: uncredited

ES 505A
Master’s Thesis Seminar
Required for all students doing a Master’s Thesis.

This seminar introduces students to the thesis research process. Emphasis is placed upon selecting and shaping the research topic including library research skills, how to review relevant research and theory, developing hypotheses and research questions, developing appropriate methods and outlining anticipated results. Through lectures, discussions, written assignments, peer review, and informal presentations, students will develop their research topic, culminating with a research prospectus, which can serve as a working proposal. The thesis seminar provides the opportunity for students to share their knowledge in a selected topic of interest and provides the class the chance to discuss the greater ramifications, relevance, and complexity of a variety of environmental topics.

Section A: Peter Palmiotto
Section B: Rachel Thiet
Time: Thursdays, 4:30 - 6:30 pm,
January 27, February 10, March 3,
April 14 & May 5, and Saturday, April 9,
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
(required attendance at the annual ANE Master’s research symposium)
Maximum: 12 per section
Credits: 1

ES 522
Natural Resource Inventory: Vegetation
Competency Areas: CB - Required Alternate; EAO, EE, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to Conservation Biology students.

This carefully designed NRI course will use the spring time period to focus on vegetation and soils (wildlife in the Summer or Fall). Students will review the basics of developing investigation plans, base mapping, and map & compass use, and then conduct field sampling of woody plants and soils. Lecture and field time will be combined to provide an in depth review of both plot and plotless (point) methods of analysis. Assessments will be derived from quantitative data in order to provide realistic guidance for natural resource management on private and public lands.

Section A: Peter Palmiotto
Time: Thursdays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Maximum: 14
Credits: 3

ESF 514
New England Flora
Competency Areas FL03: Natural Communities

This course will be an introduction to the vascular flora of New England with special attention given to Spring wildflowers and woody plants in winter and summer conditions. The course will cover both plant structure and taxonomy, and will include laboratory and fieldwork.

Section A: Peter Palmiotto
Time: Fridays, 1:00 - 4:00pm
Maximum: 15
(1 seat reserved for Science Education student)
Credits: 3

ES 516
Organizational Leadership in the Nonprofit World
Competency Areas: EAO - Required; CB, EE, Cert, IND & RMA - Elective
Priority to Environmental Advocacy and Organizing students.

Just as the human body requires healthy organs to function well, a social movement requires well-run organizations. To become effective organizational leaders, people need to develop self-awareness, a healthy and balanced approach to life and work, good listening and communication skills, a keen understanding of group dynamics, and the ability to facilitate productive meetings. Organizational leaders also need to be visionaries who can manage time, money, emotions, and other people competently. This course will focus on such skills and explore how they can be combined to improve our personal effectiveness in creating growing, healthy, and successful organizations. There are four basic learning modes in this class: 1) five morning classes spread throughout the semester, 2) two intensive weekend workshops on organizational leadership with additional community participants, 3) extensive on-line discussions of readings, and 4) small student-led support groups.

Section A: TBA
TBA Changed 12/01/04 to:
Steve Chase & Andy Robinson
Time: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
Dates TBA and 2 TBA weekends
Changed 12/01/04 to:
Time: Fridays, January 21, February 18, March 11, April 22 and May 13 8:00 - 11:00 am AND Saturdays & Sundays, April 9 & 10, and April 30 & May 1, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday, March 11 Class Changed (03/15/05) to:
Friday, April 1
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESF 515
Ornithology
Competency Areas FL03: Natural Communities

This course provides an overview of avian biology including evolutionary history and taxonomy, form and function of bird anatomy, behavior and communication, physiology, and population dynamics. One required field trip (to coastal Massachusetts) and selections from the PBS series, “The Life of Birds” will supplement weekly, in-class lecture material.
Changed 11/19/04 to: This course provides an overview of avian biology including evolutionary history and taxonomy, form and function of bird anatomy, behavior and communication, physiology, and population dynamics. Conservation initiatives that revolve around birds will be a major focus. Several required field trips (scheduling to be determined in class) and selections from the BBC series, “The Life of Birds” will supplement weekly lecture material.

