Integrates the science of ecological sciences and the science of humans and society to understand the relationship between the natural landscape's effects on society and social organization, and society's effects on the natural landscape. Pre/Co-requisite: NR 1010.
Introduces First-year students to issues of race and culture and their relevance to society, natural resources, and the environment. Prerequisite: NR 1050.
Introduction to the Vermont landscape that combines elements of natural history, field ecology, and environmental history. Students visit locations around the Champlain Valley as they build observational skills, study natural systems, and examine past and present human relationships with nature. Pre/Co-requisite: RSENR transfer students only.
Studies the history, theories, concepts, cultural constructs, and practice of mindfulness meditation. Denial, anxiety, and helplessness are common reactions to rapidly escalating global socioecological crises; investigates how mindfulness can develop capacity to respond to uncertainty, loss, and change, and explores how contemplative practices can transform external instability into insight and action.
Major ecological concepts and their application. Analysis of form, structure, and function of organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and landscapes. Prerequisites: RSENR students or Agroecology or Landscape Design or Environmental Studies majors; minimum Sophomore standing.
Social science theories and their application to environmental issues. Analysis of issues using theories of government, economics, and social movements. Emphasis on integrating frameworks to analyze environmental issues. Prerequisite: NR 1020 or NR 1090.
Focuses on the types of oral communication common in environmental professions, with a focus on an environmental issue that students adapt communications for throughout the semester. Designed to teach students common frameworks for effective science communication and stakeholder engagement, while providing opportunities for students to expand their oral communication, critical analysis and listening skills for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Introduction to the biostatistical analyses for natural resource applications. Covers disciplinary software and analyses to prepare students to independently design, analyze, interpret and communicate environmental data. Includes parametric and non-parametric methods focused on real-world environmental data-sets. Prerequisite: Minimum Sophomore standing.
Understanding and application of computer-based, geographically-referenced information systems. Prerequisite: Minimum Sophomore standing.
Examinations of the earth's surface from aerial photographs and satellite imagery. Emphasis is on image interpretation, classification, change detection, multivariate analysis (e.g. principal components analysis). Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Cross-listed with: GEOG 2520.
In theory and practice, sustainability can be expressed differently depending on ideological, political, academic or normative commitments. Alongside local partners in Costa Rica, students will study and apply frameworks from traditional communities, and the biophysical and social sciences to understand how sustainability is interpreted and being operationalized in Central America and beyond. Prerequisite: Minimum Sophomore standing. Co-requisite: Enrollment in the Costa Rica Semester Abroad Program.
Uses political economic development theory to explore the livelihoods of rural Costa Ricans on the Osa Peninsula, and the tension between external demands made by a global economy vs. their local capacity for self-determination and control of employment opportunities, cultural identity, and quality of life. Co-requisite: Enrollment in the Costa Rica Semester Abroad Program.
A field-based, travel study course where students will learn the major ecological patterns in tropical (and other) ecosystems and on the factors that generate, maintain, and threaten biodiversity. Students will also gain experience in critical thinking, research design, framing hypotheses, data collection techniques, basic statistics, science communication and collaborative research. Prerequisite: Minimum Sophomore standing.
On-site supervised work experience combined with a structured academic learning plan directed by a faculty member or a faculty-staff team in which a faculty member is the instructor of record, for which academic credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion
Undergraduate student work on individual or small team research projects under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion
A discussion and readings seminar that features guest speakers, and is part of the SNR Spring Seminar Series. Focus of the seminars change annually. Can be repeated. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing; open only to SNR Honors Students.
This fellowship experience is designed for undergraduate teaching assistants with the goal to build their skills as an instructor, facilitator and peer mentor. Students will develop a teaching statement and provide curricular feedback based on instructional best practices. Students wishing to earn 2-3 credits will work 1:1 with course instructors to develop new curricula and instructional materials as part of a teaching portfolio. Co-requisite: Students must be currently serving as teaching assistants in an RSENR course.
Analysis of the interaction between science and politics in ecosystem management. Consideration of various types of science and their roles in shaping environmental management, politics, and policy. Interdisciplinary application of course concepts to case studies of complex ecological problems. Prerequisites: NR 2030, NR 2040.
Advanced course encompassing a wide range of topics in GIS, remote sensing, GPS, modeling, and visualization designed to provide technical expertise in geospatial techniques. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Prerequisite: NR 2430, GEOG 2510, NR 6430, NR 2460, or GEOG 2520.
Advanced special topics in natural resource planning beyond the scope of existing formal courses.
Undergraduate student work on individual or small team research projects under the supervision of a faculty member for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion
Honors project dealing with aquatic resources, terrestrial ecology, or integrated natural resources.
Group dynamics, impact assessment, risk assessment, and decision making. Emphasis on the process of solving complex environmental problems, interdisciplinary team work, and the National Environmental Policy Act. Prerequisites: NR 3050.
An applied course in geospatial technology with a focus on ESRI's ArcGIS software suite. Prerequisite: NR 2430 or NR 6430.
Focuses on fundamentals and practice of data visualization and communication. Learn the ways humans use cognitive and perceptual abilities to comprehend information, best practices for creating compelling and effective data visualizations, and the many nuanced factors influencing the successful application of practices. Includes work with an existing research data set. Prerequisite: Graduate student or Instructor permission.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
Critically examines the process and ethics of science, including scientific reasoning, theory, hypotheses, and integration with experimental design, discovery, and ethics. Students will begin to form their professional networks and understand the historical and contemporary influences of professional networks on research and scholarship.
Focuses on leadership skills and systems frameworks for engaging with issues of diversity, power, and privilege and the implications of these topics on leaders' capacity. Designed to meet the Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources graduate diversity requirement. Prerequisite: NR 6110.
Research for the Master's Thesis.
Research for the Master's Project.
Concepts and methods in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) presented at an accelerated pace for Graduate students using ArcGIS software.
Explores the theoretical and practice-based fields and lineages associated with transdisciplinary leadership and creativity while providing a solid structural and relational grounding for students in the Transdisciplinary Leadership, Creativity & Sustainability Doctoral Program.
Explores emerging topics and themes related to the theory and practice of ecological leadership. Can be taken in successive semesters (up to two times), as learning module topics will change.
Graduate topics and material that may eventually develop into a regular course offering.
Graduate student work on individual or small team research projects under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
Research for the Doctoral Dissertation.
For Doctoral students nearing the end of dissertation research and beginning the integration, diffraction, synthesis, and meaning-making process essential to their dissertation. Provides structure, support and feedback in the creative act of crafting a dissertation. Prerequisites: NR 6720, NR 6730.