Sample courses may include:
SIS-596 Environmental Peacemaking (3)
Environmental peacemaking is an emerging interdisciplinary field that focuses on identifying ways the environment--natural and human--provides opportunities for building bridges of collaboration between conflicting parties. In this course, students deal with concepts from conflict studies, environmental studies, and international relations, and develop an understanding of how these areas have merged to form a new theoretical framework informing the emerging environmental peacemaking paradigm. Students are introduced to case studies relating to this new field and gain hands-on experience designing and implementing an environmental peacemaking project.
SIS-600 Quantitative Analysis in International Affairs (3)
Introduction to research design, quantitative measurement, statistical analysis, and computer use for international relations research. Usually offered every term.
SIS-620 Environmental Security in Asia (3)
This course considers environmental issues seen both as causes of conflict and as preconditions for human security, or ultimate security. Another dimension of this course concerns security institutions such as defense agencies and the military, and the relationship between war and the environment. This course asks students to consider: what the proper role of such institutions is in dealing with environmental threats; and how are we to sort out the disparate interpretations of the roles of the environment in security and of security institutions in the environment.
SIS-620 Global Climate Change(3)
An interdisciplinary look at the history, science, policy, and politics of preventing global climate change. This course, for non-specialists as well as environmental studies students, focuses on how we created one of humanity's biggest problems and how to solve it, particularly through education, communications, organizing, and advocacy. Meets with SIS-496 001.
SIS-620 Political Ecology of Food and Agriculture(3)
Food presents a unique lens to examine political, cultural, and technological connections to environment and development. This course provides students with an introduction to political ecology and its approach to global food studies. Students use political ecology and social theory paradigms to examine industrial and alternative food networks, including their impacts on the environment, communities, and rural development. Students also examine how food policy and the global food trading system shape these networks and local environments, communities, and development practices.
SIS-620 Conservation in the Developing World(3)
Many of the international policies relating to sustainable development are made and implemented without adequate knowledge of ecosystems or the socio-political context of ecosystem degradation in developing countries. This course helps international studies students to effectively integrate ecological concerns with sustainable development policy as articulated by donor agencies, scientific organizations, governments and civil society. The course begins with a scientific understanding of the distribution, maintenance, and loss of biodiversity and processes underlying ecosystem degradation. Using these basic principles, inter- and intra-country conflicts over ecosystem use and conservation strategies (both existing and emerging) are analyzed using specific case studies from the developing world. Contrasting perspectives from a variety of disciplines, including history, economics, and sociology, are used to develop a holistic view of today's biodiversity crisis and its amelioration.
SIS-620 Comparative Environmental Politics (3)
This course investigates environmental degradation through comparison of cases including China, the U.S., Latin America, and other regions. By drawing on multidisciplinary literature that illuminates the specificity and commonality of the cases, the class seeks a deep understanding of the multiple causes of environmental problems, both local and global. Students will have opportunities to investigate cases in which they have particular interest.
SIS-620 Sustainable Design and LEED Training(3)
Following the structure of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction rating system, this course combines discussions of theories on sustainable design; field work on specific environmental topics ranging from sustainable sites through innovation in design; and directed study of the LEED Reference Guide for New Construction, with the goal of preparing to take the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) Examination and achieving the LEED AP credential.
SIS-620 Future of Environmentalism (3)
This course explores contemporary challenges facing the environmental movement. It focuses on the ways the movement can respond to the radically changing character of the natural world, in the face of greater human technological reach, and multicultural understandings of the place of nature in environmental thought and practice.
SIS-620 International Organizations and Environmental Aid (3)
The promotion of environmental sustainability is now well recognized as one of the top goals for international donor assistance to developing and transition countries. Yet the track record for environmental aid by international organizations (IOs) is mixed, given the many political, economic, and organizational obstacles that exist. This course explores the behavior, activities, and performance of IOs playing a leadership role in development aid for the environment. Many of the issues and lessons of environmental performance resonate with other development sectors that IOs address.
SIS-620 Global Climate Change: Policy, Power, and People (3)
An interdisciplinary look at the history, science, policy, and politics of preventing global climate change. This course, for non-specialists as well as environmental studies students, focuses on how we created one of humanity's biggest problems and how to solve it, particularly through education, communications, organizing, and advocacy.
SIS-649 Environment and Development (3)
An overview of this newly emerging multidisciplinary field. Focuses on debates concerning various human-made or development-related root causes of natural-resource degradation in the Third World. Special attention is paid to the relationship between the poor and the environment. Also looks critically at recent innovative policy responses attempting to link environment and development.
