List of undergrade ENV courses
ENV 101: Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 credits)
The course is designed for students to gain an understanding of basic principles of environmental sciences, including an introduction to the structure and functioning of ecosystems and their physical and biogeochemical cycles. The course will emphasize the importance of these processes for human health as well as human impact on these processes. Specific topics to be covered include but are not limited to biodiversity, water, land and air resources, environmental conservation, human population trends and dynamic, food and industrial production, and waste and toxicity. Topics will be supplemented by Armenia- and Caucasus-specific cases. Instructor-led discussion along with reading, writing, presenting and practical assignments.
ENV 105: Numbers, Responsibility, and the Environment (3 credits)
The course is a practical introduction to basic quantitative and statistical techniques that can be applied to environmental studies. Students will learn techniques to identify, organize, verify, and understand data, including analyzing trends and tendencies. The course will emphasize the importance of ethical and responsible use of data and information. Each topic will begin with an introduction to a numerical or statistical concept followed by the application of that concept on a real world environmental challenge or opportunity. Students will use basic data analysis tools such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
ENV 110: Fundamentals of Climate Change (3 credits)
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. The course will take a multidisciplinary approach to understanding its causes and consequences as well as responses to this challenge. The course will explore the science, economics, and politics of climate change. Key international and Armenia-specific literature, case studies, and social and political movements around climate change will be reviewed and discussed. The course will require students to participate in a simulated multi-stakeholder and multinational negotiations on addressing climate change.
ENV 120: Sustainable Food Systems (3 credits)
This course provides fundamental knowledge of food systems, including their economics and environmental sustainability aspects. This entails the description of primary agricultural resources and inputs, production technologies, post-harvest handling, and food waste, logistics, and marketing. Students will also learn developments in the food industry such as genetically modified organisms, organic agriculture, fair trade, and reduction of food loss. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
ENV 130: Plants and Society (3 credits)
This interdisciplinary course enables students to explore the relationship between plants and people and the role of plants in shaping human societies throughout millennia. The course will discuss current environmental challenges related to human relationship with plants, such as food security, forest ecosystem integrity, and more. Through focusing on plants’ impacts on human societies the course is specifically designed to increase students’ awareness and understanding of diverse regions, cultures, and societies within the context of contemporary global challenges.
ENV 140: Waste in Circular Economy (3 credits)
Producing waste seems to be an unavoidable result of human activity. But how can we minimize producing such waste? How can we extract value from these? The course will discuss the fundamental principles of sustainable waste management from environmental, technological, social, and business viewpoints. The course will cover various types of waste, including food, packaging, plastics, paper, clothes, electronics, and more. The course will focus on the circular economy solutions discussing waste reduction strategies, green product design, reuse and recycling practices, zero-waste lifestyle, waste-to-energy, composting, biogas production, and more. Field visits to waste treatment facilities may be part of the course.
ENV 150: Basics of Sustainable Energy (3 credits)
The course focuses on sustainable generation and use of energy. Topics will include identifying, evaluating and managing sustainable energy use and generation in homes, buildings, industry, cities, and nationally. Specific topics shall include energy efficiency, lighting, centralized renewable energy generation, distributed renewable energy generation, smart grids, e-transportation, energy storage, as well as sustainable energy policies. Students will have an understanding of sustainable energy from the environmental, economic, and social perspectives. Students will be evaluated based on individual or group projects and written examinations. Instructor-led class time. Not available to ENGS students.
ENV 170: Chemistry in Everyday Life (3 credits)
The course highlights and discusses the practical chemical world of human beings and the chemical nature of everyday processes. The role of chemistry in necessities of daily life such as the chemistry of life, agriculture, food, housing, healthcare, clothing, household goods (e.g., toys, furniture, etc.), transport, and communications will be discussed. In addition, the course will introduce various applications of chemistry in the area of arts, crime and law enforcement, consumer products, cosmetics, and warfare. As a science-based, quantitative course, the course will teach students the methods of scientific inquiry, including experimental design and chemical analytical methods, data generation and analysis, and presentation of the final results. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading, written, and practical assignments.
ENV 202: Environmental Projects (3 credits)
New Course Description: This course is designed for undergraduate students to gain competence in designing, implementing, and evaluating projects that address environmental issues. Students will work on semester-long group projects which would start from the design of project proposals, and culminate with round-table discussions on each of the implemented projects. The project topics could relate to issues such as: environmental education, resource management (such as waste, energy, soil, water, etc.), sustainable food systems, air quality, forest management or restoration, among other topics. The course includes several in-class simulations using case studies on environmental issues relevant globally and to Armenia. The course uses a project-based learning approach, where student evaluation will be based on their performance in their project, their participation during the in-class simulations and activities, as well as examinations.
