Environmental Science (ENSC) 200
Introductory Environmental Science

>> Overview | Outline | Evaluation | Course Materials | Special Instructional Feature
>> Course Availability | Course Fees

Overview

ENSC 200 is a junior-level three-credit science course that provides an introduction to the basic scientific principles students need in order to understand environmental processes. It introduces students to the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment and uses a systems approach to provide an understanding of the interconnections of environmental systems. Data from a range of science disciplines are used to gain an understanding of the cycles that are vital to sustaining the earth’s ecosystems. The course also provides students with an understanding of causes, effects, and controls of a selection of environmental problems. Specific environmental problems are examined in order to illustrate the scientific approach to such problems. The course provides students with basic techniques and terminology to examine scientific issues with respect to the environment.

Outline

Part I Environmental Science Basics

• Unit 1 Environmental Science and the Scientific Method
  Lab 1 Environmental Observation and Hypothesis Building Exercise
• Unit 2 The Earth’s Physical Spheres
  Lab 2 Interactions of the Physical Spheres
• Unit 3 Energy and Nutrient Flows and Cycles
  Lab 3 Energy and Nutrient Budgeting and Cycling
• Unit 4 The Biosphere
  Lab 4 Simulation of Natural Selection, Evolution and Predation
• Unit 5 Environmental Stressors
  Lab 5 The Environmental Spheres and the Role of Stressors

Part II Application of Scientific Principles to the Examination of Environmental Issues

• Unit 6 Populations
  Lab 6 Population Growth Rates
• Unit 7 Resource Use
  Lab 7 Energy Audit
• Unit 8 Toxic Elements
• Unit 9 Pesticides
  Lab 8 Toxic Elements
• Unit 10 Air Pollution and Climate Change
  Lab 9 Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change
• Unit 11 Biodiversity
  Lab 10 Population Distribution and Diversity
• Unit 12 Urban Ecology
• Unit 13 Forestry and the Environment
• Unit 14 Agriculture and the Environment Journal Article Review

Evaluation

To receive credit for ENSC 200, students must achieve a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 percent), and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Course Materials

Textbook

Freedman, Bill. 2001. Environmental Science: A Canadian Perspective, 2nd ed. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Other Material

The course materials also include a student manual, a study guide, a lab and assignment manual, and a book of readings.

Special Instructional Feature

A Web site has been set up for the course to access additional material of interest relevant to the course. Home labs involve use of materials typically found around a home as well as information gathered from local and internet based sources.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice.
Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.


Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
(780) 675-6111, (800) 788-9041
Opened in Revision 1, Jan.16/03
Ask AU
This page was created by G. Zahara