Section A: Jon Atwood
Time: Fridays, April 1 - May 13,1:00 - 4:00 pm,
and Monday - Wednesday, May 9 - 11 (Study trip)
Changed 11/19/04 to: Fridays, 1:00 - 4:00
Maximum: 16
(1 seat reserved for Science Education student)
Credits: 3

ES 693
Practicum, General
Practicum Seminar
Competency Areas: EAO, CB, EE, IND, Cert & RMA - Required
A total of 8 General Practicum credits are required for Environmental Advocacy & Organizing, Conservation Biology, Environmental Education, Resource Management and Administration and those pursuing Individualized Programs. A total of 2 General Practicum credits are required for Teacher Certification majors in addition to 6 credits of Student Teaching. It is strongly recommended that students not register for Practicum until after completing their second semester in the program.

The Practicum provides students with an opportunity to apply, in an organizational setting, what they are learning and to develop professional contacts within their fields of interest. While students are responsible for locating practica, faculty is available to provide support and information as needed. All students are required to attend a scheduled Practicum Orientation during their first semester. The Practicum Seminar provides a setting in which students can discuss specific issues and concerns, and a format for presenting their accomplished projects. Students will meet privately with the instructor one time during the semester.

Section A: Christa Koehler
Section B: Paul Bocko
Section C: Kay Delanoy
Section D: Jack Calhoun
Time: Seminars meet:
Sections A & B: Thursdays, February 3, and
April 21 & 28, 11:15 am - 12:45 pm
Sections C & D: Fridays, February 4, and
April 15 & 29, 11:15 am - 12:45 pm
Maximum: 15 per section
Credits: variable
(Practicum Seminar credited as part of Practicum)

ES 694
Practicum, Teaching
Practicum Seminar for Biology &
General Science Certification Students
Competency Areas: Cert - Required
Six credits of Student Teaching Practicum are required for certification students. A total of 8 Practicum credits are required for the MS degree.

The Student Teaching Practicum provides an in-classroom opportunity for applying learned skills in teaching either biology or general science. The seminar will cover the various issues that concern the teacher including classroom management; teaching style and presentation; discipline; relationships with supervisors, principals, and parents; and dealing with specific classroom challenges. Students will be expected to discuss their experiences in the classroom.

Section A: Jimmy Karlan
Time: TBA Thursdays, 4:00 - 6:30 pm
Changed 03/15/05 to:
Time: Thursdays, March 10 & 31; April 7, 14 & 28 and May 5 & 12; 4:15 - 6:30 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 6
(Practicum Seminar credited as part of Practicum)

ESACO 503
Proposal Writing and the Grants Process
Competency Areas FL03: CB, EE - Required; RMA - Required Alternate for GIS; EAO, IND & Cert - Elective
Competency Areas FL04: RMA-Required Alternate for GIS; CB, EE, EAO, IND & Cert - Elective
Priority to FL03 EE & RMA students.
Attendance at all four classes is mandatory.

This course will focus on gaining competency in the three phases of the grants process: planning, research, and writing. Students will research and explore public and private funding sources appropriate for human services and environmental organizations. The criteria for selecting potential funding sources, the basic elements of a proposal, and developing successful collaborative efforts will be emphasized. Students will interactively engage in each phase of the process and will demonstrate their learning through submission of a proposal abstract and evidence of research in the public and private sectors.

Section A: Randy Ann Thomas
Time: Wednesdays, February 2 - 23,
9:00 am - 2:00 pm,
plus additional on-line sessions
Maximum: 16
Credits: 2

ES 722
Reading Seminar:
Theories of the Origin, Maintenance, and Loss of Biodiversity
Competency Areas: PhD II - Foundation; ES Masters - Elective
Restricted to PhD students. Open to ES Masters students by written permission of instructor attached to or on registration form.

