Students can attend any or all of your classes remotely, including in-person and hybrid classes. Just let your professor know if you will be attending any in-person or blended class remotely.
Fall 2020 Courses
This is a tentative list of courses and is subject to change. This page will be updated as new courses are scheduled in Albert. Only courses with assigned classrooms will appear in Albert, therefore not all courses will appear at the moment.
Please click here for Faculty Profiles
For more syllabi, please visit our courses archive page.
For frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ page.
View the requirements for an ES major or minor on our Program of Study page.
ENVST-UA 100.001 / 10448 / 11:00am-12:15pm MW / Hayek
STUDENTS MUST ALSO REGISTER FOR RCT SEC 002 - 007.
Recitations:
ENVST-UA 100.002 / 8826 / 9:30am-10:45am T
ENVST-UA 100.003 / 8827 / 8:00am-9:15am T
ENVST-UA 100.004 / 8828 / 2:00pm-3:15pm T
ENVST-UA 100.005 / 8829 / 8:00am-9:15am W
ENVST-UA 100.006 / 8830 / 3:30pm-4:45pm W
ENVST-UA 100.007 / 10157 / 9:30am-10:45am R
Environmental Studies Senior Seminar
ENVST-UA 900.001 / 8835 / 11:00AM-12:15PM TR / Wagner
Prerequisite: Open only to Senior ES majors who have completed ENVST-UA 100 and 101 or Senior Gallatin-ES Partnership students with the permission of the Partnership advisor.
The new Environmental Studies Senior Seminar will replace the Senior Capstone.
Methods of Inquiry courses can also count as electives if the Methods of Inquiry requirements are already met.
Fundamental Dynamics of Earth's Atmosphere and Climate
ENVST-UA 360.001; MATH-UA 228.001 / 23291 / 2:00pm-3:15pm TR
Prerequisite: MATH-UA 121 or PHYS-UA 11
Laboratory:
ENVST-UA 360.002; MATH-UA 228.002 / 23292 / 11:00am-12:15pm F
ENVST-UA 410.001 / 20313 / 8:00am-9:15am MW / Wagner
Topics in Environmental Studies: Introduction to Analysis in Conservation Biology
ENVST-UA 450.003 / 10950 / 3:30pm-4:45pm MW / Carlson
Critically explores current and past conservation biology problems and proposed or attempted solutions with a focus on quantitative modeling. Students will apply several modeling techniques used to measure and address biodiversity loss across diverse species, ecosystems, global regions, spatial and temporal scales, and anthropogenic impacts.
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 100
BIOL-UA 42.001 / 8571 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / Killilea
BIOL-UA 42.004 / 9791 / 8:00am-9:30pm TR / Parker
Prerequisites: BIOL-UA 0012 or BIOL-UA 0014 or BIOL-UA 9012 and SCIEN-AD
Recitation:
BIOL-UA 42.002 / 8572 / 12:30pm-1:45pm W
BIOL-UA 42.003 / 8573 / 3:30pm-4:45pm W
BIOL-UA 42.005 / 10523 / 11:00am-12:15pm W
BIOL-UA 42.006 / 10524 / 2:00pm-3:15pm W
Quantitative Reasoning: Problems, Statistics, and Decision-Making
CORE-UA 107.001 / 9123 / 8:00am-9:15am MW / TBA
Recitation:
CORE-UA 107.004 / 9124 / 11:00am-12:15pm F
CORE-UA 107.005 / 9125 / 12:30pm-1:45pm F
CORE-UA 107.006 / 9126 / 8:00am-9:15am F
CORE-UA 107.007 / 9127 / 9:30am-10:45am F
Statistics for The Behavioral Sciences
PSYCH-UA 10.001 / 9428 / 9:30am-10:45am MW / Bauer
PSYCH-UA 10.007 / 9434 / 9:30am-10:45am TR / Bauer
Research Methods
SOC-UA 301.001 / 9491 / 12:30pm-1:45pm TR / Abascal
Recitation:
SOC-UA 301.002 / 9492 / 2:00pm-3:15pm F
SOC-UA 301.003 / 9493 / 12:30pm-1:45pm F
Quantitative Analysis for Public Policy
UPADM-GP 111.001 / 16115 / 4:55pm-7:25pm T / Zahner
Recitation:
UPADM-GP 111.002 / 16116 / 2:00pm-3:00pm F
Governance courses can also count as electives if the Governance requirements are already met.
Science in Environmental Politics
ENVST-UA 422.001 / 19750 / 2:00pm-3:15pm TR / Ghosh
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 101 or SOCS-SHU 135
ENVST-UA 435.001 / 20314 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / Kanter
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 101 or SOCS-SHU 135
Topics in Environmental Studies: Managing for Adaptation to Environmental Change
ENVST-UA 450.002 / 10949 / 11:00am-12:15pm MW / Webster
Humans are changing the natural world at an extraordinary pace, causing widespread shifts in parameters such as population size, geographic range, genetic structure, and species composition. In this course, we will use a combination of lecture, discussion, reading of primary literature, and independent projects to explore how conservation biologists are promoting the adaptation of natural systems to environmental change by developing new scientific insights and management tools.