SIS-650 Global Economy and Sustainable Development (3)
This political economic inquiry focuses on two levels of analysis: the state of world economic activity in the post-World War II period, with primary focus on trade and foreign investments; and the options that exist to achieve "sustainable development" in the Third World. Special attention is given to initiatives to make trade and investment more socially and environmentally responsible. Usually offered every fall.
SIS-660 Environment and Politics (3)
Provides an introduction to the politics of environmental protection at both the domestic and international levels. It focuses on the dynamics of population, consumption, technology, and economic activity as they relate to resource depletion, water production, and land use. Usually offered every fall.
SIS-663 Washington Environmental Workshop (3)
A capstone seminar in which students conduct original research on domestic and international environmental policy and politics. Explores contemporary environmental issues such as economic and ecological globalization, information technologies and environmental protection, social and ecological evolution, the place of humans in the natural world, postmodern challenges to environmentalism, post-colonial environmentalism, and environmental security. Usually offered every spring.
SIS-696 Harnessing the Sun/Wind/Earth (Each for 1)
Three weekend courses in which different aspects of the three major renewable energy solutions (solar, wind and biofuel) will be explored. Students discuss the technological, ethical and political implications of the renewable energy sources with the professor and guest speakers from international organizations, NGOs and think tanks. Students also get hand-on experiences through site visits and actual application of renewable energies (e.g. building solar panels, making biodiesel) under the guidance of technical experts. Usually offered every spring.
LAW-618 International Environmental Law (3)
A contemporary perspective on international environmental law focusing on specific environmental threats and the most recent manifestations of the law. The course will include case studies of actual investigations such as global warming and sea level rise; export and import of hazardous waste; the problem of "ghost" driftnets abandoned in the global commons of our marine environment; the endangered African elephant; continued whaling by Japan and Iceland; and the protection of the aboriginal Penan Tribe in Malaysia. Recent manifestations of international environmental law include the Declaration of The Hague and the proposal for a new organization to be known as GLOBE. Attention also will be given to the considerable body of environmental law in the European Community, the general foundations of international law, and the relationship to human rights law and international trade law.
LAW-629 Environmental Law (3)
An overview of environmental law with particular emphasis on the administrative law background; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended; the governance of public lands; and air and water pollution control.
ENVS-580 Environmental Science I (3)
Estimation of environmental interactions through the formulation and analysis of simple, mathematical models enabling exploration of the consequences of a variety of assumptions and conditions. Includes measurement, steady-state modes, and thermodynamics. Usually offered every fall.
ENVS-581 Environmental Science II (3)
Estimation of environmental interactions through the formulation and analysis of simple mathematical models enabling exploration of the consequences of a variety of assumptions and conditions. Includes non-steady box models, biogeochemistry, and climatology. Usually offered every spring.
ENVS-596 Practice of Environmentalism(1-6)
This course brings together students and faculty in environmental science, international politics, and media production to forge an interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental action. Students learn field research methods, policy analysis, and documentary communication techniques. Each student, as part of an interdisciplinary team, produces a major media project focusing on a particular environmental challenge. Students also participate in a mandatory two-week, 1 or 3 credit field component in the Galapagos in mid-May or Alaska in early August to explore firsthand the challenges of promoting ecological sustainability in these unique regions. Prerequisite: permission of instructor, application required. For more information contact SIS Office of Program Development at sissum@american.edu. Meets with SIS-596 008 COMM-596 008.
ECON-579 Environmental Economics(3)
An analysis of the relationship between economic activity and the natural environment from both mainstream and ecological perspectives. Policy measures for regulating pollution and managing common property resources are explored, including emission taxes, tradable pollution permits, and property rights solutions. Applications to global environmental issues such as climate change and local environmental problems are emphasized. Students gain a understanding of the meaning of sustainable development and the types of policies required to active it. Usually offered every fall. Prerequisite: ECON-603 or ECON-500 or ECON-703.
ECON-603 Introduction to Economic Theory (3)
The major analytical tools of price and income theory. No credit toward degrees in the Department of Economics. Usually offered every term.
PUAD-601 Methods of Problem Solving I (3)
The use of analytical techniques to solve problems in policy analysis and public administration. Defining problems, choosing appropriate techniques, and understanding the limits of quantitative approaches. Usually offered every term.
CSC-610 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3)
A geographic information system (GIS) is a system of hardware, software, data, people, organizations, and institutional arrangements for collecting, storing, analyzing, and disseminating information about areas of the earth. This course provides an introduction to GIS, GIS software, and applications of GIS. Usually offered every fall.