St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 10 Designation
Environmental Issues
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date: ______________________
Effective Date: ______________________
1.
2.
Prepared by: Ann Finan
Phone: 8-1045
Proposal Number: _________________
Email: asfinan@stcloudstate.edu
Requesting Unit: Sociology/Anthropology
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: Sociology/Anthropology, SOC 200: Social Dimensions of
Environmental Change
4.
New Course
Existing Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
No
Yes
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
5
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
+SOC 200. The Social Dimensions of Environmental Change (Diversity/MGM)
The social aspects of environmental issues, emphasizing the importance of gender, race, class and nation to an
understanding of the human-environment relationship. 3 Cr. S and F.
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
General education and elective in the major/minor.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
none
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
N/A
11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
Draft 8/09 General Education Committee
for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment has not included in the annual GE
assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
Draft 8/09 General Education Committee
12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 10: Environmental Issues
Examine the interrelationship of humans and the natural worlds from scientific and socio-cultural
perspectives and the complex environmental challenges that result.
The course is centered on exploring the social components and social construction of environmental issues.
Environmental issues and ideas are analyzed using a sociological lens, exploring social aspects of material
reality (for example consumption and production) as well as ideal aspects (environmental attitudes, social
movements, governance, etc.). The class further examines the differential impact and causation of
environmental problems by race, class, gender, and nation (as well as other gorupings). The class assumes a
preferred sustainable future, and attempts to help students develop intellectual tools to problem solve with
environmental and social sustainability in mind.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 10, it must address at least 4 of the 5 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Explain the basic structure and function of various ecosystems and human adaptive strategies within those
systems.
2. Discern patterns of interrelationships of bio-physical and socio-cultural systems.
3. Describe the human institutional arrangements (social, legal, political, economic, and religious) that deal with
environmental and natural resource challenges.
4. Analyze environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships,
ecosystems, and institutions.
5. Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems including issues involving sustainability.
14.
Explain how each of the learning outcomes checked above is achieved by this course.
SLO 1. The course necessarily presents information about ecosystems in order to apply the sociological
perspective to what is often imagined to be technological or 'pure science' sorts of issues.
SLO 2. Co-construciton of society and environment is explored throughout the course, and is a fundamental
concept to understanding environmental sociology.
SLO 3. Social institutions and their relationship with environment are highlighted throughout the class.
SLO 4. Local to global relationships within and between various social instititions and social groups are studied in
relation to natural resources and ecosystems.
SLO 5. Each component of the course encourages problem solving with the goal of applying social theory, data
and critical reasoning to further environmental and social sustainability.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
to be broken down further.
see attached
Draft 8/09 General Education Committee