Topics in Environmental Studies: Climate Policy
ENVST-UA 450.004 / 10951 / 8:00am-9:15am TR / Wagner
Public Economics
ECON-UA 353.001 / 8792 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / Fan
ECON-UA 353.002 / 8793 / 3:30pm-4:45pm MW / TBA
International Politics
POL-UA 700.001 / 9098 / 12:30pm-1:45pm MW / Simonelli
Recitation:
POL-UA 700.002 / 9099 / 2:00pm-3:15pm R
POL-UA 700.003 / 9100 / 8:00am-9:15am T
POL-UA 700.004 / 9101 / 12:30pm-1:45pm R
POL-UA 700.005 / 9102 / 12:30pm-1:45pm F
POL-UA 700.006 / 9103 / 3:30pm-4:45pm M
POL-UA 700.007 / 9104 / 11:00am-12:15pm R
POL-UA 700.008 / 9105 / 12:30pm-1:45pm T
POL-UA 700.009 / 9106 / 8:00am-9:15am W
POL-UA 700.010 / 9958 / 11:00am-12:15pm F
POL-UA 700.011 / 9959 / 11:00am-12:15pm F
The Politics of Public Policy
UPADM-GP 101.001 / 16113 / 4:55pm-7:25pm T / Brayton
UPADM-GP 101.002 / 16121 / 9:30am-12:00pm F / Kaczmarek
The Economics of Public Policy
UPADM-GP 140.001 / 16123 / 9:30am-12:00pm W / Fatima
Recitation:
UPADM-GP 140.002 / 16124 / 12:30pm-1:30pm F
Governance and Methods of Inquiry courses can also count as electives if the Governance and Methods of Inquiry requirements are already met.
ENVST-UA 275.001; BIOL-UA 140.001 / 25129 / 8:30am-10:30am M / Killilea
Laboratory:
ENVST-UA 275.001; BIOL-UA 140.001 / 25130 / 10:35am-12:20pm M / Killilea
Fulfills the Life Science requirement in the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry component of the College Core Curriculum.
Environmental and Molecular Analysis of a Disease
ENVST-UA 315.001; BIOL-500.001 / 10236 / 2:00pm-4:45pm T / Killilea
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 325 or BIOL-UA 63
ENVST-UA 325.001; BIOL-UA 63.001 / 10306 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / Paolantonio
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 100
Limits of the Earth: Issues in Human Ecology
ENVST-UA 333.001 / 10310 / 5:00pm-7:30pm R / Volk
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 100 or BIOL-UA 11 and BIOL-UA 12
ENVST-UA 400.001; PHIL-UA 53.001 / 8831 / 2:00pm-3:15pm MW / Ferguson
Climate Change and Environmental Justice
ENVST-UA 405.001; SCA-UA 632.001 / 21374 / 4:55pm-7:35pm T / Patros
ENVST-UA 470.001 / 19753 / 5:00pm-7:30pm M / Schlottmann
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 101
Topics in Environmental Studies: Global Energy History
ENVST-UA 476.001; EURO-UA 174.001; HIST-UA 629.001 / 21591 / 12:30pm-1:45pm MW / Gross, Needham
ENVST-UA 490.001 / 22590 / 4:55pm-6:10pm MW / Rademacher
Prerequisite: ENVST-UA 101
ENVST-UA 630.001; ANST-UA 500.001 / 10658 / 5:00pm-7:30pm R / Wolfson
Internship in Environmental Studies
ENVST-UA 800.001 / 8834 / 3:30pm-6:00pm R / Schlottmann
Prerequisite: Open only to Sophomore, Junior, Senior ES majors who have completed ENVST-UA 100 or ENVST-UA 101 or SOCS-SHU 135
Ecological Field Methods
BIOL-UA 16.001 / 10954 / 8:00am-4:00pm F / Paolantonio
Fundamentals of Ecology
BIOL-UA 63.001 / 10311 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / Paolantonio
Prerequisite: BIOL-UA 100 or BIOL-UA 11 or BIOL-UA 13 or BIOL-UA 9011 and BIOL-UA 9012 or BIOL-UA14 or BIOL-UA 9012
Physical Science: Energy & The Environment
CORE-UA 203.001 / 9128 / 2:00pm-3:15pm MW / Tuckerman
CORE-UA 203.010 / 9135 / 11:00am-12:15pm TR / An
Recitation:
CORE-UA 203.002 / 9129 / 5:00pm-6:40pm M
CORE-UA 203.003 / 9130 / 9:00am-10:40am T
CORE-UA 203.004 / 9131 / 11:00am-12:40pm T
CORE-UA 203.005 / 9132 / 1:00pm-2:40pm T
CORE-UA 203.006 / 9133 / 3:00pm-3:40pm T
CORE-UA 203.007 / 9134 / 5:00pm-6:40pm T