This seminar will explore the theoretical aspects of the origin, maintenance and loss of biodiversity. We will use two main texts, Stephen Hubbell’s The Unified Theory of Biodiversity and Biogeography and Michael Huston’s Biological Diversity: The Changing Coexistence of Species on Changing Landscapes. These two books will serve as the foundation for the seminar. Supplemental readings from peer-reviewed journals will be divided into two categories: theories on the origin and maintenance of diversity and theories on the loss of diversity. The seminar will meet four times over the course of the semester and students will alternate the role as discussion leader. The emphasis in this course is on discussion and a series of short, written critical reviews of the supplementary articles.

Section A: Beth Kaplin
Times: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am (or by group consensus) February 4, March 4, April 1 & 29
Changed 03/03/05 to: Saturday, March 5, 2:00 - 6:00 pm; Sunday, March 6, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Saturdays, April 2 & 30, 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Maximum: 15
3 credits

ES 723
Reading Seminar: Primate Foraging Ecology and Ranging Behavior
Competency Areas: PhD II - Foundation; ES Masters - Elective
Restricted to PhD students. Open to ES Masters students by written permission of instructor attached to or on registration form.

This seminar will explore the theories and empirical studies of primate foraging ecology and ranging behavior, and their relationship to the ecological roles primates play in tropical forests. We will focus on the methods used to study primate foraging and ranging behavior, and we will compare and contrast approaches used in monkey and ape studies. Students will have the opportunity to focus on the particular system and taxonomic group according to their research interest, while exploring the broader literature as well. Students will be asked to lead a discussion of selected literature during the course.

Section A: Beth Kaplin
Times: Fridays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm (or by group consensus) February 4, March 4, April 1 & 29
Changed 03/03/05 to: Fridays, March 4, April 8 & 22, and May 6, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Maximum: 15
3 credits

EDP 598
School Law
Competency Area: ES Cert - Required
Required of and Priority to Environmental Studies and Education certification students.

This is a seminar designed to provide knowledge about school law and the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, age or handicapping condition. Through lecture, case discussion, and debate, students will be able to understand the theoretical underpinnings of egalitarian social reform, the differences between public policy, and the principal components and content of relevant policy documents as well as the benefits and limitations of policy in this area.
Text: Edmund Reutter, Jr., The Supreme Court’s Impact on Public Education

Sections A & B: John Carr
Section C: TBA
Time: Section A: Saturdays,
February 19 & March 5, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Section B: Sundays,
February 20 & March 6, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Section C: Saturdays,
April 2 & 23, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Changed 11/19/04 to: April 2 & 30, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
(Also affects calendar/schedule on page 14)
Maximum: 20 per section
(6 seats per section reserved for ES students)
Credits: 1

ES 690
SIS: Supervised Independent Study

If you are planning an independent study, please register for an SIS on your registration form; however, an SIS contract Must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by April 20, 2005, in order for it to appear on your schedule or transcript. Please be sure to specify on the contract if the SIS will be used to fulfill a competency area or serve as a required course substitute, or as an elective. Contracts received after the April 20th deadline will be returned to you for registration in a subsequent semester (additional costs may apply). Credits will not appear on your schedule until the SIS contract(s) has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office, thus affecting your enrollment status and perhaps your financial aid eligibility.

Credits: variable

ES 690U
SIS: Special Project
Competency Areas: RMA-Required for students not doing a Masters Thesis; EAO, EE, IND & Cert-Optional, Elective

The Special Project will be conducted as a supervised independent study. As a culmination of a student’s work at Antioch, the Special Project is comparable to a master’s thesis in scope, but differs in that it is not focused on research design. The Special Project follows standardized approaches used in a student’s chosen field such as a solid waste plan, a curriculum development plan, or a marketing plan. The Special Project’s content and format must be approved by both the student’s advisor and program chair, but may be supervised by a qualified person external to the department. Please register for this SIS on your registration form; however, an SIS contract Must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by April 20, 2005, in order for it to appear on your schedule or transcript. Contracts received after the April 20th deadline will be returned to you for registration in a subsequent semester (additional costs may apply). Credits will not appear on your schedule until the SIS contract(s) has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office, thus affecting your enrollment status and perhaps your financial aid eligibility.
Note: RMA Students are required to complete either a Special Project or a Master’s Thesis.

