St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 10
Environmental Issues
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Proposal Number:
Prepared by: Mark P. Muñiz
Phone: 308-4162
Email: mpmuniz@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: Sociology and Anthropology
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: ANTH 352 Human Ecology
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
An anthropological study of the interrelationship between human groups and their biological
environments. Critical analysis of rapid population growth and urbanization in the context of scarce
resources. Prereq.: 101 or 250. 3 Cr. S, ALT
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.
Intended clientele include sophmore through senior level undergraduates. Anthropology majors and
minors will take this course an an elective and other non-majors will take this course to fulfill General
Education requirements.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
None. This course is part of our standard rotation of offerings.
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)
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Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
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.
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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.
Anthropology blends the scientific method with a socio-cultural perspective to address the dynamic
relationship between humans and the natural environment with emphasis placed on how nature has
influenced culture as an adaptive mechanism and how human culture has shaped the natural world. Students
will learn how to apply basic ecological concepts that include: adaptation, energy flow, niche, climate,
evironments and paleoenvironments, population dynamics, community, evolution, resources, ecosystems,
habitat, and succession. Students will examine the relationship between environment and culture by
addressing specific case studies that include: the influence of early humans on late Pleistocene extinction
events in Australia, Europe, & North America; processes, pitfalls, and benefits of adopting domesticated
plants and animals through time; the effects of intentional fires on modifying the prehistoric landscape and
the resulting effects on modern concepts of a “pristine wilderness”; population, resources, and climate in the
rise and fall of Scandinavian (i.e., Viking) expansion across the North Atlantic; evaluating modern
perceptions of climate change and the resulting policies through a critical analysis of the movies
“Catastrophe!” and “An Inconvenient Truth”. These case studies highlight complex environmental
challenges that have faced human society through time. Throughout the course, students will apply the
concept of "sustainable culture" in the contexts of the environmental impacts that result from human
behavior and the constraints placed upon human behavior by the natural environment.
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.
1. Students learn about the characteristics comprising the major terrestrial biomes of earth and the degree
of human impact for each. Throughout the semester we look at case studies of how people have adapted
to these different biomes and how the various biome characteristics have influenced human culture.
2. The very nature of human ecological studies is to focus on the interrelationship between bio-physical
and socio-cultural systems. Students examine this interelationship throughout almost all of the subject
matter we cover in the course.
3. Students will directly examine how human cultural institutions deal with the environment. The history
of such institutions is analyzed with the archaeological record while contemporary society is evaluated
with modern issues such as global climate change.
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4. Students will explore the widespread effects of environmental change to human society on a global
scale through two case studies; the first deals with the impacts of a major volcanic eruption in the 5th-6th
century AD, and the second deals with climate change that is happening right now. Students will
critically evaluate these case studies and write a position paper on environmental policy based on the
comprehensive understanding they have developed during the semester.
5. The issue of sustainability is one that pervades the course throughout the semester. Students will use
the concept of sustainability to evaluate the success of various cultural adaptations to the environment
from around the world. In the final paper of the class (mentioned for SLO 4) students will present
alternative sustainable solutions to global cultures in the context of modern climate change.
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.
History and theory of human ecology: 6.7%
Fundamenetals of biological ecology: 13.4%
Fundamentals of cultural ecology: 6.7%
Hunting and gathering adaptations: 6.7%
The role of humans in mass animal extinctions: 6.7%
Indigenous wilderness management and the concept of "pristine": 6.7%
Origins of food production: 6.7%
Horticultural and pastoral adaptations: 6.7%
Social and environmental impacts of an intensive agricultural adaptation: 6.7%
Effects of colonization and resource and population stress on cultural sustainability: 10%
Impacts of long term climate on recent history and modern culture: 10%
Critical evaluation of modern perceptions of climate change: 13.4%
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Course or Course(s): ANTH 352
Robert H. Lavenda
Department or Unit Chair Signature
02/18/2010
Date
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair
of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of Faculty Association:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
FA Senate
Signature
Date
Action of Academic Vice President:
Approve
Disapprove
Signature
Entered in Curriculum Data File
12/11/2009
Remarks:
Date