Environmental Studies Concentration

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OVERVIEW

The Environmental Studies (ENVSTD) Concentration fulfills one of Soka University of America’s founding principles: to “foster leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity.”

The complex problem of how humans can sustainably live on the planet requires a broad, multidisciplinary approach, one that a liberal arts background is well suited to deliver.

Our Concentration provides students with a foundation in the scientific understanding of the environment, as well as the social, cultural, economic, and technological forces that shape human relations with the environment.

Students concentrating in Environmental Studies will be prepared to address the full range of environmental issues through a coherent study of environmental problems and solutions. To fulfill the Concentration requirements, students must take five concentration courses, three of which must be at the 300 or 400 level, and complete a capstone project. Students are able to fulfill their concentration requirements in either a focused or broad fashion from course offerings within the fields of earth and ocean sciences, ecology, environmental management and policy, environmental planning and practice, geography, and through courses cross-listed from other Concentrations.

Our goal is to present students with a positive learning environment that encourages the creative, responsible, interdisciplinary, and independent thinking necessary for understanding and effectively responding to local, regional, and global environmental challenges. The Environmental Studies Concentration at SUA can be an effective preparation for graduate school and environmental careers in government, consulting, advocacy organizations, and business. Students may progress to careers in environmental law, public health, medicine, economics, environmental research, urban and regional planning, geospatial analysis, sustainability management, renewable energy, environmental management, and resource management.

When Environmental Studies students graduate, they are able to:

  1. Demonstrate and communicate an understanding of environmental studies,
  2. Demonstrate the ability to research topics in environmental studies,
  3. Apply their understanding of environmental studies in their professional and personal futures.

Classes

ECOL 211 : Sustainable Aquaculture

This class will provide you with an introduction to the science of aquaculture: historically known as fish farming. Although we will be spending the majority of time talking about fishes, aquaculture also includes the farming of invertebrates, as well as plants. During the semester, we will be discussing all aspects of aquaculture including economics, diseases, nutritional requirements, and rearing techniques for various aquatic species.

Units

3

ECOL 330 : Fish Biology

An introduction to species diversity, natural history, and ecological and evolutionary relationships of fishes. Emphasis on form and function, ecology, behavior, sensory modes, fishery management, global crises in fisheries, and marine protected areas. Laboratories include identification of major groups of fishes, methodology and experimental approaches to the study of fishes.

Units

4

Prerequisites

Any BIO, ECOL, EOS, or CHEM course, or consent of instructor.

ECOL 370 : Terrestrial Plant Ecology

Terrestrial plants have been present on this planet for 440 million years and play a critical role as the basis of the terrestrial food chain. This course introduces students to the diversity of plant life and how plants have evolved and adapted to their respective environments. Topics include plant structure and growth, species interaction, community ecology, and succession.

Units

4

ECOL 402 : Aquatic Conservation

This course examines the problem of maintaining biological diversity in a human dominated world within the aquatic ecosystems. Emphasis is on the biological concepts involved in population biology, genetics and community ecology, and their use in conservation and management of biodiversity. We will investigate the impacts of human-induced climate change, pollution, introduction of exotic species, over fishing, and endangered species conservation.

Units

3

Prerequisites

Any BIO, ECOL, EOS, or CHEM course, or consent of instructor.

ECOL 435 : Alien Invaders

This course is designed to provide students with perspective on the impacts of exotic species, those organisms that are not native to a geographical area, primarily within Southern California but will also cover major invasions in the USA. The ecological, genetic, and evolutionary impacts of the invasions will be explored. Additionally, the management and control of exotic species will be discussed.

Units

3

Prerequisites

Any BIO, ECOL, EOS, or CHEM course, or consent of instructor.

ECOL 444 : Hypothesis Testing

Students learn experimental design, data collection, analysis, synthesis, and interpretation of data derived from field sampling and experiments in ecological studies. The class also covers data collection for impact assessment and environmental monitoring.

Units

3

Prerequisites

Any BIO, ECOL, EOS, or CHEM course, or consent of instructor.