CORE-UA 203.011 / 9136 / 9:00am-10:40am W
CORE-UA 203.012 / 9137 / 11:00am-12:40pm W
CORE-UA 203.013 / 9138 / 1:00pm-2:40pm W
CORE-UA 203.014 / 9139 / 3:00pm-4:40pm W
CORE-UA 203.015 / 9140 / 5:00pm-6:40pm W
CORE-UA 203.016 / 9141 / 9:00am-10:40am R
Ecotoxicology: Hudson River Case Study
EHSC-GA 1005.001 / 3173 / 9:30am-12:15pm R / TBA
Toxicology
EHSC-GA 1006.001 / 3174 / 9:30am-12:15pm W / TBA
Prerequisite: A COURSE IN BASIC BIOLOGY ENCOURAGED. SAME AS BIOL-GA 1006
Aerosol Science of Particulate Air Pollution
EHSC-GA 2033.001 / 20688 / 2:00pm-4:45pm T / Thurston
Fundamentals of Environmental Thought
ENYC-GE 2019.001/ 5237 / 6:45pm-8:25pm W / Bauce
Environmental Politics
ENYC-GE 2021.001/ 5238 / 6:55pm-6:35pm R / Land
Food
FOOD-UE 1116 / TBA / 10:00am-12:15pm T / Nestle
This is a 7-week course: 09/02/2020 - 10/22/2020
Please note that this class is for 2 credits, meaning that it cannot count towards the ES major or ES or AS minors.
Global Environmental Health
GPH-GU 2153.001/ 8191 / 4:55pm-6:35pm R / Caravanos
Readings in Environmental History (CLQ)
HIST-GA 1050.001 / 20158 / 9:30am-12:15pm T / Needham
History of European Environmental Sciences
IDSEM-UG 1566.001 / 15071 / 9:30am-10:45am TR / Anker
Think Big: Global Issues and Ecological Solutions
IDSEM-UG 1628.002 / 15042 / 3:30pm-6:10pm T / Joachim
Ecological Transport, Infrastructure and Building Design
IDSEM-UG 1633.002 / 21185 / 3:30pm-6:10pm M / Joachim
Bridging Culture and Nature: An Introduction to Conservation Science
IDSEM-UG 1740.002 / 14853 / 3:30pm-6:10pm M / Tolisano
Extinction: A History and Prospectus
IDSEM-UG 1984.002 / 21187 / 3:30pm-6:10pm T / Cittadino
NYC Coastlines: Past, Present, and Future
IDSEM-UG 2004.002/ 20409 / 3:30pm-6:10pm W / Holmberg
Interdisciplinary Seminar: Ireland and the Environment
IRISH-UA 991.001 / 20916 / 2:00pm-3:15pm TR / Sullivan
Ireland has a long history as a country that produces literature deeply engaged with place. Yet as climate change and ecological crises reshape the Irish environment, literature, visual arts, and history can help us rethink human and non-human relationships to place. In this class, we will read Irish literature —fiction, poetry, and non-fiction prose— of the nineteenth century to the present alongside critical and theoretical texts from the field of environmental humanities. Approaches including environmental history, animal studies, cultural geography, and ecocriticism help us reorient our understanding of the contemporary environmental crises we (and Ireland) face, through a new understanding of the significance of landscape, climate, and ecology in Irish culture. Texts may include work by JM Synge, Emily Lawless, WB Yeats, Elizabeth Bowen, Molly Keane, Marina Carr, Tim Robinson, Ian Maleny, Sarah Baume, and others. Crosslisted.
Vegan: Climate Justice, Animals, Race, and Gender
NODEP-UA 159 / TBA / 10:00am-12:15pm T / Athanassakis
Veganism destabilizes long standing societal structures including race, gender, class, speciesism, and capitalism. In this class we will read and hear from some of the leading activists, writers, and voices of veganism/plant-based living and have the unique opportunity to engage with their work and ask them about it. Vegan fashion, vegan athletes, vegan meat, vegan cinema: what does that look like? Together, we will explore topics ranging from climate change, to animal ethics, to food security, to racial justice.
Please note that this class is for 2 credits, meaning that it cannot count towards the ES major or ES or AS minors.
