I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 9/15/09)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change existing
gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be
submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status.
Group
III. Language
VII: Social Sciences
(submit
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * VIII: Ethics & Human Values
X
separate forms
if requesting
IV: Expressive Arts
IX: American & European
more than one
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
X: Indigenous & Global
general
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies
XI: Natural Sciences
education
w/ lab  w/out lab 
group
*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of
designation)
majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language
requirement
Dept/Program Resource Conservation Program
Course #
295
Course Title
Prerequisite
Resource Conservation Ethics
None
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Instructor
Phone / Email
3
Date
Dane Scott
243-6632/
dane.scott@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair Steve Siebert
Dean
James Burchfield
III. Type of request
New
One-time Only
X
Change
Remove
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Description of change
IV. Description and purpose of new general education course: General Education courses
must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
This experimental course in resource conservation ethics will provide students seeking careers
in the field of resource conservation to explore ethical concepts and forms of moral reasoning
as they apply to professional practices in this area. The course will explore several western
philosophical and religious traditions as they relate to environmental and conservation issues,
particularly in agriculture and forestry. For example, Christian stewardship, Kantianism,
utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and pragmatism will be discussed and critically analyzed as ethical
frameworks for guiding conservation policies. In addition, more recently developing traditions
in environmental philosophy will be discussed, including the Land Ethic and Deep Ecology.
This course is designed to help students form a broad ethical framework that will inform their
future professional lives.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Students will learn the basic ethical concepts
Students will rigorously analyze basic ethical
and forms of reasoning in the traditions of
concepts and forms of reasoning as they
utilitarianism, pragmatism, stewardship, land
apply to policy controversies issues in
ethics, deep ecology, and various theories of
agriculture and forestry.
social justice in the context of conservation
policy issues related to agriculture and forestry.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
To become familiar with the basic concepts of
To learn the basic concepts of influential
moral reasoning and several ethical traditions as approaches to environmental philosophy
they apply to issues in resource conservation
To critically investigate ethical issues arising
from environmental problems in the context of
resource conservation professions
To critically investigate important concepts
that direct environmental policies, e.g.,
sustainability.
To develop critical thinking and critical reading
skills
VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry
at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level. If the course has more than one
pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200
level), provide rationale for exception(s).
VIII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.  The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
RSCN/EVST 295 Resource Conservation Ethics
Instructor: Dane Scott
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Course Goals:
To become familiar with the basic concepts of moral reasoning and several ethical traditions as
they apply to issues in resource conservation
To learn the basic concepts of influential approaches to environmental philosophy
To rigorously analyze ethical issues arising from environmental problems relevant to resource
conservation professions
To critically investigate important concepts that direct environmental policies, e.g.,
sustainability.
To develop critical thinking and critical reading skills
Texts
D. VanDeVeer & C. Pierce, eds., The Environmental Ethics and Policy Book (V&P)
P. List, ed., Environmental Ethics and Forestry (List)
Emerson & Thoreau, Nature & Walking
Requirements and Grading
Class attendance, participation and quizzes 25 %
Midterm 25%
Final 25%
Research Project: 25%
This project requires students to research a current environmental policy controversy
and articulate a well-supported position on that issue. Students will apply ethical principles and
concepts to analyze a particular policy controversy in the field of resource conservation,
broadly understood. Papers should be 8-10 pages in length. They must contain footnotes and a
bibliography. Topics must be confirmed with the instructor. Papers are due no later than a week
after the class presentation.
Policies
 Plagiarism: Blatant plagiarism will result in an automatic F for the course and will be
reported to Student Affairs.
 Attendance: 5 or more unexcused absences = F (< 55%), 4 unexcused absences = D for
the participation portion of the course grade.
 Make-up Tests: Make-up tests will only be allowed if the instructor is informed prior to
the test. Tests must be made-up within two class periods of the test day.
 Late papers: Papers will be penalized 5 pts per day after the due date.