Prerequisite: Any lower-division ENV course
ENV 203: Environmental Monitoring (3 credits)
The course will present general procedures, methods, theories, and techniques in the monitoring of environments. Contamination of air, water, soils, and food will be discussed with the emphasis on instrument selection and quality control, including documentation, calibration, and sample management. Classical monitoring schemes, as well as new and innovative techniques will be compared and evaluated. Local and regional data will be introduced and analyzed. The course will emphasize the methods of scientific inquiry, including planning and designing monitoring, sampling, biological and physical-chemical analytical methods, data generation and analysis, and effective presentation of the final results. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading, data-mining, presenting, written, and practical assignments. The course also includes lab and field work opportunities.
Prerequisite: ENV 101 Introduction to Environmental Science
ENV 204: Environmental Decision Tools: EIA, CIA, SEA, CBA (3 credits)
When a project (e.g., a hydro-power plant, a highway, or a mine) is built or a program/policy (e.g., promoting agriculture, regulating car emissions, or increasing waste disposal fees) is adopted, it could impact the natural environment (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and ecosystems) and the human environment (resettlement of populations, noise, dust, odors, vibrations, obstruction of views, etc.). How do we understand these impacts and inform project design and policy formulation to minimize, mitigate, or eliminate negative impacts? This course will discuss the tools available and commonly used to do this: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and economic cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The course will also highlight the role of ecosystem services valuation as a relatively new concept that can enhance the effectiveness of decision-making tools introduced in the course. Instructor-led discussions and written assignments. PRE-REQUISITES: None but ENV 101 recommended.
ENV 210: Disasters (3 credits)
Explores the history, fundamentals, principles, theories, and approaches of disaster management. Students study natural and manmade disasters and the planning and management tools available for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Topical investigations include: an overview of disaster management, the range of physical and human impacts, the role of decision-makers and the general public, and structural and non-structural techniques in this quantitative science course. Armenia-specific cases and scenarios are also considered and discussed.
ENV 211: Sustainable Cities (3 credits)
The course will introduce the concept of sustainable cities—places where there is human prosperity, social equity, and environmental health. This will be examined within the larger context of urban aspirations including green or eco-cities, smart cities, creative cities, resilient cities, and more. Special emphasis will be placed on the concepts and tools necessary to address the environmental sustainability of cities including its resource metabolism, ecology, and built environment impacts. Specific topics may include transportation, land use, energy, water, biodiversity and more. The course will also examine the role of integrated and inclusive urban planning and governance. Students are expected to collect, analyze and present data as well as assess the merits of analyses by others.
ENV 212: Mining (3 credits)
The course introduces the basic concepts of mineral exploration, ore extraction, mineral processing, and mine-waste management. The course will have a particular focus on related environmental, occupational safety, public health and social management issues and approaches. As a quantitative science course, emphasis will be placed on statistical, scientific, and engineering tools for understanding better management of mining operations. Additionally, the course will introduce some of the legal and policy topics related to good governance of the mining sector in a country. Both international and Armenia- specific cases will be used to highlight concepts and effective practices. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading, written, and practical assignments.
ENV 230: Water (3 credits)
Without adequate supply of freshwater our economies will not function and our health will not be secured. Human overuse and pollution of freshwater can also cause political conflict and damage ecosystems. This course will examine water from various perspectives including ecological, human health, resource stewardship, economic, and legal/political. Specific topics to be covered include water supply, use, and recycling in manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture, and domestic life; potential for resource efficiency and optimization; water quality and types of water pollution, methods of testing and monitoring water quality and conditions of freshwater ecosystems; water purification and wastewater treatment; water planning and management tools/models including those for watersheds, surface, and ground water resources; new technologies, such as desalination, to access freshwater; and international and national laws on water. The course may include field and lab work opportunities.
ENV 250: Biodiversity: Conservation and Restoration (3 credits)
This course is designed for undergraduate students to develop basic quantitative skills for deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of the current worldwide loss of plant, animal and other species. The course will cover the theory and practice of managing endangered species and the conservation and restoration of habitats and species populations. The course will emphasize how to apply science and the scientific method in the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. Worldwide as well as Armenia-specific cases will be reviewed. A key expected outcome of the course is students’ competence in measuring trends using statistics and computing useful measures and indices. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
ENV 251: Forests (3 credits)
Students will use statistical and scientific tools to gain a deeper understanding of forests, forest-related processes, and management of this critical resource. The course will offer an introduction to the types of forests worldwide, the role of forests in ecosystem that protect the living environment, and their significance to human economies and well-being. Students will gain insights in the ecosystem services that forests provide—for instance, their importance in climate and water-cycle regulation as well as biodiversity and soil protection. Forest management techniques and the role of good forest governance will be highlighted throughout the course. Topics will be supplemented by Armenia and Caucasus-specific cases and problem sets. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading, written, and practical assignments.
ENV 290: Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (3 credits)
The course covers a selected topic of current interest. Topics to be announced prior to course registration.
Prerequisite: May vary; to be announced prior to course registration.