The programme helps students to develop skills required to engage in an interdisciplinary world. They will construct a diverse background from which they will learn how to draw on multiple disciplines to find innovative solutions to current problems. Students will develop competence in integrating perspectives from a variety of disciplines and refine transferable skills in critical thinking, synthesis and research. Students also have the opportunity to engage with more topics than they would in other specialised degree programs.
Over the duration of each tier, students must complete a practicum experience (3 total). The practicum is a form of experiential learning that enables students to apply their academic knowledge in a professional context. The structure of this module is malleable to fit each student’s personal situation. During the practicum, students work on tasks and/or projects that meet the needs of an organization, group, or institution within the student’s relevant specialisation. As such, the practicum must entail a significant, substantial connection to the student's specialisation.
In connection with the project, students will develop a project proposal which includes details of the scope, research question, hypothesis, and project plan for the duration of the practicum. Students will implement their proposed project with the support of a supervisor. Students with a common supervisor will be put into practicum advisory peer groups and will be required to meet with their group and supervisor regularly to update each other on their practicum progress and to provide feedback. Students will also have regular 1:1 meetings with their practicum supervisor to provide additional support and guidance throughout the term. Students submit a final report and presentation which describes the tasks, approaches/methods used, deliverables, and skills gained.
Throughout the practicum, students complete online modules under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Pre-work includes instruction in communication, goal-setting, and professional development. During the practicum, students submit bi-weekly written reflections on their personal goals, challenges and, for groups, peer feedback. At the end of the term, students obtain written feedback from their project supervisor.
This module will provide an introduction to ethics and philosophical issues affecting individuals in academic and industry settings. Students will engage with the critical assessment of specific real-life dilemmas through the exploration of methodologies and reasoned solutions to controversial practical moral issues.
The module emphasises the application of critical ethical thinking to real-world problems, thereby deepening students’ understanding of their vocational and educational choices. As such, students will encounter a wide range of applied ethics problems in diverse fields and professional areas such as communication, education, economics and business, healthcare, politics, and diplomacy.
As Sir Francis Bacon allegedly claimed: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be devoured, and some few to be chewed and digested thoroughly.” This module covers the fundamentals of active analytical reading to acquire knowledge (the chewing and digesting part). Students in this module actively read, understand, interpret, and synthesise a variety of writings to internalise the information – not just passively retain facts long enough to pass a test.
This module introduces students to the origins and significance of the humanities. Humanities here is defined as the academic evaluation of the human interaction with the world through the reflection and recording of all aspects of human life. Studying humanities helps us understand ourselves, our culture, and our world. Studying humanities helps students understand how cultures create meaning, what constitutes knowledge, and why.
This module is broken down into units based on historical and cultural epoch: prehistory (to 600 BC), classical (to 500 AD), mediaeval (to 1500 AD), and modern (to now). The Modern period is broken down further into the following periods of intellectual history and social development: expansion (1500-1630), dissension (1630-1760), revolution (1760-1850), industrialization (1850-1945), and globalisation (1945-present).
Module assignments encourage students to go beyond understanding to practical application of humanities knowledge in specific and personally relevant life or workplace situations. This module is designed to introduce the wide-ranging topics which together compose The Humanities. The aim of this module is for students to understand the foundations of their place within the historical context of the unfolding story called “being human” (or human being).
This module provides a very broad overview of the field of philosophy, discussed in developmental/historical stages. Students first examine the rebirth of western philosophy after the dark ages. Linked to the mediaeval debate between realism and nominalism is the continuing problems of authority in institutions; specifically, between church, state, and university. If knowledge is power, then its control within institutions is paramount.
Next, students examine a new horizon in philosophy in which the individual subject emerges together with new powerful philosophical tools such as mathematical foundations and new methodologies (i.e., critical thinking, scepticism, and empiricism). Particular attention is given to Immanuel Kant as students examine the radical shifts within philosophy in his wake.
Discussions on continental philosophy emphasise themes such as, disenchantment, alienation, nihilism, truth, grand-narratives, desire, system and structure among others. As philosophy becomes more this-worldly, this world must become more philosophical. In the last section of this overview module, students examine what Foucault calls the “spiritual exercises” that accompany the pursuit of philosophy. The legacy of philosophic ideas and figures is not just in books, but also in what people can do (and perceive they can do) with their lives, the possibilities for acting and for freedom. Students are asked to relate the technical side of philosophy to its more esoteric side, the side of life in all its immediacy.
