Courses

Autumn 2009 Course Offerings | Spring 2010 Course Offerings | Field Courses

Note: Wintersession 2009 courses are listed with Spring 2009.

Note: to simplify transferring credits, UM is adopting a Common Course Numbering System.

Master List of EVST Courses with Descriptions

       U = Undergraduate;             G = Graduate;           UG = Undergraduate or Graduate

"EVST" is the course abbreviation for Environmental Studies. In the list below you will see other abbreviations which indicate cross listed courses. A few examples: EVST/COMM (Communications), EVST/C&I (Curriculum and Instruction), EVST/FOR (Forestry), EVST/SOC (Sociology).

Course numbers ending in 94 or 95 are experimental, new or one-time course offerings. Descriptions for these courses appear in the course listings for the semesters they are offered (use the links above to jump to fall & spring offerings). Section numbers are used to differentiate offerings of different instructors. Example 495.01, 495.02, etc.

Semester offered is subject to change. Please check CyberBear for the most current information as well as days and times offered.

U EVST 101N Environmental Science/Service Learning- 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered autumn. Class goals: Help students build all of the following: scientific literacy; skills in critical thinking, research and self-instruction; an understanding of the scientific basis of environmental issues, using local examples; habits of sustainable living, scientifically-informed, active participation in social decisions, and service to their community and the earth; Provide students with opportunities to use class knowledge to make a difference.

U EVST 101.50 Environmental Science/Online - 3 cr
Instructor: Matt Erickson, supervised by Vicki Watson

Offered every semester. This three-credit course covers the same topics and fulfills the same requirements as the classroom version of EVST 101. Register through CyberBear. See the Continuing Ed webpage at www.umt.edu/ccesp/ for general information regarding on-line courses. This is a great opportunity to take an excellent course on your own schedule and fulfill graduation requirements - all from the comfort of your own home.

U EVST 167H Nature and Society - 3 cr
Instructor: Dan Spencer

Offered spring. This course explores how the relationship between human societies and the natural world has been influenced throughout history by various thinkers and ideas.  We also consider how nature itself and our ability to manipulate it has influenced society, and in turn, environmental thought.  Thus, we examine ecological and biogeographical constraints and ways humans have culturally adapted in attempting to surmount those limits. We will examine major paradigmatic shifts and strive to understand how environmental thought has affected the way different societies have viewed nature, their place with respect to the natural world, and in turn, their interactions with it.  By exploring that theme, we will also see connections between ideas, writers, and thinkers of the past and the current global environmental crisis.  We will ponder if the answers to a more sustainable, prosperous, and just society in the future reside in history and its lessons, or whether we will need to forge new ideas, sensibilities, and ways of relating to each other and nature.  Students are encouraged to explore their own connections with the past, develop principles and values that have personal meaning, and contemplate their place in nature and society.

U EVST 195 Special Topics - variable credit

Offered intermittently. Experimental, new or one-time course offering of current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

Back to Top

U EVST 201 Environmental Information Resources - 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson or Dan Spencer and Barry Brown

Offered spring. Students learn how to find, evaluate and use existing information to increase understanding of environmental issues and resolve controversies. Students will: research a subject, using a variety of sources (refereed literature, government sources, internet sources, interviews); evaluate sources critically; write a literature review and give an oral presentation on their topic. Focus is on critical thinking and dealing with the information explosion.

U EVST 204 Sustainable Technology Applications - 2 cr, repeatable to 4 cr
Instructor: Len Broberg

Offered intermittently autumn or spring. This course will explore applications of technologies designed to reduce our carbon footprint and lead to more sustainable living. We will examine solar technology, electric vehicles and green building/retrofit applications. Much of the course will consist of hands on work with models of these technologies in the context of the UM FLAT project. As an example, the class will install a dc solar power system on the UM FLAT garage and make small electric vehicles. Some sessions will review the theory and design of sustainability too.  Note that interested grad students can participate through an EVST 596 Independent Study with Len Broberg.