EMP 320 : Environmental Planning and Practice

This course covers the fundamentals of environmental planning and practice, including water supply, air quality, waste treatment, recycling, the protection of farmland, open spaces, wetlands and sensitive coastal habitats as well as best practices in transportation, energy, urban planning and design. How does land use planning work? Who plans? Why, when and how are environmental impact assessments and environmental reviews performed and by whom? How do public authorities, planners, developers, and concerned citizens negotiate intricate land use conflicts, especially in the case of major new infrastructures such as rail corridors, freeways, (air)port expansions or larger, master planned communities?

Units

3

EMP 325W : Public and Environmental Health Policy

This interdisciplinary policy course examines the prevention and management of threats to human health caused by interacting environmental conditions and social forces. Major topics in this course include air and water pollution control, toxic substances control, climate change and environmental health, disease control, pandemics, public health emergency management, and public health leadership. This course covers public and environmental health policies at the community, national, and international levels.

This course satisfies the advanced writing skills course requirement.

Units

3

Prerequisites

WRIT 101

EMP 330 : Sustainable Cities

More than half of the world’s 7 billion people live in cities. Urban societies need to find ways to reduce their negative environmental impacts on the Earth’s eco-system. This course focuses on the analysis of urban development patterns in North America and Europe. Students will learn how to create and plan for human settlements that are less carbon-intensive, more ecologically responsible, and more socially sound. Via a variety of case studies, students will be introduced to sustainability concepts such as ecological urbanism, green building certification (LEED), smart growth, transit-oriented development and suburban retrofitting.

Units

3

EMP 335 : Cities and the Environment in the Global South

Between 2000 and 2030, the urban populations of the developing regions in the Global South will double from 2 to 4 billion people, accounting for the vast majority of urban growth on this planet. Taking a comparative view of urbanization and development, this course focuses on a select number of mega-cities in the Global South where millions of urban dwellers lack adequate shelter and access to clean water, sanitation and other basic infrastructure. What are the causes and environmental consequences of rapid urbanization and urban expansion in cities as diverse as Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Lagos, Mumbai or Chongqing? What strategies, programs and policies exist that can steer future urban development in a more environmentally sustainable direction?

Units

3

EMP 340 : Environmental Movements

This course examines the role of environmental movements in the development of policies for environmental protection and on the role of nongovernmental organizations in environmental politics and policy more generally.

Units

3

EMP 400W : Environmental Management

This course focuses on case studies of the development and management of policies for environmental protection. These case studies allow a detailed examination of the practical challenges facing environmental managers and leaders today, and an examination of the possibilities for new approaches to environmental management and policy in the future.

This course satisfies the advanced writing skills course requirement.

Units

3

Prerequisites

WRIT 101

EMP 430 : Urban Planning and the Built Environment

A full and deep understanding of our complex relationships with the natural environment also requires sophisticated and advanced knowledge of the different and specific ways in which our human settlements evolved over the course of history. This course provides a critical introduction to the interdisciplinary world of urban planning. Most of the cities, towns or neighborhoods we encounter did not simply “happen” – they were formally founded and planned by someone. Many of the world’s most famous cities were carefully laid out in relationship to their natural surroundings. And even haphazardly placed self-built homes still require access to public infrastructures and social institutions such water, sewer and power lines, roads, schools or hospitals. We will start of learning about the history and theory of planning as it was and is practiced in the United States but we will then soon expand our perspective to look at urban planning and built environment issues through a global lens. Which cities were or are global leaders in the world of city building and urban design? What are the most important issues and topics for planning practitioners right now? What do planners do when they “plan”? How do we justify planning? How do we define the public interest the profession purports to serve? What are the key conflicts and ethical dilemmas? How does the global threat of climate change and sea level rise change the way we plan and manage cities?

Units

3

Prerequisites

Instructor Consent Required.

ENVST 170/PHIL 170 : Environmental Ethics

This course considers the role ethics and philosophy play in how wo/man relates to her and his human and natural environment. The central themes of the course are the relationship between human centered and nature centered views of the universe and wo/man’s responsibility for the care of the universe. Philosophies considered include but are not limited to Anthropocentrism, Confucianism, Taoism, Aristotelianism, Humanism, Transcendentalism, American Indian, EcoFeminism and Deep Ecology.

