Academic Calendar 2023-2024

Environmental Science (ENSC)

ENSC 103  Environment and Sustainability  Units: 3.00  

An interdisciplinary approach to complex environmental issues, and diverse perspectives on environmental management and sustainability. The course considers the social and scientific aspects of environmental problems and the production of environmental knowledge alongside global linkages, human health implications and barriers to sustainability.

Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite None.  
Course Equivalencies: ENSC103; ENSC203  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 200  Environmental History  Units: 3.00  

A history of the relations between humans and nature through time, with special emphasis on how science has influenced how we perceive our place in nature, and how we define and understand environmental issues.
(24L;12T;84P)

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or permission of the School. Exclusion HIST 257.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 201  Environmental Toxicology and Chemical Risks  Units: 3.00  

Introduction to global issues and problems in environmental toxicology. Possible topics include waste disposal, pesticides, chemical warfare, pulp and paper mills and genetically modified foods. This course will be of interest to students with either a science or a humanities background.

Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 230  Principles of Sustainability  Units: 3.00  

The principles of sustainability provide a focus for discussing global and regional environmental issues in the broadest possible perspective. Frameworks for sustainability and how they are used in understanding various environmental problems will be explored, including in terms of messaging, claims, feasibility and expected outcomes.

Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 36 Online Activity, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite ENSC 103. Exclusion ENSC 390.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 290  Introduction to Ecological Economics  Units: 3.00  

This course includes a combination of lectures, assignments and case studies that are designed to introduce students to the ecological critique of the standard neo-classical economic analysis of environmental degradation and depletion. Students will also be asked to consider the more holistic approach to calculating the costs and benefits of economic activity proposed by ecological economists.

Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or permission of the School. Note This course may not be used towards the requirements of an ECON Plan.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 301  Environmental Assessment  Units: 3.00  

The course explores components of environmental assessment including public consultation, scoping, alternatives, protocols, significance, trade-offs, mitigation and monitoring. Biophysical, cumulative, social, strategic and sustainability assessment through case studies highlight strengths and weaknesses of the environmental assessment process.

Learning Hours: 114 (12 Lecture, 24 Group Learning, 78 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above.  
Course Equivalencies: ENSC301, ENSC401  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 305  Social Environments  Units: 3.00  

This course critically examines the complex interaction of material and social processes that define our relationship with the environment. Topics focus on how environmental issues emerge as concerns, are defined by different stakeholders, and their solutions framed through political, economic, cultural, and techno-scientific discourses.

Learning Hours: 96 (24 Lecture, 12 Group Learning, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 307  Marine Environmental Issues  Units: 3.00  

Marine issues such as fisheries and aquaculture, climate change, oil and gas development, shipping, coastal development and marine protected areas will be explored in the context of factors that create environmental problems and the steps that are being taken to solve them. Assignments are modeled on real-world examples to develop skills for creating positive change to promote sustainable practices. This course will be highly complementary to other courses in Oceanography or Limnology (GEOL 200, BIOL 335, GPHY 303).

Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the School. Exclusion BIOL 338.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 310  Environmental Policy  Units: 3.00  

This course introduces political science and public policy within the context of environmental politics, policy, and administration. The purposes of policy, the makers of policy, and the tools at their disposal will be analyzed within the institutional context of environmental policy-making.

Learning Hours: 132 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 36 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 311  Applied Environmental Policy  Units: 3.00  

This course investigates the ecological, social and economic dimensions of environmental policy using a comparative approach. This course will normally be offered at an international locations (e.g. BISC) thereby allowing and comparisons/contrasts between Canadian and other context-specific approaches on the role of law, governance, politics, administration and economics towards promotion of 'enlightened' environmental policy.
NOTE Only offered in the Queen's-Blyth International Studies program or at the Bader International Studies Centre, Herstmonceux.

Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 72 Group Learning, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 315  Sustainable Food Systems  Units: 3.00  

This course is about the production and consumption of food on global and local scales. It provides an interdisciplinary look at the relationships shaping food systems. It examines how food systems have become globalized and industrialized and the implications for the environment and social justice. Solutions and alternatives are explored.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Learning Hours: 132 (24 Lecture, 12 Group Learning, 36 Online Activity, 12 Off-Campus Activity, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 320  Wildlife Issues in a Changing World  Units: 3.00  

A lecture/seminar course focusing on the notion of wildlife; laws governing wildlife protection and use; the effects of overexploitation, habitat destruction, and introduced species, and management plans and strategies.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above. Exclusion BIOL 422.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 321  Environmental Justice in Global Context  Units: 3.00  

Examines the socially uneven effects across race, class, gender and nation of environmental problems such as toxic waste disposal, air pollution, climate change, deforestation and environmental disasters and the responses to them from local to global movements, protests and politics.

Learning Hours: 150 (18 Lecture, 18 Seminar, 6 Online Activity, 108 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 330  Applications of Sustainability  Units: 3.00  

Applications of sustainability are used to address environmental problems and develop solutions in areas from resource management to regional planning. Emphasis will be on multidisciplinary approaches in research and communications. Methods and indicators for sustainability assessment will be critically examined using case studies and considering expected outcomes.