 Grading Scale: The +/- grading system will be used as follows: 93-100 = A; 90-92 = A-;
87-89 = B+; 83-86 = B; 80-82 = B-; 77 - 79 = C+; 73 - 76 = C; 65 - 72 = C-; 64 –62 =
D+; 61 - 60 = D; 59 - 55 = D-; Below 54 = F
OUTLINE OF TOPICS AND READINGS
Topic I: An Introduction to Ethical Theory
 “Moral Arguments and Ethical Theory” (V&P, 1)
 “Influential Ethical Ideas and Theories” (V&P, 16)
Topic II: Religious and Philosophical Traditions for Valuing the Natural World
 Lynn White, “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis” (V&P, 52)
 Robin Attfied, “Stewardship versus Exploitation,” (V&P, 66)
 Augustine, “On the Resurrection of the Bodies, against the Pagans” (handout)
 Kant, “The Experience of the Sublime” (handout)
 Wendell Berry, “Christianity and the Survival of Creation”
http://www.crosscurrents.org/berry.htm
 Emerson, Nature
 Thoreau, Walking
 Muir, “The American Forests” (List, 41)
 Muir, “A Wind-storm in the Forest”
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/frameindex.html
 Pinchot, “Principles of Conservation” (List, 32)
 Pinchot, “The Uses of the Natural Forest” (List, 36)
 Leopold, “The Land Ethic” (List, 57)
 Holmes Rolston, “Values Deep in the Woods” (List, 75)
 Naess, “Self-Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World” (EE&PB,
Topics III: Economics, Biodiversity and the Global Environmental Crises
 Hardin, “The Tragedy of the Commons” (V&P, 364)
 Monbiot, “The Tragedy of Enclosure” (V&P, 373)
 Locke, “The Creation of Property” (V&P, 374)
 Schrader-Fréchette, “Property Rights and Natural Resources” (V&P, 377)
 Sagoff, “Takings, Just Compensation, and the Environment” (V&P, 378)
 Freeman, “The Ethical Basis of the Economic View of the Environment” (V&P, p. 318)
 Sagoff “At the Shrine of Our Lady of Fàtima, or Why Political Questions are not all
Economic” (V&P, 327)
 Wilson, “The Diversity of Life” (V&P, 459)
 Rolston, “Why Species Matter” (V&P, 476)
Topic IV: Agriculture and Sustainability
 Mark Sagoff, “Do We Consume Too Much?”
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jun/consume.htm
 Daly, “Consumption and the Environment” (V&P, 555)
 Goodlan, “The Case that the World Has Reached Limits” (V&P, 598)
 Malthus, “An Essay on the Principle of Population” (V&P, 397)
 Hardin, “Lifeboat Ethics” (V&P, 402)
 Trewavas, “Malthus Foiled Again and Again”
http://www.nature.com/nature/food/
 Tilman, et al. “Agricultural Sustainability and Intensive Production Practices”
http://www.nature.com/nature/food/
 Rolston, “Feeding People Versus Saving Nature”
http://www.ecospherics.net/pages/RolstonPeopleVSNature.html




Dasgupta, “Population Poverty and the Local Environment,” (V & P, 414)
Solow, “Sustainability: An Economist’s Perspective” (V&P, 438)
Goodin, “Sustainability” (V&P, 443)
Norton, “Sustainability, Human Welfare, and Ecosystem Health” (handout)
Topic V: Forestry and Environmental Ethics
 McDonald, “First Principles for Professional Foresters,” (List 128)
 “Codes of Ethics in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife Biology,” (List 163)
 Bowyer, “Responsible Environmentalism: The Ethical Features of Forest Harvest and
Wood Use on a Global Scale,” (List 259)
 Daigle, “Globalization of the Timber Trade,” (List 280)
 Kaza, “Ethical Tensions in the Northern Forest,” (List 319)
 Drwengson & Taylor, “An Overview of Ecoforestry: Introduction,” (List 333)
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and
corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.