Comprehensive exams are administered following the completion of the required courses in each Tier (3 total). These exams measure the student’s understanding of theoretical outcomes learned from the BA courses, as well as prompt application of new knowledge to student research. These comprehensive exams are NOT cumulative exams – they do not test to ensure the student has retained everything taught in each Tier. These comprehensive exams test to ensure understanding and ensure the student is ready to advance to the next Tier of required coursework and research.
May be repeated for credit.
This module covers literature review research methods using academic search services, open-source materials, and academic research libraries and librarians. This module also covers qualitative methods of social research using digital services such as popular social media and social network analysis, modelling and visualisation, data management, and research ethics.
This module is divided into sections that focus on the mechanisms and importance of efficient and effective academic writing. This module covers the elements of effective academic writing for an undergraduate student, focusing on how to convey complicated subject matter in meaningful ways. Sections 1-2 cover plagiarism and citation styles; Sections 3-4 explore textbooks and university publications as well as guidebooks and professional publications; Sections 5-6 cover proof-reading, and academic and professional peer-reviewed journals; Sections 7-8 examine white papers, grey literature, and alternate methods of information transfer. All sections will engage students directly with the subject matter through practical exercises. Effective use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling is emphasised. Word processing techniques are outlined and students practise writing using digital document mechanics and indexing. Multi-modal academic writing, production, and dissemination examples are presented after learning the foundations of traditional academic writing.
The BA Thesis Proposal module is designed to guide students in developing and presenting a compelling research proposal for their Bachelor's thesis. The module will provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to critically analyse and evaluate existing research in their area of specialisation, formulate research questions and hypotheses, and design a research project to answer these questions. Through a combination of lectures, workshops, and individual consultations, students will learn how to conduct a comprehensive literature review, collect and analyse data, and present their findings in a clear and concise manner. The module will also cover ethical considerations in research, such as informed consent and confidentiality. The final deliverable for this module is a complete thesis proposal, which should include a title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research questions and hypotheses, research design and methodology, data collection and analysis plan, timeline, and sample references. By the end of the module, students will have gained the necessary skills and knowledge to develop a high-quality research proposal. They will also be better equipped to carry out independent research and write a successful Bachelor's thesis.
This module rigorously examines the idea and concept of ‘innovation,’ specifically how it is related to insights and intuition and how it differs from ‘discovery.’ After understanding the concept of innovation, we map onto this concept the presence and influence of various paradigms. During this inquiry, students pay careful attention to political and economic power and how innovation challenges or extends social power andexisting paradigms.
This module is an interdisciplinary exploration of the role of art in society, examining how art reflects and shapes cultural values, beliefs, and identities. The module will cover various forms of art, including visual art, literature, music, film, and theatre, and will draw on examples from diverse historical periods and cultural contexts. Through discussions, presentations, and written assignments, students will engage with the social and political implications of art, and develop an understanding of how art reflects and influences society. By the end of the module, students will have a deeper appreciation for the complex relationship between art and society and will be able to critically evaluate the ways in which art shapes our world.
This module examines the basic elements of religion and encourages
students to ask questions about how the institution of organised religion
emerged and what purposes it served at the time of emergence. After
understanding the development of religious institutions from this
perspective, students are encouraged to determine if / in what ways that
purpose has changed throughout history. Students then
critically examine how current religious institutions relate to, either
confronting or supporting, political, economic, and social power systems
(and their associated inequalities) in a local, regional, and global context.
This course will engage with the two fundamental topics of the “social” and its relationship to; (a) the idea and practice of “collaboration” on the one hand; and (b) the individual citizen on the other. In terms of “the social” this module will examine its meaning (historical and in the present) and impact on the formation of individuals, citizens, and its relationship to freedom and democracy past and present. Infused within the examination of the social are reflections on the importance of collaboration within a democratically organised civil-society and the nation state.
This module is designed to provide an overview of the major intellectual
movements and figures that have shaped the Western world from ancient
Greece to the present day. The module will focus on key ideas and
thinkers, and explore how their ideas have influenced and shaped
Western culture, politics, and society.
Throughout the module, students will analyse key texts and engage with
primary sources, gaining an understanding of the historical context in
which these ideas emerged, and exploring how these ideas have
influenced subsequent thinkers and movements. In addition, the module
will examine the social, political, and cultural impact of these ideas, and
explore their relevance to contemporary issues and debates.
Comprehensive exams are administered following the completion of the required courses in each Tier (3 total). These exams measure the student’s understanding of theoretical outcomes learned from the BA courses, as well as prompt application of new knowledge to student research. These comprehensive exams are NOT cumulative exams – they do not test to ensure the student has retained everything taught in each Tier. These comprehensive exams test to ensure understanding and ensure the student is ready to advance to the next Tier of required coursework and research.
