Resource and Environmental Studies
Resource and Environmental Studies looks at environmental issues from social perspectives, in contrast to environmental science, which uses scientific disciplines to approach environmental issues. The rationale for RES is that many environmental problems are not technical issues but involve political struggles, ethical choices, human behaviour, economic trade-offs, and conflicts over scientific knowledge. To tackle these wider social dimensions intrinsic to most environmental issues of concern today, a wide-ranging social analysis is valuable and essential.
The subjects in the major include a range of social science and humanities disciplines (in Arts and beyond) that specifically address environmental issues. There is a core of four subjects from Earth and Environmental Sciences, Science Technology and Society (STS) and Philosophy. In addition, students must choose subject sequences from two of four areas - STS, EESC, Law and Economics - so that they are exposed to a variety of disciplinary perspectives (in the core) and to require all students to develop advanced level understanding in two contrasting disciplines (in the sequences). The major is thus genuinely interdisciplinary.
Major Study
A major study in Resource and Environmental Studies for the Bachelor of Arts degree is available by undertaking the following program. It must include at least 24 credit points at 300-level. A major in Resource and Environmental Studies involves an interdisciplinary combination of core and optional subjects. The core is made up of four subjects from Earth and Environmental Sciences, Science, Technology and Society and Philosophy. Students must also choose subject sequences from two of four areas: Science, Technology and Society, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Law or Economics.
Minor Study
A minor in Resource and Environmental Studies consists of 28 or 30 credit points from the schedule of the major, including two subjects from the core of the major and including one subject at each of the three levels. Students may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.
Honours
See Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Study Program
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Subjects
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Title
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Session
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Credit Points
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Core Subjects
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EESC104
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The Human Environment: Problems and Change
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Spring
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6
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STS 116
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Environment in Crisis: Technology and Society
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Spring
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6
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PHIL256
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Ethics and the Environment A
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Autumn
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6
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STS 300
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The Environmental Context
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Autumn
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8
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Electives
Two of sequences A, B, C and D must be completed.
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Sequence A: Both of the following subjects:
(Note: Students undertaking sequence A, are strongly recommended to take ECON111, Introductory Microeconomics. Furthermore, to be able to handle ECON311 well, it is recommended that students also take ECON215, Microeconomic Theory and Policy.)
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ECON309
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Environmental Economics
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Spring
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6
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ECON311
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Natural Resource Economics
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Spring
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6
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Sequence B: Three of the following subjects:
(Note: Students must have successfully completed at least one 200-level subject as a prerequisite for 300-level subjects.)
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EESC212
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Geographical Population Studies
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Autumn
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8
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EESC211
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Rural and Urban Social Geography
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Spring
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8
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EESC215
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Environmental Impact of Societies
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Spring
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8
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EESC308
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Environment and Heritage Management
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Spring
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8
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Sequence C: Two compulsory subjects and one elective:
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STS 100
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Social Aspects of Science and Technology
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Autumn
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6
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STS 335
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The Politics of Risk
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Spring
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8
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and one of the following subjects:
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STS 238
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Changing Images of Nature and the Environment
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Spring
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8
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STS 278
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Scientific and Technological Controversy
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Spring
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8
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Sequence D: All of the following subjects:
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LAW 101
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Law, Business and Society
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Autumn
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6
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LAW 308
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Administrative Law
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Autumn
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6
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LAW 334
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Environmental Law
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Spring
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6
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