Learning Hours: 132 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 12 Group Learning, 36 Online Activity, 12 Off-Campus Activity, 36 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite ENSC 230. Exclusion ENSC 390.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 390  Sustainability  Units: 3.00  

The concept of sustainability provides a focus for discussing global and regional environmental issues in the broadest possible perspective. This course will examine the meaning of sustainability and ways in which it is assessed at various levels including individual lifestyles, ecological, agricultural and industrial systems, urban areas, regions within countries, nations, and the world as a whole. Case studies will be used to illustrate the general principles.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above. Exclusion ENSC 230; ENSC 330.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 391  Practical Applications in Sustainability  Units: 3.00  

Application of approaches and practices of sustainability will be developed with an emphasis on individual or group projects. This course will involve sustainability efforts at a local, regional or national scale.
NOTE Only offered in the Queen's-Blyth International Studies program or at the Bader International Studies Centre, Herstmonceux.

Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 72 Group Learning, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 407  Global Water Issues  Units: 3.00  

Increasing demands on water resources and widespread pollution of surface and groundwater has led many experts to predict a looming water crisis. This course will develop a global perspective on issues that include water distribution, management, pollution, conservation, conflict and policy. This course will be of interest to students in science, applied science or the humanities.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 420  Gender and Environments  Units: 3.00  

This course considers feminist approaches to environmental issues in western and non-western contexts, with attention to both theories and activism.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above. Note This course is recommended for students in Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, Global Development Studies or Health Studies.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 425  Ecotoxicology  Units: 3.00  

An exploration of the interactions among chemical exposure, toxicity to individual organisms, and effects on ecosystem structure and function. Mechanisms of toxicity will be linked to effects at different levels of organization up to the level of the ecosystem, using case studies to explore the complexities of exposure and response.
NOTE Field Trip (Local Harbour or Marina): estimated cost $30.

Learning Hours: 126 (24 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 6 Off-Campus Activity, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and BIOL 102 and BIOL 103 and CHEM 112. Recommended ENSC 201.  
Course Equivalencies: ENSC325; ENSC 425  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 430  Honours Projects in Environmental Sustainability  Units: 6.00  

Interdisciplinary study of the scientific, socio-political, and economic aspects of selected local, national, or global issues related to environmental sustainability. Teamwork is emphasized.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and registration in an (ENSC Major, ENVS Major, ENVS Medial, EBIO, ECHM, EGEO, EGPY, ELSC or ETOX Plan) or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 471  Environmental Analysis Methods  Units: 3.00  

Two weeks of intensive study in Environmental Analysis. Fundamentals of sample collection and preparation, including statistics and extraction methods, plus instrumental techniques including chromatography, atomic spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, and automated analysis techniques. Laboratory experiments in each of these areas. Enrolment limited.
NOTE Field trip: estimated cost $15.

Requirements: Prerequisite CHEM 213 or permission of the School. Exclusion CHEM 321.  
Course Equivalencies: ENSC371, ENSC471  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 480  Special Topics in Environmental Science  Units: 3.00  

This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Environmental Science. The course will be multidisciplinary, but with a science focus. Offered periodically by visiting professors or members of faculty. The topic for each year will be announced in advance of course selection and will be made available on the ENSC web page. Students are advised to consult with their academic counsellor and/or the course instructor prior to registration.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above and registration in an (ENSC Major, ENVS Major, ENVS Medial, EBIO, ECHM, EGEO, EGPY, ELSC or ETOX plan) or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 482  Special Topics in Environmental Studies  Units: 3.00  

This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Environmental Studies. The course will cover mainly social science-based material, but will be multidisciplinary. Offered periodically by visiting professors or members of faculty. The topic for each year will be announced in advance of course selection and will be made available on the ENSC web page. Students are advised to consult with their academic counsellor and/or the course instructor prior to registration.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above and registration in an (ENSC Major, ENVS Major, ENVS Medial, EBIO, ECHM, EGEO, EGPY, ELSC or ETOX plan) or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 483  Special Topics in Environmental Studies II  Units: 3.00  

This course will provide intensive coverage of a topic that is current and/or of special interest in Environmental Studies. The course will cover mainly social science-based material, but will be multidisciplinary. Offered periodically by visiting professors or members of faculty. Topic for each year will be announced in advance of course selection and will be made available on the ENSC webpage. Students are advised to consult with their academic counsellor and/or the course instructor prior to registration.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above and registration in an (ENSC Major, ENVS Major, ENVS Medial, EBIO, ECHM, EGEO, EGPY, ELSC or ETOX plan) or permission of the School.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 501  Independent Environmental Study  Units: 6.00  

Independent study of an environmental topic by individuals or inter-disciplinary groups.
NOTE This course is intended for a self-motivated student with an established record of undergraduate performance, i.e. cumulative GPA of approximately 3.0. It is the responsibility of the student to secure a supervisor prior to registering in the course.

Learning Hours: 228 (48 Individual Instruction, 180 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Open to students in the final year of an Honours Program in any discipline, and with permission of the Instructor of the course and of the Department of the student's Degree Plan.  
Course Equivalencies: ENSC 501, ENSC 501B  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 502  Research Project Sustainability  Units: 12.00  

This is an interdisciplinary research project related to environmental sustainability, with supervision and training in appropriate research methods by faculty members of the School of Environmental Studies. The course includes supervised research including a research proposal, a seminar, a poster presentation and a final thesis and oral defence.

Requirements: Prerequisite Open to students in the final year of an Honours Program in any discipline, and with permission of the Instructor of the course and of the Department of the student's Degree Plan.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 594  Independent Study  Units: 3.00  

Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.

Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 595  Independent Study  Units: 6.00  

Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.

Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
ENSC 596  Independent Study  Units: 12.00  

Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.

Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science