May be repeated for credit.
Over the duration of each tier, students must complete a practicum experience (3 total). The practicum is a form of experiential learning that enables students to apply their academic knowledge in a professional context. The structure of this module is malleable to fit each student’s personal situation. During the practicum, students work on tasks and/or projects that meet the needs of an organization, group, or institution within the student’s relevant specialisation. As such, the practicum must entail a significant, substantial connection to the student's specialisation.
In connection with the project, students will develop a project proposal which includes details of the scope, research question, hypothesis, and project plan for the duration of the practicum. Students will implement their proposed project with the support of a supervisor. Students with a common supervisor will be put into practicum advisory peer groups and will be required to meet with their group and supervisor regularly to update each other on their practicum progress and to provide feedback. Students will also have regular 1:1 meetings with their practicum supervisor to provide additional support and guidance throughout the term. Students submit a final report and presentation which describes the tasks, approaches/methods used, deliverables, and skills gained.
Throughout the practicum, students complete online modules under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Pre-work includes instruction in communication, goal-setting, and professional development. During the practicum, students submit bi-weekly written reflections on their personal goals, challenges and, for groups, peer feedback. At the end of the term, students obtain written feedback from their project supervisor.
This module examines the student’s ability to synthesise information gained from coursework and research into a coherent and defensible thesis.
This module provides students with the space for individual research and writing while being guided by their academic supervisor. The student will explore different models for constructing and creating knowledge within the scope of a guided research project within a small peer-group. This course also prepares students to defend their project in a coherent and convincing way.
In this module, students will synthesise acquired and applied knowledgeto the creation of knowledge within the scope of a Bachelor’sThesis/Project. This module also gives the student the research space and guidance to conduct scientific and experimental research outside the classroom setting.
This module introduces the BA student to research, methodologies, interpretations, and ethnographic studies. This module provides students with directed guidance in preparation for the BA thesis in order to organise a proposal that is defensible.
This module encourages students to formulate ideas and theories about historical narratives surrounding seminal events (such as the ScientificRevolution, the birth of the Internet etc.). This module co-guides the student in creating their own (and collaborative) theoretical paradigms and action plans about how they, as individuals and as members of different and intersecting social groups, can create empowering future narratives with real or imagined events, technologies and innovations, institutional logics, and action plans for being an active participant in society. For example, researchers examine how new technologies reshape and define institutional organisations, social interactions and platforms, and even new psychological shifts in human and trans-human psychologies.
This module focuses on themes of conflict and resolution in environmental management and social justice. Students read and discuss the roles that power, morality, knowledge, and identity play in extending conflict or leading to resolution. In particular, discussions and readings focus on the roles that institutions and individuals play (and have played) in the history of this conflict and resolution. Students are tasked with critically analysing a selected problem, identifying the players involved, articulating the social, economic, and philosophical underpinnings of the issue, highlighting the institutional inequalities present/maintained, and hypothesising a resolution.
Comprehensive exams are administered following the completion of the required courses in each Tier (3 total). These exams measure the student’s understanding of theoretical outcomes learned from the BA courses, as well as prompt application of new knowledge to student research. These comprehensive exams are NOT cumulative exams – they do not test to ensure the student has retained everything taught in each Tier. These comprehensive exams test to ensure understanding and ensure the student is ready to advance to the next Tier of required coursework and research.
May be repeated for credit.
Over the duration of each tier, students must complete a practicum experience (3 total). The practicum is a form of experiential learning that enables students to apply their academic knowledge in a professional context. The structure of this module is malleable to fit each student’s personal situation. During the practicum, students work on tasks and/or projects that meet the needs of an organization, group, or institution within the student’s relevant specialisation. As such, the practicum must entail a significant, substantial connection to the student's specialisation.
In connection with the project, students will develop a project proposal which includes details of the scope, research question, hypothesis, and project plan for the duration of the practicum. Students will implement their proposed project with the support of a supervisor. Students with a common supervisor will be put into practicum advisory peer groups and will be required to meet with their group and supervisor regularly to update each other on their practicum progress and to provide feedback. Students will also have regular 1:1 meetings with their practicum supervisor to provide additional support and guidance throughout the term. Students submit a final report and presentation which describes the tasks, approaches/methods used, deliverables, and skills gained.
