Description
From personal to global levels, this course uses a systems approach to examine interaction of social, economic and ecological factors in natural resources management. Identify and explore the consequences of diverse natural resource philosophies and paradigms, and develop skills to direct, mitigate or change human impacts on natural systems.
Grading Basis
Graded
Prerequisites
Course Learning Outcomes
Core Topics
- Role of social science in natural resource management
- Natural resource values & paradigms
- Human ecology
- Biodiversity
- Sustainability (social, economic, ecological)
- Systems thinking
- Ecological ethics
- Environmental economics
- Natural resources laws & regulations
- Environmental education/interpretation
- Citizen engagement/public participation
- Collaboration (inter-/intra-agency, w/public)
- Global perspective & international comparison
- Population, consumption, & distribution of wealth as drivers in natural resource management
Issues students will understand:
- Climate change
- Science and society
- Human impacts on natural resources
- Diversity of natural resource management philosophies and paradigms
Skills students will master:
- Systems thinking
- Creative thinking
- Problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Sequential and logical reasoning
- Team work
- Continued, life-long learning
- Social science data collection in NR management
- Identify & use range of information sources & use information to develop ideas
- Professional and persuasive writing and speaking using proper technical format