ENVL - Environmental Studies (ENVL)

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies, through lectures and discussion led by environmental studies program faculty from the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities.

Descriptive survey of the science of the earth; the composition of the earth; weathering and erosion; the formulation and movement of glaciers; the origin of mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes and deserts; and geological history of the earth. Field trips when possible.

Geography as a periodic relationship between the physical environment and life. Elements of the natural environment and their influences on human cultural activities.

Examination of current theoretical and practical issues in the field of environmental ethics, among them, obligations to future generations, human relationships to naturem, and the inherent value of the natural world.

Examines diverse cultural strategies with which human societies throught the world, ranging from tropical hunting and gathering groups to Euro-American and Asian industrialized nations, have responded to the natural environment. Students will learn to apply and anthropological perspective towards the understanding of topics of great global import such as population, pollution, industrialization, sustainable development, and ecosystems.

Explores the changing relationship between people and the environment in the United States. As a general survey of the nation's environmental history, the course examines a variety of issues, including our changing understanding of the "natural" world and our place in it; the consequences of human efforts to commodify and control nature; social and ethical responses to environmental problems; and the evolution of environmental policy.

An introduction to social science research. Topics include problem selection and hypothesis formation and testing; research design; sampling; construction and administration of research techniques; elementary data analysis and ethical issues. Some statistical and computer applications. Prerequisite: MATH 1101 or MATH 1203.

Explores the relationship between politics and environmental policy in the U.S. Looks at specific problems such as pollution, global climate change, species depletion, land management and hazardous waste. Explores attempts by government and other interested parties to rectify these problems.

Topics are chosen by the environmental studies faculty. Through lectures, discussion of readings, written assignments and other means, students explore a special topic in the field of environmental studies. 3 credits.

This special topic course will provide students with an introduction to the concept of environmental systems. The prime intent of this course is to provide students with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies, and the role of technology as a driving force within and between them. Students will be required to evaluate the scientific, ethical and socio-political aspects of the regional environmental needs and problems of Seton Hall University’s neighboring urban and suburban communities. A key area of emphasis will be on matters of food and water resource management and sustainability. With a connection to the current local stimulation and development of controlled indoor farming using vertical farming methods along with areoponic, hydroponic, and aquaponics farming methods. Further, connection to water management and treatment methods of significance to highly populated urban areas. The students in the class will produce a design plan for a stand-alone controlled environment growing system with accompanying report with budget and report that details expectations based on research of the problem being addressed, obstacles, opportunities and needs.

Sustainability in the marine environment involves synchronizing human activities with the rhythms of nature. Students learn the theory of sustainability from the perspectives of marine biology and resource management, religious values, and socio-economic constraints, and study the application of these concepts in a particular geographic setting, Campobello Island, at the US-Canada border. This “travel and learn” course is offered in the summer term, and includes travel and residence for one week on Campobello Island, off the coast of Maine. The course fulfills the University Core Signature 3 requirement.

This course explores the various paradigms of the natural world that have been developed over the course of the Catholic intellectual tradition, broadly understood. These paradigms have had enormous influences on the ways that we in the west have thought about, organized, and acted upon in the natural world. These paradigms include significant descriptions and norms about the relationship of humans to the natural world. During this course we analyze and evaluate these dimensions of the paradigms of nature as well as human relationships to the earth. The course fulfills the University Core Signature 3 requirement.

The ethics, principles and practices of permaculture (permanent agriculture and permanent culture) are introduced with real life examples of urban, suburban and rural landscape regeneration projects. Using whole systems thinking, students will design human habitats that yield perennial abundance and enduring value. Focus on habitats that are adaptive, resilient and secure places, in a future of peak oil, climate instability, and deepening economic insolvency. The course is accompanied by Permaculture Design Lab (1 credit). Together, the course and the lab lead to a professional certificate in Permaculture Design.

The tutorial courses provide opportunities for a senior student to pursue an in-depth reading and writing project in close consultation with a member of the environmental studies faculty.

The tutorial courses provide opportunities for a senior student to pursue an in-depth reading and writing project in close consultation with a member of the environmental studies faculty.

The tutorial courses provide opportunities for a senior student to pursue an in-depth reading and writing project in close consultation with a member of the environmental studies faculty.

This course provides a field experience under the supervision of a member of the environmental studies faculty. The specific form and requirements of the practicum, e.g. internship, service learning, etc., is developed in close consultation with the instructor. Students share their reflections on the experience during the semester and make a formal presentation of the results.

Course Description: This course provides an internship experience, under the supervision of a member of the environmental studies faculty. The specific form of the internship is developed in close consultation with the instructor. Students share their reflections on the experience during the semester and make a formal presentation of the results.

This course is the senior capstone for all students majoring in Environmental Studies. A broad topic of pivotal importance to the field is selected annually. Each student prepares an independent research project on a specific aspect of the topic, closely mentored by faculty of the Environmental Studies program. The course is taught in the fall semester, but students begin preparation through required summer reading. The fall semester is a structured research/writing seminar that culminates in a formal written and oral presentation of the student's findings.