Throughout the practicum, students complete online modules under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Pre-work includes instruction in communication, goal-setting, and professional development. During the practicum, students submit bi-weekly written reflections on their personal goals, challenges and, for groups, peer feedback. At the end of the term, students obtain written feedback from their project supervisor.
This module is an introduction to geology at the global scale, with discussions on local and regional for context. Students explore the history, evolution, and politics of the science of geology using major theories and revolutions as benchmarks. As the parent material of our current soils, geology drives terrestrial systems and thus, human society. As such, students gain experience in soil science and management. Additionally, students will study how and why maps are more than(sometimes) beautiful artwork. Maps define the limits of the world as known and the time and therefore highlight what is important to the mapmaker and the society in which they live and work. In developed countries, resource production siting maps delineate our current socio-economic priorities, thus enforcing an historical paradigm onto a future society that may have different priorities and desired environmental
outcomes. In developing countries, there may not be the political,
academic, or social infrastructure to produce maps locally. Indigenous
knowledge of the land is often ignored, disregarded, or de-legitimised.
This leaves resource delineation to large multinational corporations or
researchers funded through the global banking sector.
This module outlines historic and contemporary theories and approachesto wildlife management in various habitat types and socio-political contexts. Students are expected to understand the differences in wildlife management vs habitat management and the underlying rationale. Social and political (human) dimensions of local, regional, and international wildlife management are discussed and critically analysed.
This module provides an overview of forest ecosystems of the world, as well as the history and current trends in social and institutional management of forest resources. Students review academic and popular literature on forest ecology and management topics, as well as discuss global case studies. Topics include geography and ecology of forest types, traditional use of forest ecosystems, historic management and harvest operations throughout the world, and current socio-political debate on proper use, ecological management, and courtroom discussions of “who owns the forest”?
This is an overview module that outlines the various focus areas in biosystems engineering, including career options. The discipline of biosystems engineering developed from the traditional agricultural systems and food engineering disciplines. This module defines biosystems engineering in a broader sense and includes environmental and ecological restoration, forest operations design, water resource engineering, renewable energy design and development, and food or biomaterials engineering, among others.
Energy influences nearly everything we do as humans on this planet. The discussion begins with a survey of the origins and early development of energy in human life. We continue by exploring the advent and historical development of fossil fuels, with a critical examination of both their benefits and perils. We then make the transition to renewable energy in policy and practice, seeking an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various renewable energy technologies, and examining at a deeper, more philosophical level how societies are shaped, for better or for worse, by their relationships to energy.
Travel narratives were the original serial (episodic) public entertainment and global cultural education. Pilgrimages and funded expeditions, via institutions or personal wealth, sent back reports of exploration and adventure to a mostly stationary public. In the American West, fur traders were prolific explorers and journalists. Coastal exploration via sea voyages also recorded their journey, findings, and mapped the new (to them) territory.
Frontier literature is a different writing style and genre altogether. Especially in the American West, frontier literature (and visual art) has profoundly and perniciously shaped the cultural landscape and established biases regarding right and wrong, civilised and savage. For generations, “the general public” has internalised these received ideas without question. In this module, American West frontier literature is presented alongside writings from other regions.
This module outlines the history, development, and current trends ofmajor fiction and nonfiction genres. Students in this module review forms of creative nonfiction and practice infusing storytelling into prose such as personal narratives, commentaries, reviews, and journals. Module readings and discussions cover the basics of story fundamentals such as plot, scene, and dialogue in both fiction and nonfiction readings. Examples of processes are presented and analysed.
This module examines the wealth of England’s literary history including the Metaphysical Poets, William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, and 18th& 19th century masterpieces. Students research the social and cultural history of these literary works and the political and institutional rationale for categorising them as "classics", "masterpieces", and/or part of the"canon".
This module examines literature (short-stories, poetry, and the novel) and its relationship to gender roles, construction, and control. Readings and discussion introduce the student to the construction of the notion of gender and sex, traditional family roles, gender violence, and genderviolence in regard to race.
This module introduces students to epistemology and ontology – the study and theory of knowledge and how we can know it. Students learnthe philosophical history and development, as well as a chronology of the major ideas and figures. Readings and discussions introduce students to,
and encourage them to critically evaluate the concepts of scepticism,
innate ideas, induction, verification, interpretation, and intentionality.
In this module, we examine what Foucault calls the “spiritual exercises'' that accompany the pursuit of philosophy. Alongside the systematic and scholarly use of philosophy, there is a non-philosophy of the immediate encounter, the pure effect created within philosophy that even influence show those outside of philosophy behave. This is the effect of self upon self, the immediate auto-affection that constitutes the examined life. The legacy of our ideas is not just in books, but also in what people can do with their lives, the possibilities for acting and for freedom. In this module, our task is to relate the technical side of philosophy to its more esoteric side, the side of life in all its immediacy.