U EVST/MGMT 210 Sustainable Business Practice/Service Learning - 3 cr
Instructor: Lisa Swallow

Offered spring. Examination of the social and environmental responsibilities of business within a free-market system.  Explores alternative models for organizational and economic development and focuses on sustainability-driven innovation as a strategic option for organizations.

U EVST 225 Community & Environment - 3 cr
Instructor: Neva Hassanein

Offered autumn. Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is a good starting point for our exploration of what it means to be a member of both a human and an ecological community.  The dual citizenship Leopold so clearly described is a central theme of this course.  We explore how human communities are impacted by and try to address environmental problems.  As such, this course provides a social science introduction to environmental studies with a focus on the community level.  We begin by studying several core concepts:  community, citizenship, and place.  We will then use these concepts as we turn our attention to essential resource issues (e.g., food, land use, water quality) that people in this particular place – the Missoula Valley – are grappling with and how.  For each topic, we will look not only at what is happening here, but also at how similar problems and community responses are underway elsewhere.  Course format includes lectures and discussions, written essay assignments, and community involvement opportunities. 

U EVST 294 Seminar - 1 to 6 cr

Offered intermittently. A seminar on a current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

U EVST 295 Special Topics - variable credit

Offered intermittently. Experimental, new or one-time course offering of current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

Back to Top

U EVST 302 Introduction to Environmental Regulation - 3 cr
Instructor: Len Broberg

Offered spring. The purpose of this class is to introduce the student to the history, law and theory of environmental regulation in the United States using public and private land regulation mechanisms as case studies. Basic principles of constitutional and administrative law relevant to environmental regulation, substantive public land use law and the history of environmental problems and their regulation will be covered.

U EVST 305 The Environmental Vision - 3 cr
Instructor: Phil Condon

Offered each autumn. EVST 305 acquaints students with many seminal, influential, and contemporary texts in the field of nature, environmental, natural history, and place-based nonfiction writing.  In format a reading survey and discussion analysis of major writings, the course provides a background and understanding of the development of key approaches, forms, themes, and concepts of environmental literature as well as of the literature's response to and influence upon important environmental events, figures, and movements.

Requirements include assigned reading according to course reading schedule; participation in class discussions and co-leading one class discussion with a partner; writing brief (1 pg, d/sp) critical responses to readings each week; and for major work, writing one longer critical response essay (10-15 pg, d/sp). Expectations for all writing assignments will be fully discussed in class.

Tentative Reading List:  Being in the World: An Environmental Reader, selected essays; Land of Little Rain, Mary Austin, 1903; Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, Janisse Ray, 2000; Nature and Walking, Emerson & Thoreau; Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold; Desert Solitaire, Ed Abbey, 1968; Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World, Linda Hogan, 1995.

U EVST 311 Field Studies in Human/Ecological Communities and Public Lands Issues - 2-3 cr
Instructor: Wild Rockies Field Institute

Offered autumn, winter, spring, summer.  Repeatable up to 12 credits.  Courses taught in the backcountry while camping, backpacking and/or kayaking. Experiential examination of cultural history and public lands management, and how these affect ecosystem integrity.  Also, investigation of our personal roles in, and relationships with, human and ecological communities.  To register and for more information, visit the Wild Rockies Field Institute's web page.

UG EVST 360 Applied Ecology - 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered autumn. Understanding the principles and concepts of ecology and how they inform real life decisions about human interactions with the environment. Emphasizes the science of sustainability and the conservation of watersheds and biodiversity.