This is a 7-week course: 10/22/2020 - 12/13/2020
Environmental Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities
URPL-GP 2625.001/ 7300 / 4:55pm-6:35pm M / Strickland
ANST-UA 400.001 / 9711 / 5:00pm-7:30pm T / Sebo
ANST-UA 500.001; ENVST-UA 630.001 / 10659 / 5:00pm-7:30pm R / Wolfson
Food
FOOD-UE 1116 / TBA / 10:00am-12:15pm T / Nestle
This is a 7-week course: 09/02/2020 - 10/22/2020
Vegan: Climate Justice, Animals, Race, and Gender
NODEP-UA 159 / TBA / 10:00am-12:15pm T / Athanassakis
Veganism destabilizes long standing societal structures including race, gender, class, speciesism, and capitalism. In this class we will read and hear from some of the leading activists, writers, and voices of veganism/plant-based living and have the unique opportunity to engage with their work and ask them about it. Vegan fashion, vegan athletes, vegan meat, vegan cinema: what does that look like? Together, we will explore topics ranging from climate change, to animal ethics, to food security, to racial justice.
This is a 7-week course: 10/22/2020 - 12/13/2020
ANST-GA 1000.001 / 21978 / 2:00pm-4:30pm T / Jerolmack
This survey course introduces students to the key ideas and debates within the social sciences and humanities pertaining to how human and animal lives intersect. Specifically, it examines how relationships with animals both reflect and shape social life, culture, and how people think about themselves. We will explore the myriad and contradictory positions that animals occupy in society [e.g., as pets, pests, mascots, and food] and deconstruct the social origins of these seemingly natural categories. We will also take a grounded look at what actually happens when humans and animals interact, which sheds new light on the nature of human and animal consciousness. Fundamentally, students will learn how the roles that animals take on in our lives, and the ways that we think about and relate to them, are inherently social processes that are patterned by geography, culture, class, and gender; and they will gain an appreciation for how “the animal turn” problematizes the anthropocentric foundations of the social sciences and humanities and transgresses traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Animals and Public Health Ethics
ANST-GA 2500.001 / 3912 / 5:00pm-7:30pm W / Sebo
This seminar will survey the relationship between animals and public health ethics. We will focus on a wide range of public health issues including but not limited to pandemics. We will start with a survey of animal ethics and public health ethics. We will then consider how human use of animals affects public health problems. For example, how do deforestation, the wildlife trade, and animal agriculture contribute to pandemics? Next, we will consider how public health problems affect animals. For example, how do pandemics affect animals both directly, through the spread of disease, and indirectly, through changes in human treatment of nonhumans? Finally, we will imagine new possibilities for including animals in health policy, by reducing our use of animals as part of our mitigation efforts and increasing our support for animals as part of our adaptation efforts.
ANST-GA 2500.002 / 3913 / 5:00pm-7:30pm R / Nissim
While art and technology can remove us from nature, they can also bring us closer to nature, helping us to understand and interact with non-human animals. This course will explore the intersection of animals, art, and technology from a multidisciplinary perspective. What do we find so compelling about natural systems? How can we use art and technology to learn more about features of the world that ordinarily exist beyond human perception? We will explore different artworks that use technology to reveal, translate, and communicate the unseen world of non-human animals to humans. Through a series of creative experiments and assignments, students will work with augmented reality (AR), sound, sensors, projection mapping, video, and more, to create meaningful artistic interventions that explore these themes.
Animals in Science: Animal Protection
ANST-GA 2500.003 / 3914 / 5:00pm-7:30pm M / Franks
This seminar melds a survey of the relevant literature with student-driven projects. Close readings of scientific articles and other works related to animal protection will inform an examination of the values that drive research involving animals and the ethics and politics of such knowledge creation. We will use this framing to study and evaluate current research and oversight practices, as well as to imagine and evaluate alternative research and oversight practices. For projects, students will have the option to develop a project proposal, pursue an existing project, or conduct a thorough literature review. Grades will be based on project presentations, engaged participation (with a focus on providing feedback to fellow students in addition to discussing the general course material), a structured outline/project plan, and a final paper.
ANST-GA 2500.004 / 4135 / 2:00pm-4:30pm M / Abrell
This course will provide an overview of law and public policy as they apply to non-human animals, with a focus on the rules and regulations that govern their treatment and political efforts to improve or alter that treatment, including the influence of science, government, business and non-governmental organizations in defining and influencing animal-related policies. The course will explore the historical and philosophical treatment of animals; discuss how such treatment impacts the way judges, policymakers, lawyers, legal scholars and lay people see, speak about, and use animals; survey current animal protection laws and regulations, including overlap with such policy issues as food and agriculture, climate change, and biodiversity protection; consider recent political and legal campaigns to reform animal protection laws; examine the concept of “standing” and the problems of litigating on behalf of animals; interrogate the current classification of animals as “property” and the impacts of that classification; and debate the merits and limitations of alternative classifications, such as the recognition of “legal rights” for animals.