Section A: Michael Simpson
Maximum: 15
Credits: 3

ESS 573
Soil Ecology
Competency Area: Biosphere Studies II

The field of soil ecology is receiving greater regard as researchers, educators, and conservation activists become aware of the important roles that soil physical and biological properties play in plant community structure and ecosystem functioning. Conservationists, land managers, and farmers continue to explore management techniques that incorporate soil ÒhealthÓ into conservation efforts. What is healthy soil? How do soil organisms influence soil fertility and plant distribution? How does human activity influence the ability of soil organisms to function optimally? The first part of this course will focus on soil physical processes such as soil formation, horizonation, and aggregation. We will then turn the bulk of our attention to soil biological properties and processes. Topics we will cover in depth include: soil microbial community structure and functioning; soil food webs; the role of soil organisms in ecosystem functioning; organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling; interactions between soil biota and vascular plants, and the effects of climate change and human activity on the structure and functioning of soil communities on a global scale. This course will combine lectures, discussions, field trips, and a self-guided laboratory or field experiment, and emphasis will be on both natural and managed ecosystems.

Section A: Rachel Thiet
Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16
Credits: 3

ESF 529
Tropical Marine Conservation: Coral Reefs Honduras
Competency Area: Natural Communities II

Please Note: Attendance at ALL pre-trip meetings is mandatory. Enrolled students who fail to drop the course at least 1 week before the first pre-trip meeting or who fail to attend the first pre-trip meeting will be held financially responsible for the cost of the trip and will forfeit their seat in the class. Students on the waitlist Must attend the first class if they wish to be admitted into the course. (Limited scholarship money is available to support students attending field study trips. If you are interested in applying for scholarship assistance, please see the ES department for eligibility guidelines.)

The Mesoamerican Reef in the Caribbean is the second largest coral reef system in the world, hosting crystal blue waters and a colorful display of coastal biodiversity. In Honduras, the integrity of this reef is affected by human overpopulation, poor waste-management, tourism, natural disasters, and many other factors. This course will focus on the human and natural forces that degrade reef systems and the success of local conservation attempts to protect them. We will explore coral reef ecology and community dynamics, promises and pitfalls of marine protected areas, and complex human dimensions to conservation on islands. Meetings with local non-profit and government representatives as well as group and individual research projects will be the basis of our fieldwork. SCUBA is not required, though (cheap) opportunities for diving will be available at students’ expense.

Cost: $1850 includes airfare, meals, lodging, snorkel equipment, and boat transportation

Section A: Leon-Charl Malan and Kelly Biedenweg
Time: (Pre-trip meetings) Fridays,
7:00 - 9:00 pm,
February 4, March 4 & April 1, and
(Study trip) Monday - Saturday, May 16 - 28
Location: Honduran Bay Islands
Maximum: 12
Credits: 3

ESP 555
Waste Management
Competency Areas FL03 and earlier: RMA - Environmental Policy Required Alternate to Land Use Planning, Groundwater Protection and Environmental Site Assessment; EAO, CB, EE, Cert & IND - Elective
Competency Area FL04: Policy Elective
Prerequisites: There are no specific prerequisites, however some knowledge of topics on hydrology, soils and groundwater can complement the information provided in this course.
Priority to RMA students.

This course approaches the subject from an “integrated waste management” perspective, in other words, handling the different components of the waste stream in the most efficient, economical and environmentally appropriate manner. Students are introduced to the concepts of systems analysis, materials balances, lifecycle assessment and the economic ramifications of deciding whether to reuse, recycle or dispose of materials. Topics will also include new legislative initiatives around the U.S. regulatory environment. Students will have the opportunity through a term project to apply concepts learned in class to current solid waste management issues in the public or private sector.