This module will examine the radical shifts within philosophy in the wake of the Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant. Human autonomy isthe foundation of Kant’s comprehensive, systematic, and generally unreadable corpus of philosophical writings. Students in this module will read some excerpts of original wording although particular attention will be given to reflections on Kant’s philosophy in regard to the problem of autonomy and the themes of freedom, reality, and morality. Major thinkers studied in this course include Nietzsche, Leibniz, Deleuze, and Marx.
This module is an introduction to the seminal aspects of Continental
Philosophy with the aim that they develop a sophisticated
methodological-interpretive structure. Students are required to apply
their interpretive structures onto various cultural phenomena ranging
from film to literature, the arts, opera, music, architecture, philosophy and
religion. The module takes a chronological approach, which traces the
origin of postmodernism beginning with Hegel and Kierkegaard in the
19th century to Igor Stravinsky, Ferdinand de Saussure, and T.S. Eliot (in
the early 20th century) to Derrida, Deleuze, Lacan, Butler, and Zizek (in
the late 20th and early 21st century). Students pay careful attention to
themes such as disenchantment, alienation, nihilism, truth, grand-
narratives, desire, system and structure among others
In this module, we will examine the rebirth of western philosophy afterthe dark ages. While there were many theological questions debatedduring this time, the most problematic ones still relevant to our time is thequestion of universals. Linked to the mediaeval debate between realismand nominalism is the continuing problems of authority in institutions;specifically, between church, state, and university. If knowledge is power,then its control within institutions is paramount. In this module, our taskis to relate the problem of universality to our modern legitimacy crisis inthese institutions.
This course covers the fundamentals of wetland science, field identification, and management applications. The US Army Corps of Engineers wetland delineation manual is presented and students are presented with practical applications of this method. Other forms and theories of wetland identification and management are covered, including state- and county-level requirements, and voluntary agreements with regulatory agencies as in the case of Habitat Conservation Plans.
The discussion portion of the course introduces students to the
differences between logistics, customer and product support, and supply
chain management. Students will research the interrelated individual
processes of supply chain management within companies and industry
networks. Students will learn about supply chain metrics and mapping,
chain of custody certification schemes, developing and implementing
partnerships, and professional opportunities in the field of sustainable
supply chain management.
This module is an introduction to the fundamentals of reading,
interpreting, creating, and constructively critiquing poetry. This module
presents poetry from a variety of genres while exercises focus on reading,
discussing, and creating poetry of place. Poetry of place is defined here as
poetry tied to a particular geographical, personal, and/or spiritual
location meant to embody place-based personal meaning through
evocative verbal (and sometimes visual) imagery.
In this module, we examine how globalisation and technology impact the
future of philosophy. As philosophy becomes more this-worldly, this
world must become more philosophical. We face the ever-present of
englobement, the homogenization of reality. What we lack is not so much
action since technology provides ever more ways to act; what we lack is
the sense that something new can be created. In this module, our task is to
relate knowledge of the history and development of philosophical thought
to our modern social and environmental issues. In this way, students learn
to critically analyse current issues as well as dramatic scientific and
technological advancements, in order to create new concepts for today’s
changeable situations.
The settler colonial land management paradigm in the American West developed as a socio-political dichotomy – preserve or manage. The preservation ethic is embodied with John Muir and the founding of the US Park Service; the management ethic is embodied with Gifford Pinchot and the founding of the US Forest Service. This module begins with the story of these two men and their friendship with US President, Theodore Roosevelt, himself a “conservationist.” Following this introduction, students then research and analyse the underlying paradigms in natural resource management in other regions and nations.
Additionally, students in this course learn about various institutional systems and the role these systems play in the management and regulation of global natural resources. Readings and discussions focus on the role of international governing bodies, national institutions, and decentralised management on global and local patterns of natural resource use, indigenous access, and social activism.
Humans are storytellers. Engaging storytellers are teachers, encouraging
listeners to connect with and internalise the story in whatever personal
form that may take. Historically, stories were passed on orally and
communally; today, well, things are different. This module reviews the
human oral tradition in various regions of the world and if/how this
tradition has changed in modern times. In a global society, cross-cultural
communication is key; students learn to identify cultural differences in
storytelling in an effort to enhance their interpersonal, professional, and
academic communication skills.
