Environmental Studies

This course focuses on the relationship between the environment and planning, particularly on zoning policies, construction methods, target objectives, and effects on the desired territories. It discusses policies of the European Union regarding zoning, development and environmental risks, and the connection to game theory to address the link between land development projects, the environment, and justice.

Science never stands still, and for some time now, there appears to be a growing shift in intellectual enquiry and discovery toward more cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking. This course takes this observation as a starting point. In doing so, emphasizes the value of scientific inquiry across different academic domains and of its fundamental relevance to societal developments. Such awareness can only be developed by first getting a basic understanding of how scientific inquiry works. To achieve this, the course has three aims that are more specific. The first is to introduce students to scientific thought, language, and behavior and their relation to human progress. In this context, it becomes clear that academic, scientific, and intellectual work interacts with political, social, and moral change, which in turn often starts with scientific inquiry. The second aim is to develop and apply scientific inquiry skills. The third aim is teaching Liberal Arts & Science students to recognize how they can become part of this change in scientific and human progress that scientific inquiry brings about and possibly even lead it. In order to do so, throughout the course, emphasis lies on recognition of past, present, and (possible) future scientific works (theory and applications) grounded in enlightenment.

This course investigates how states and international actors have responded to new security challenges in response to the speed and scale of climate change, and how their different understandings of the climate-security nexus might shape global responses to climate change. It relies on an innovative theoretical approach spanning traditional security, human security, and existential security that helps to capture the complex dynamics of emerging approaches to dealing with security in the Anthropocene. By comparing how different framings of climate security impact various policy sectors, the course assesses the barriers and opportunities for addressing global climate security.

This course introduces students to the politics, governance, and ethics of sustainability and examines major current global challenges divided into economic, political, and environmental issues. Climate change is only one of many environmental issues facing  the planet, but due to its importance and overwhelming impact, it is given the main focus of this course. The course not only looks at the science behind and consequences of global warming, but also studies the two pillars of the global climate governance: the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The analysis of the UNFCCC process further leads the course to review the Paris Agreement from 2015. The course discusses how effective it can be in dealing with one of the biggest threats of the 21st century and whether it can still achieve its goal of limiting global warming to “well below 2°C/1.5°C”. A special session is devoted to technological, political, social, and economic solutions to environmental issues. 

The course explores questions such as do people – as purported by some – need to replace capitalism and stop economic growth in order to prevent further environmental destruction? Or is there a way to move towards a “green growth," and utilize the benefits of the free market to increase environmental protection? This discussion leads the course to the question of what the future will look like. Will people continue to cross planetary boundaries and endanger the capability of different ecosystems? Or will the 21st century witness a major shift away from fossil fuels and environmental destruction to a more sustainable economy? The discussions in the class are complemented by at least two field trips and possibly a visit of a guest speaker.  

This course examines environmental systems including the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere and their interaction with each other in a wide range of landscape settings using examples from Australia and internationally. Particular emphasis is on the need for, and application of knowledge of the fundamental attributes of environmental systems to mitigate adverse human impacts through an informed environmental management decision making process.

This course offers a study of "sustainable development," based on the notion that human development can only be sustainable when environmental boundaries are respected. The course introduces the main concepts, ideas, and theories related to the term sustainable development. The course explores humanity’s immense impact on the earth’s systems and the underlying drivers of these unsustainable trends. Furthermore, sustainable development requires an understanding that inaction has consequences. Students review some of the contemporary ideas about how to achieve a more sustainable society.

This course provides research training for exchange students. Students work on a research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students improve their research skills by participating in the different phases of research, including development of research plans, proposals, data analysis, and presentation of research results. A pass/no pass grade is assigned based a progress report, self-evaluation, midterm report, presentation, and final report.

This course provides the pieces of knowledge and theories of the physical environment in forests. It consists of the basic information of physical phenomena in forests, basic theories of micrometeorology, and environmental biophysics relating to the processes of heat, water, and carbon exchange between forests and the atmosphere.