Section A: Peter Engel
Changed 01/11/05: Peter Engel and Michael Simpson
Time: Fridays, January 21 - February 18, 1:00 - 4:00 pm and
Saturday & Sunday, February 26 & 27,
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 15
Credits: 2

ESS 574
Watershed Science
Competency Area: Biosphere Science II

The focus of this course is on hydrology at the watershed scale. An introduction to the hydrologic cycle will focus on the interaction of the landscape with hydrologic processes. The basic skills and concepts introduced in the first part of the course will be developed and expanded through applications for predicting and assessing the impact of human activity on hydrologic systems. Students will expand their skills in map measurement, quantitative assessment and modeling, and field measurement in the context of common planning applications. The course will center on the study of natural stream systems, and will include an introduction to groundwater occurrence and movement. It aims to provide a foundation for coursework in water quality, wetland hydrology, freshwater ecology and land use planning; for field and science based practicum work with watershed and land conservation organizations; and for curriculum development in science/math teaching.

Sections A & B: Joy Ackerman
Time: Section A: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Section B: Fridays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 16 per section
Credits: 3

ESF 541A
Wetlands Ecology
Competency Area: Natural Communities
Priority to RMA & CB students who entered Fall 2003 and Spring 2004.

This course will provide an overview of the wetlands communities within the New England region. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s wetlands classification scheme (Cowardin, et. al.) will be the foundation for this review. Students will have an opportunity not only to learn about typical wetland types, but also gain an understanding of the underlying abiotic factors that influences the observed biotic community structure. In addition, students will be introduced to the wetlands evaluation procedures developed to assess the functional values of wetlands in the context of the greater watershed.
This course meets the Wetlands RMA requirement and will be one of the required pre-requisites for other advanced wetland courses, such as Wetlands Delineation and Wetlands Mitigation & Restoration.

Section A: Michael Simpson
Times: Fridays, April 9 - May 14, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, and
Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17 and
Saturday, April 30, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Changed 11/19/04 to: Fridays, April 8 - May 13, 1:00 - 4:00 pm and Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17 and Saturday, April 30, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Maximum: 14
Credits: 2

ESCE 629
Writing for the Real World
Competency Areas: EE - Required Alternate for EE Methods; EAO, CB, Cert, IND & RMA -Elective
Priority to Environmental Studies students.

Based on the principles of clear, concise writing, this course gives students simple guidelines and instructions to make their writing irresistible to readers. With basic journalism at its core, the course is designed to help students write non-fiction with readers in mind. It will cover interviewing, writing feature stories, news, press releases and essays for magazines, broadcast, newspapers and other publications. Techniques and processes for approaching publishers will also be presented with guest lectures from editors and published writers. Students will also learn how professionals handle writing on deadline, discipline, self-editing and revision. Students will explore and practice reaching specific and broad audiences with writing that is crisp, lively, and ready for publication. The course also helps students write compelling academic papers.

Section A: Paul Hertneky
Time: Thursdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Maximum: 14
Credits: 3

Doctoral Program (Ph.D)

ES 775
Candidacy Continuation
Competency Area: Dissertation Process
Restricted to students who have completed three years of the program, but have not completed their Service Project, Integrated Essay, and/or Dissertation Proposal.

The Candidacy Continuation semester is designed for students who need additional time to complete their doctoral candidacy projects. Students retain full access to faculty and all student resources at Antioch. During this semester they continue to work independently with their advisor and the rest of the faculty as needed to complete their service project, integrated essay, doctoral dissertation proposal. Students may schedule their Dissertation Proposal Review meeting during this candidacy continuation semester.
Registration in Candidacy Continuation carries half-time status for loan deferment and Financial Aid purposes.

Section A: Mitchell Thomashow
Maximum: 5
Credits: 0

ES 774
Dissertation Proposal
Competency Area: Integrated Projects
Required of and Restricted to PhD III students.