In this module, we examine how the notion of science and structure came
to replace individual autonomy in the twenty-first century. Philosophers
faced the black box of the subject and decided that examining the
collective structures provided better knowledge. They found the
individual to be a mere product of ideology and focused on the symbols
we use together instead. In this course, our task is to relate the problems
of structures to the ever-growing problem of modern nihilism and
alienation.
This module is designed to provide an overview of the major intellectual
movements and figures that have shaped the Western world from ancient
Greece to the present day. The module will focus on key ideas and
thinkers, and explore how their ideas have influenced and shaped
Western culture, politics, and society.
Throughout the module, students will analyse key texts and engage with
primary sources, gaining an understanding of the historical context in
which these ideas emerged, and exploring how these ideas have
influenced subsequent thinkers and movements. In addition, the module
will examine the social, political, and cultural impact of these ideas, and
explore their relevance to contemporary issues and debates.
This module covers different modes of expression in various cultural contexts. Students review major developments in world history, the historical roots of global culture – culture here defined as the literary, artistic, and philosophical products of a society in an historical context. Students evaluate the influence of gender, race, age, ethnicity, and social class on the production, dissemination, and reception of various forms of world literature.
In this module, students examine a new horizon in philosophy in which
the individual subject emerges together with new powerful philosophical
tools such as mathematical foundations and new methodologies (i.e.,
critical thinking, scepticism, and empiricism).
This module examines the relationship between literature (the novel, short-stories, and fiction) and the political aspects of culture and religious (and ultimate beliefs) such as the rise of democracy after WWI in various settings from India to South Africa to England and the United States. Critical to this module is to understand the horizon of human imagination and its relationship to political events.
This module provides students with an introduction to science communication in its myriad forms. In an age of such drastic scientific and technological change, communicating science clearly and accurately is immensely important. However, scientists are generally trained only in academic vernacular with an in-group lexicon that even other scientists in other disciplines may not understand. Making sense of complicated issues is paramount given the role science and technology play in our modern society. (Students are also expected to recognize and analyse the history and rationale for the current role assigned to science and technology in modern society.)The two main themes in this module are 1) the role of communication in science and 2) the wider social, political, and policy implications of science communications.
This module is designed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the
intricate relationship between agriculture and society, including the
diverse realm of agricultural policies. This module delves into the
fundamental economic relationships that significantly influence local,
regional, and global agricultural policies, as well as the production and
distribution networks. Students will gain insights into the pivotal role of
the agricultural industry in society and policy-making, exploring various
aspects such as input and resource management, agri-environmental
practices, quality management, waste, biodiversity, and energy.
This module provides an introduction to the economics of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. Topics include the valuation of land, water, vegetation (including trees/timber), wildlife, and wildlife habitat. Students review the history and current practices of extraction of nonrenewable resources, and management of renewable resources. Discussion and practical exercises engage students to recognise natural resource markets, demand, supply, and sustainability.
Travel narratives were the original serial (episodic) public entertainment and global cultural education. Pilgrimages and funded expeditions, via institutions or personal wealth, sent back reports of exploration and adventure to a mostly stationary public. In the American West, fur traders were prolific explorers and journalists. Coastal exploration via sea voyages also recorded their journey, findings, and mapped the new (to them) territory.
Frontier literature is a different writing style and genre altogether. Especially in the American West, frontier literature (and visual art) has profoundly and perniciously shaped the cultural landscape and established biases regarding right and wrong, civilised and savage. For generations, “the general public” has internalised these received ideas without question. In this module, American West frontier literature is presented alongside writings from other regions.
This module outlines the history, development, and current trends ofmajor fiction and nonfiction genres. Students in this module review forms of creative nonfiction and practice infusing storytelling into prose such as personal narratives, commentaries, reviews, and journals. Module readings and discussions cover the basics of story fundamentals such as plot, scene, and dialogue in both fiction and nonfiction readings. Examples of processes are presented and analysed.
This module examines the wealth of England’s literary history including the Metaphysical Poets, William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, and 18th& 19th century masterpieces. Students research the social and cultural history of these literary works and the political and institutional rationale for categorising them as "classics", "masterpieces", and/or part of the"canon".
This module examines literature (short-stories, poetry, and the novel) and its relationship to gender roles, construction, and control. Readings and discussion introduce the student to the construction of the notion of gender and sex, traditional family roles, gender violence, and genderviolence in regard to race.
