ENVS 314 - Environmental Science and the Manager

Credits: 5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 55
Lab Hours: 0
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Investigate how human activities such as fossil use and industrial agriculture impact the global environment. Analyze the relationships between components of sustainability and socio-economic perspectives on the environment, such as eco-footprint, externalized costs, ecosystem services, and natural capital. Examine the contributions that workplace leadership can make to solve global environmental issues such as climate change, air and water pollution, and biodiversity loss with a focus on the equity impact of sustainability solutions.

Prerequisite: Admission to BASM program and Dept. Chair permission.
Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Assess the impact of environmental problems caused by and affecting humans by analyzing the workplace implications of contemporary issues such as fossil fuel use, deforestation, industrial agriculture, climate change and disease transmission.
Evaluate the cost/benefit of sustainability policy choices by conducting cross-disciplinary research incorporating economic concepts such as natural capital and externalized costs as well as social and environmental perspectives.
Design viable workplace approaches to promoting sustainability by evaluating diverse operational models within the context of existing environmental policies.
Evaluate the equity impact of sustainability solutions by analyzing approaches through multi-dimensional perspectives.

Course Contents

The scope of environmental problems affecting businesses.
The impact of environmental pressures on the corporate mission.
The appropriate permits required for establishing on the ground projects.
Business models in target industries to identify solutions to sustainability and environmental issues and to assess related solutions.
Environmental issues that have arisen due to human activities.
Knowledge, metrics, and skills to promote sustainability systems.

Instructional Units: 5