This seminar allows students to devote themselves to developing and refining the research questions that are the foundation of a dissertation, and to exploring, analyzing and critiquing methods specific to their research interests with the purpose of selecting the methods they will employ. Upon completion of this seminar students should have completed or be very close to completing a draft research proposal, which sets forth the nature of their dissertation inquiry and a detailed account of the methods to be used. Since the proposal also contains material supporting the relevance of the dissertation topic and the appropriateness of the chosen methods, the seminar will also focus on the organization of literature surveys and the identification of key references that serve as models for the specific dissertation work.

Section A: Beth Kaplin
Time: Fridays, 1:00 - 7:00 pm, and
Saturdays, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm,
February 4 & 5 and April 1 & 2
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
Credits: 4

ES 776
Dissertation Seminar
Competency Area: Dissertation Process
Restricted to PhD IV students.
Prerequisites: Completion of Integrated Essay, Service Project and Dissertation Proposal or written permission of instructor

This year-long seminar is designed to provide support and consultation for students in the process of formulating and carrying out their doctoral dissertation research. Topics to be addressed during the year include: ongoing evaluation and assessment of research methods, research ethics, dilemmas of working in the field, analysis, writing the dissertation, making formal presentations, dissemination of research results, and transformations you experience in your growth as a scholar. Students along with the instructors are intended to serve as a peer community, providing support, advice, and critique. Each semester, students will make a formal presentation to the class documenting the current state of their research and bringing to the class the expertise they have developed. Additional faculty may be brought in as needed to provide input in special topic areas.

Section A: TBA
Changed 11/19/04 to: Mitchell Thomashow
Time: Saturday, 2:00 - 8:00 pm and
Sunday, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm,
February 5 and April 2
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Changed 11/19/04 to:
Time: Saturdays, February 5 & April 2,
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Maximum: 15
Credits: 4

ES 899
Doctoral Dissertation
Competency Area: Dissertation Process
Restricted to PhD IV students.

Students who are actively engaged in writing the doctoral dissertation are required to register for these credits. You cannot register for this class unless your dissertation proposal has been approved by your committee.

Section A: Doctoral Faculty
Maximum: 15
Credits: 4

ES 899C
Doctoral Dissertation Continuation
Competency Area: Dissertation Process
Restricted to PhDV students who have registered for two semesters of ES 899 Doctoral Dissertation and three semesters of ES 776 Dissertation Seminar and have not completed the dissertation. Students must continue to register until dissertation is accepted and deposited.

Section A: Doctoral Faculty
Maximum: 15
Credits: uncredited

ES 703
Global Environmental Change
Competency Area: Foundation
Required of and Restricted to PhD I students.

This course covers the various ecological problems that occur on a global scale: climate change, ozone depletion, habitat destruction, species destruction, etc. The parameters of global change research and policy are emphasized, including an overview of the methodological approaches that are being used to evaluate the impact of global change. What is the evolutionary, biological, and geological context of global environmental change? How do human relationships with the natural environment change through geographical space and historical time? What are the ecological consequences of such change and how can they be studied and understood? Such inquiry includes investigating diverse approaches, perceptions, policies and practices of natural resource use. How do humans choose to live within a particular ecosystem? How do humans change ecosystems? What are the consequences of those changes?

Section A: Mitchell Thomashow
Time: Saturdays, 2:00 - 8:00 pm, and
Sundays, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm,
February 5 & 6, March 5 & 6,
April 2 & 3 and April 30 & May 1
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
Credits: 4

ES 771
The Integrated Essay
Competency Area: Integrated Projects
Restricted to PhD III students.

The Integrated Essay is the culmination of the learning domain. It is an opportunity for students to organize, interpret, and amplify their core scholarly interests. The essay represents the ability to synthesize and conceptualize knowledge, to contribute new ideas to an emerging field of study, to express the theoretical and practical significance of these ideas, and to consider their consequences for scholarship, research, and/or professional practice. Throughout the learning domain, students explore widely, noting convergencies, connections, and interstices- nodes and networks of intellectual resonance that contain deep insights. The purpose of the Integrated Essay is to cultivate those insights, by exploring them in depth, tracing their formulation, development, and application.