This module is an introduction to the fundamentals of reading,
interpreting, creating, and constructively critiquing poetry. This module
presents poetry from a variety of genres while exercises focus on reading,
discussing, and creating poetry of place. Poetry of place is defined here as
poetry tied to a particular geographical, personal, and/or spiritual
location meant to embody place-based personal meaning through
evocative verbal (and sometimes visual) imagery.
Humans are storytellers. Engaging storytellers are teachers, encouraging
listeners to connect with and internalise the story in whatever personal
form that may take. Historically, stories were passed on orally and
communally; today, well, things are different. This module reviews the
human oral tradition in various regions of the world and if/how this
tradition has changed in modern times. In a global society, cross-cultural
communication is key; students learn to identify cultural differences in
storytelling in an effort to enhance their interpersonal, professional, and
academic communication skills.
This module covers different modes of expression in various cultural contexts. Students review major developments in world history, the historical roots of global culture – culture here defined as the literary, artistic, and philosophical products of a society in an historical context. Students evaluate the influence of gender, race, age, ethnicity, and social class on the production, dissemination, and reception of various forms of world literature.
This module examines the relationship between literature (the novel, short-stories, and fiction) and the political aspects of culture and religious (and ultimate beliefs) such as the rise of democracy after WWI in various settings from India to South Africa to England and the United States. Critical to this module is to understand the horizon of human imagination and its relationship to political events.
This module introduces students to epistemology and ontology – the study and theory of knowledge and how we can know it. Students learnthe philosophical history and development, as well as a chronology of the major ideas and figures. Readings and discussions introduce students to,
and encourage them to critically evaluate the concepts of scepticism,
innate ideas, induction, verification, interpretation, and intentionality.
In this module, we examine what Foucault calls the “spiritual exercises'' that accompany the pursuit of philosophy. Alongside the systematic and scholarly use of philosophy, there is a non-philosophy of the immediate encounter, the pure effect created within philosophy that even influence show those outside of philosophy behave. This is the effect of self upon self, the immediate auto-affection that constitutes the examined life. The legacy of our ideas is not just in books, but also in what people can do with their lives, the possibilities for acting and for freedom. In this module, our task is to relate the technical side of philosophy to its more esoteric side, the side of life in all its immediacy.
This module will examine the radical shifts within philosophy in the wake of the Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant. Human autonomy isthe foundation of Kant’s comprehensive, systematic, and generally unreadable corpus of philosophical writings. Students in this module will read some excerpts of original wording although particular attention will be given to reflections on Kant’s philosophy in regard to the problem of autonomy and the themes of freedom, reality, and morality. Major thinkers studied in this course include Nietzsche, Leibniz, Deleuze, and Marx.
This module is an introduction to the seminal aspects of Continental
Philosophy with the aim that they develop a sophisticated
methodological-interpretive structure. Students are required to apply
their interpretive structures onto various cultural phenomena ranging
from film to literature, the arts, opera, music, architecture, philosophy and
religion. The module takes a chronological approach, which traces the
origin of postmodernism beginning with Hegel and Kierkegaard in the
19th century to Igor Stravinsky, Ferdinand de Saussure, and T.S. Eliot (in
the early 20th century) to Derrida, Deleuze, Lacan, Butler, and Zizek (in
the late 20th and early 21st century). Students pay careful attention to
themes such as disenchantment, alienation, nihilism, truth, grand-
narratives, desire, system and structure among others
In this module, we will examine the rebirth of western philosophy afterthe dark ages. While there were many theological questions debatedduring this time, the most problematic ones still relevant to our time is thequestion of universals. Linked to the mediaeval debate between realismand nominalism is the continuing problems of authority in institutions;specifically, between church, state, and university. If knowledge is power,then its control within institutions is paramount. In this module, our taskis to relate the problem of universality to our modern legitimacy crisis inthese institutions.
In this module, students examine a new horizon in philosophy in which
the individual subject emerges together with new powerful philosophical
tools such as mathematical foundations and new methodologies (i.e.,
critical thinking, scepticism, and empiricism).
In this module, we examine how the notion of science and structure came
to replace individual autonomy in the twenty-first century. Philosophers
faced the black box of the subject and decided that examining the
collective structures provided better knowledge. They found the
individual to be a mere product of ideology and focused on the symbols
we use together instead. In this course, our task is to relate the problems
of structures to the ever-growing problem of modern nihilism and
alienation.
