This course examines climate change from the perspective of several scientific disciplines. The class will introduce students to scientific thinking with concepts from plant ecology, glaciology, earth science and meteorology. Students will learn how scientists have begun to understand the earth as an integrated system. Special note will be taken of features in the intermountain West such as snowfields, glaciers, gas, oil and coal fields and emerging trends in energy use. At the conclusion of this course students will have the tools to critically evaluate climate issues using scientific principles to critique a rapidly evolving world of conscious consumerism and energy use. Prerequisite: WO 1060 Philosophy of Art + Design

This course introduces students to the major processes responsible for the physical appearance of our planet and for the changes in our environment. Through the study of minerals and rocks, and through field trips to explore the striking geology of Colorado, students study plate tectonics, volcanism, oceanography and ecological issues. Students explore the connections between art and design and earth science. Prerequisite: WO 1060 Philosophy of Art + Design

Students explore the basic aspects of life on Earth, including its requirements and patterns; its basic units; the organization of the living world; and the interdependence of living organisms. The concepts of flow of matter and energy; heredity and natural selection; population dynamics; and community interactions are also examined. Field trips and case studies are used to evaluate the living world. After completion of this course, students will be able to understand how biology explains the living world, and to address the questions of evolution and ethics that face the world today. Prerequisite: WO 1060 Philosophy of Art + Design

Human Ecology examines our relationship to the environment through an analysis of our historical and theoretical understanding of the relationship amongst the environment, our biology, and our cultures and through a review of ecological principles and terms. Topics will include, amongst others, disease, sustainability, famine, and pollution at the local and global levels. At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to knowledgeably discuss and write about the key theories in ecological anthropology, including the historical contexts in which they arose and environmental issues within the contexts of politics, economics, culture, and the environment. Prerequisite: WO 1060 Philosophy of Art + Design