Units

3

ENVST 215/MUSICHST 215 : Music and Ecology: Studies in Interconnection

This course will examine embedded views of the relationship between humans and their environments in the context and function of music in different times and cultures. Music is both commonly a means of the most profound communication between humans and nature, and embodies cultural understanding and expression of the relationship, humans place in nature. Readings will include examination of music cultures, the expressed views and philosophies of the people in those music cultures, and studies of the ecological systems and ecological impacts of human actions where those people live.

Units

3

ENVST 230/LIT 230 : Thinking Through Nature

From Heraclitus on, the concept of nature has proven to be unique in its ability to expand imagination, stimulate thought, and articulate disagreement. This class will place major texts in the traditions of natural philosophy, pastoral, and cultural critique alongside contemporary interventions, including arguments for the ecology without nature. Our goal is to rethink nature in response to the technological mastery of all life made possible by the advancement of science. The texts to be studied include Aristotle, Pliny the Elder, Lucretius, Virgil, Rousseau, Diderot, Thoreau, Darwin, Dennett and Will Self. 

Units

3

Prerequisites

LIT 140, or sophomore standing.

ENVST 270 : Ecocinema

This course traces Ecocinema as an evolving field of environmental activism at a time when the threat of anthropocentric climate change has captured our global environmental consciousness. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Film, Ecocinema originated in the mid 1990s and “explores the historical, formal, political, and ethical aspects of the relationship between cinema, the natural world, and nonhuman animals.” How have wildlife and nature documentaries changed over time? How are documentaries different from fiction films or animated films in conveying environmental content? In this introductory-level course, students will be exposed to a multitude of environmental topics via engaging filmic content while also learning to critically analyze filmmakers’ intentions and to identify different filmmaking techniques and styles.

Units

3

ENVST 360/ECON 360 : Environmental Economics

This upper division course combines theory and policy application in studying environmental issues from an economist’s perspective. Major topics include theoretical and applied modeling of economy-environment relations, causes and consequences of market failure affecting environmental services, design and evaluation of environmental policy instruments, and the political economy of environmental policy. Students will learn to identify the economic components of an environmental issue, analyze the effects of human economic activity on the environment, and to present and discuss the pros and cons of various environmental policies.

Units

3

Prerequisites

ECON 100/INTS 100.

EOS 280 : Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening

Although humans can obtain the air and (to a lesser extent) the water they need freely, we must work to provide our bodies with food. Before the industrial era, hunting, gathering, and farming were the primary human activities. Technology and industrialization have greatly reduced the human labor required to produce food, and farming has become the specialized occupation of the few. However, in the process, modern industrialized agriculture has developed into a system with many impacts, such as water pollution, greenhouse gas production, and the health consequences of highly processed diets. These impacts of industrialized agriculture are unsustainable as population increases, water resources become scarce, and global warming makes the intensive use of fossil fuels undesirable. In this course, we will examine what a more sustainable mode of food production might look like through class work as well as hands-on work in the Soka Instructional Garden.

Units

3

EOS 322 : Water Resources

The struggle to manage water resources has shaped societies in the past and continues to do so today. Human use of water for drinking, sanitation, and agriculture is controlled by natural processes, by engineering, and by the institutions that manage water for the benefit of societies. In this course students will study how these processes control the availability and quality of water. Students will explore water resources in the local area through field visits to both natural and engineered sites and will learn to apply some of the techniques of water resource managers.

Units

4

EOS 402 : Climate Change

The Earth’s climate is changing because human activity is increasing the levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. You will learn what causes climate change, as well as its present and future effects on both the earth and society. You will also learn about the responses society and individuals can make to prevent and adapt to climate change. In the laboratory portion of this class, you will learn how to plan and perform a scientific experiment measuring greenhouse gases.

Units

3

GEOG 110 : Regional Geography of the Pacific Rim

This course provides students with an introduction to geographic concepts and perspectives from both physical and human geography while exploring the five major regions along the Pacific Rim: North America, Central and South America, Australia and Oceania, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Topics covered include the physical environment, environmental issues, human patterns over time, economic and political issues, and sociocultural issues.

Units

3

GEOG 250 : Physical Geography

Physical Geography is the science of the physical environment on Earth. This includes fundamental principles, processes, and perspectives from three major subject areas: (1) atmosphere and weather, (2) biogeography, and (3) geology and landforms. In this field- and laboratory based course, students will gain knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of our planet.