Note: The Integrated Essay does not meet as a course. Students will work independently with instructor.

Section A: Doctoral Faculty
Maximum: 12
Credits: 4

ES 729
Learning Domain Seminar II
Competency Area: Research Strategies and Learning Domains
Required of and Restricted to PhD II students.

The purpose of this seminar is to provide an opportunity for students to engage their learning domain in the larger academic discourse and to delve into aspects of their learning domain that have not been addressed in reading circles, courses or independent studies. Students will concentrate on developing critical reading and writing skills, and will create a piece of writing for publication.

Section A: Fred Taylor
Times: Fridays, 1:00 - 7:00 pm, and
Saturdays, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm,
February 4 & 5, March 4 & 5 and April 29 & 30
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
Credits: 3

ES 705
Political Economy of Environmental Issues
Competency Area: Foundation
Required of and Restricted to PhDI students.

Participants in this course study the social and political tensions underlying environmental issues. We do this by examining political theories of democracy, the history and development of economic thought, the exercise of power in diverse political circumstances, the role of corporations in democracy and capitalism today, and the practice and meaning of environmental citizenship. Discussions will center around the political discourse on sustainability, ideas of the common good, individual choice, fairness, social responsibility, and equity. Essentially, the purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the concepts, theories, evidence, and controversies associated with the political, social, and economic dimensions of environmental policy making.

Section A: Tom Webler
Times: Fridays, 1:00 - 7:00 pm, and
Saturdays, 8:00 am - 12:00,
February 4 & 5, March 4 & 5,
April 1 & 2 and April 29 & 30
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
Credits: 4

This seminar will explore the theoretical aspects of the origin, maintenance and loss of biodiversity. We will use two main texts, Stephen Hubbell’s The Unified Theory of Biodversity and Biogeography and Michael Huston’s Biological Diversity: The Changing Coexistence of Species on Changing Landscapes. These two books will serve as the foundation for the seminar. Supplemental readings from peer-reviewed journals will be divided into two categories: theories on the origin and maintenance of diversity and theories on the loss of diversity. The seminar will meet four times over the course of the semester and students will alternate the role as discussion leader. The emphasis in this course is on discussion and a series of short, written critical reviews of the supplementary articles.

Section A: Beth Kaplin
Times: Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 am
(or by group consensus)
February 4, March 4, April 1 & 29
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
3 credits

ES 723
Reading Seminar:
Primate Foraging Ecology and Ranging Behavior
Competency Areas: PhD II - Foundation; ES Masters - Elective
Restricted to PhD students. Open to ES Masters students by written permission of instructor attached to or on registration form.

Section A: Beth Kaplin
Times: Fridays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
(or by group consensus)
February 4, March 4, April 1 & 29
(Additional contact hours will be met by specific
course work designed to be completed on-line.)
Maximum: 15
3 credits

ES 752
Service Project
Competency Area: Integrated Projects
Required of and Restricted to PhD III students.

The Service Project is an opportunity to cooperate with a specific institutional, organizational, or community group addressing concerns of relevance to the student’s academic work. This provides a public context for one’s scholarly interests, both providing expertise to a project, and allowing the student to learn from the experience of the community, building broad coalitions for environmental work, and using the doctoral learning process as a service for diverse constituencies.

Note: The Service Project does not meet as a course. The project is discussed in the Theory and Practice Seminar. The student receives credit upon satisfactory completion of the Service Project essay.

Section A: Heidi Watts
Time: To be arranged with instructor
Maximum: 12
Credits: 4

ES 890
SIS: Supervised Individual Study

Environmental Studies CoursesSpring 2005

Master’s Programs

Doctoral Program (Ph.D)

Environmental Studies Courses
Spring 2005