This module is an introduction to geology at the global scale, with discussions on local and regional for context. Students explore the history, evolution, and politics of the science of geology using major theories and revolutions as benchmarks. As the parent material of our current soils, geology drives terrestrial systems and thus, human society. As such, students gain experience in soil science and management. Additionally, students will study how and why maps are more than(sometimes) beautiful artwork. Maps define the limits of the world as known and the time and therefore highlight what is important to the mapmaker and the society in which they live and work. In developed countries, resource production siting maps delineate our current socio-economic priorities, thus enforcing an historical paradigm onto a future society that may have different priorities and desired environmental
outcomes. In developing countries, there may not be the political,
academic, or social infrastructure to produce maps locally. Indigenous
knowledge of the land is often ignored, disregarded, or de-legitimised.
This leaves resource delineation to large multinational corporations or
researchers funded through the global banking sector.
This module outlines historic and contemporary theories and approachesto wildlife management in various habitat types and socio-political contexts. Students are expected to understand the differences in wildlife management vs habitat management and the underlying rationale. Social and political (human) dimensions of local, regional, and international wildlife management are discussed and critically analysed.
This module provides an overview of forest ecosystems of the world, as well as the history and current trends in social and institutional management of forest resources. Students review academic and popular literature on forest ecology and management topics, as well as discuss global case studies. Topics include geography and ecology of forest types, traditional use of forest ecosystems, historic management and harvest operations throughout the world, and current socio-political debate on proper use, ecological management, and courtroom discussions of “who owns the forest”?
This is an overview module that outlines the various focus areas in biosystems engineering, including career options. The discipline of biosystems engineering developed from the traditional agricultural systems and food engineering disciplines. This module defines biosystems engineering in a broader sense and includes environmental and ecological restoration, forest operations design, water resource engineering, renewable energy design and development, and food or biomaterials engineering, among others.
Energy influences nearly everything we do as humans on this planet. The discussion begins with a survey of the origins and early development of energy in human life. We continue by exploring the advent and historical development of fossil fuels, with a critical examination of both their benefits and perils. We then make the transition to renewable energy in policy and practice, seeking an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various renewable energy technologies, and examining at a deeper, more philosophical level how societies are shaped, for better or for worse, by their relationships to energy.
This module provides students with an introduction to science communication in its myriad forms. In an age of such drastic scientific and technological change, communicating science clearly and accurately is immensely important. However, scientists are generally trained only in academic vernacular with an in-group lexicon that even other scientists in other disciplines may not understand. Making sense of complicated issues is paramount given the role science and technology play in our modern society. (Students are also expected to recognize and analyse the history and rationale for the current role assigned to science and technology in modern society.)The two main themes in this module are 1) the role of communication in science and 2) the wider social, political, and policy implications of science communications.
This course covers the fundamentals of wetland science, field identification, and management applications. The US Army Corps of Engineers wetland delineation manual is presented and students are presented with practical applications of this method. Other forms and theories of wetland identification and management are covered, including state- and county-level requirements, and voluntary agreements with regulatory agencies as in the case of Habitat Conservation Plans.
The discussion portion of the course introduces students to the
differences between logistics, customer and product support, and supply
chain management. Students will research the interrelated individual
processes of supply chain management within companies and industry
networks. Students will learn about supply chain metrics and mapping,
chain of custody certification schemes, developing and implementing
partnerships, and professional opportunities in the field of sustainable
supply chain management.
This module is designed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the
intricate relationship between agriculture and society, including the
diverse realm of agricultural policies. This module delves into the
fundamental economic relationships that significantly influence local,
regional, and global agricultural policies, as well as the production and
distribution networks. Students will gain insights into the pivotal role of
the agricultural industry in society and policy-making, exploring various
aspects such as input and resource management, agri-environmental
practices, quality management, waste, biodiversity, and energy.
The settler colonial land management paradigm in the American West developed as a socio-political dichotomy – preserve or manage. The preservation ethic is embodied with John Muir and the founding of the US Park Service; the management ethic is embodied with Gifford Pinchot and the founding of the US Forest Service. This module begins with the story of these two men and their friendship with US President, Theodore Roosevelt, himself a “conservationist.” Following this introduction, students then research and analyse the underlying paradigms in natural resource management in other regions and nations.
Additionally, students in this course learn about various institutional systems and the role these systems play in the management and regulation of global natural resources. Readings and discussions focus on the role of international governing bodies, national institutions, and decentralised management on global and local patterns of natural resource use, indigenous access, and social activism.
This module provides an introduction to the economics of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. Topics include the valuation of land, water, vegetation (including trees/timber), wildlife, and wildlife habitat. Students review the history and current practices of extraction of nonrenewable resources, and management of renewable resources. Discussion and practical exercises engage students to recognise natural resource markets, demand, supply, and sustainability.