Units

3

GEOG 350 : Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a computer system for storing, managing, and displaying (mapping) the locations and attributes of spatial features. These features can come from any discipline and could represent any human or physical information. Due to its versatility, GIS is used in a wide range of applications such as resource management, city planning, transportation, business, and crime hot spot analysis. This course introduces students to this powerful software through lectures in GIScience and computer labs with ArcGIS.

Units

4

GEOG 400 : Advanced Geographic Information Systems

This advanced course provides further instruction in Geographic Information Science and ArcGIS applications. It is geared towards making students more familiar with the geospatial career field through interaction with GIS employers, GIS professionals, and a conference attendance (when possible). Course topics include more in-depth vector and raster data analysis, terrain mapping, viewshed and watershed analysis, spatial interpolation, modeling, and some python programming.

Units

3

Prerequisites

GEOG 350 or similar course.

GEOG 440W : Biogeography

Biogeography is the science of the distribution of plants and animals and the patterns and processes responsible for these distributions. This course introduces students to the discipline of biogeography and its major topics such as island biogeography, speciation and extinction, diversification, and conservation from a more geographical perspective emphasizing large scale patterns through space and time. The class consists of lectures and labs in which students explore lab work and science concepts to prepare students for careers in the conservation and ecology fields. Students write three detailed lab reports following scientific writing conventions to practice science writing skills. 

This course satisfies the advanced writing skills course requirement.

Units

3

Prerequisites

Any BIO, ECOL, EOS, or CHEM course, or consent of instructor and WRIT 101.

CAPSTONE 390 : Capstone Proposal

All SUA students participate in a Capstone research project during their senior (fourth) year, consisting of three courses. Capstone 390 is usually taken in the fall semester, Capstone 400 during the winter block, and Capstone 450 during the spring semester. This research project is intended to be a culminating experience, drawing upon the skills and expertise that they have developed during their career at SUA. Each student works with a faculty mentor to develop and carry out a research project related to their chosen Concentration. Students meet regularly with their Capstone mentor for support and feedback. All Capstone work must meet the criteria set in the Undergraduate Capstone Policy as well as standards set by the individual Concentration.

Beginning in academic year 2026/2027, the credit value and grading basis for Capstone courses will change. Until and including academic year 2025/2026, Capstone 390 will remain a 1-unit course graded on a P/NP basis.

Units

2

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: Senior standing. This course cannot be taken on a P/NP basis.

CAPSTONE 400 : Capstone I

All SUA students participate in a Capstone research project during their senior (fourth) year, consisting of three courses. Capstone 390 is usually taken in the fall semester, Capstone 400 during the winter block, and Capstone 450 during the spring semester. This research project is intended to be a culminating experience, drawing upon the skills and expertise that they have developed during their career at SUA. Each student works with a faculty mentor to develop and carry out a research project related to their chosen Concentration. Students meet regularly with their Capstone mentor for support and feedback. All Capstone work must meet the criteria set in the Undergraduate Capstone Policy as well as standards set by the individual Concentration.

Beginning in academic year 2026/2027, the credit value and grading basis for Capstone courses will change. Until and including academic year 2025/2026, Capstone 400 will remain a 4-unit course. Capstone 400 may not be taken on a P/NP basis.

Units

2

Prerequisites

CAPSTONE 390. This course cannot be taken on a P/NP basis.

CAPSTONE 450 : Capstone II

All SUA students participate in a Capstone research project during their senior (fourth) year, consisting of three courses. Capstone 390 is usually taken in the fall semester, Capstone 400 during the winter block, and Capstone 450 during the spring semester. This research project is intended to be a culminating experience, drawing upon the skills and expertise that they have developed during their career at SUA. Each student works with a faculty mentor to develop and carry out a research project related to their chosen Concentration. Students meet regularly with their Capstone mentor for support and feedback. All Capstone work must meet the criteria set in the Undergraduate Capstone Policy as well as standards set by the individual Concentration.

Beginning in academic year 2026/2027, the credit value and grading basis for Capstone courses will change. Until and including academic year 2025/2026, Capstone 450 will remain a 4-unit course. Capstone 400 may not be taken on a P/NP basis.

Units

2

Prerequisites

CAPSTONE 400.This course cannot be taken on a P/NP basis.