UG EVST 367 Environmental Politics and Policies - 3 cr
Instructor: Robin Saha

Offered spring. Prereq., EVST 167H or consent of instructor. This course aims to provide an understanding of political processes by which environmental problems are recognized and addressed by public institutions domestically. A major objective is to gain an understanding of the factors that shape policies which seek to protect the environment. We will not only examine factors that have influenced policy development in the past but also factors to watch in predicting policy developments in the future. In achieving these objectives we will consider the source of the public's environmental concerns as well as the diversity, strategies, and tactics within the modern environment movement. We will also consider how society and its institutions have responded, how effective those responses have been, and how to improve them. Specific topics include: history of natural resource and environmental policy, models of the public policy process, public opinion and the role of the media, interest group behavior, environmental justice, the role of Congress, the Presidency, and the courts, agencies and policy implementation, inter-governmental relations, policy and decision making innovations.

UG EVST/RECM 371 Wilderness Issues Lecture Series - 1 cr
Instructor: Laurie Yung

Offered spring. Explores current issues in wilderness preservation, management and research.

U EVST 373 Nature Works: Writing about Nature and the Environment - 3 cr
Instructor: Phil Condon

Offered spring.  Prereq: EVST 305 &/or consent of instructor at phil.condon@mso.umt.edu or x2904 or Rankin 104. If I don’t know your work, please provide a short nonfiction writing sample in my EVST mailbox, online, or under office door.

EVST 373 is a writing workshop class for the creation, critique, and revision of essays about nature and the environment. Writing might include natural history, personal narrative, science interpretation, advocacy/argument, place-based essays, and others. Through reading, discussing, and writing, students will practice and understand key concepts, forms, and approaches to writing creative non-fiction about environmental concerns, awareness, and sensitivity.

Students read published essays and write short response critiques. Each student writes a minimum of 15 pgs (d/sp) in 3 required original environmental essays, 3 of which the class and reads, discusses, and responds to. Students also significantly revise one of these essays.

TEXTS: Writing Naturally. Petersen.  Pocket Style Manual, Diane Hacker.   Current issue of EVST grad-student literary journal Camas: The Nature of the West.

UG EVST/COMM 377 Rhetoric, Nature and Environmentalism - 3 cr
Instructor: Steve Schwarze

Offered intermittently. This course intends to help students understand the rhetorical dynamics of public discourse about nature and environmentalism. The course has two primary objectives. First, it is intended to introduce students to the range of texts that constitute "environmental rhetoric"; that is, the words, images, arguments and symbols that advocates use to influence perceptions, attitudes and decisions about the environment. The course first examines symbols that shape public understanding of "nature," and then investigates more explicit forms of advocacy used in environmental controversies. The last section of the course focuses on rhetorical forms that attempt to expose hidden or taken-for-granted social practices, and transform assumptions about <nature> and environmentalism in the process. The course intends to help students see how their own beliefs, attitudes and values regarding nature and environmentalism are influenced by these texts. A second objective of the course is to improve students' writing abilities in the context of rhetorical analysis. Over the course of the term, we will write read and write essays that use rhetorical concepts to analyze environmental texts. As a result, your writing ability should improve, as should your ability to analyze public discourse.

U EVST/FOR/RSCN 379 Collaboration in Natural Resource Decisions - 3 cr
Instructor: James Burchfield

Offered intermittently.  Same as FOR 379. RSCN 379.  Political and social processes affecting natural resource decisions.  Examination of cases of multi-party collaboration in forestry, range, and watershed management issues.

U EVST 382 Biogeography of Northwest Montana - 3 cr
Instructor: Northwest Connections

Coreq., EVST/RSCN 383, EVST/RSCN 282.  Offered each autumn by Northwest Connections.  Examines drivers of biodiversity in northwestern Montana.  Starting with basic natural history of native flora and fauna, students learn to identify various biotic communities and their distribution.  Emphasizes how geology, topography, fire ecology, climate change, and human settlement influence biogeography.

U EVST 383 Conservation & Community Research Project - 3 cr
Instructor: Northwest Connections

Coreq., EVST/RSCN 382, EVST/RSCN 282. Offered each autumn by Northwest Connections.  Students pursue a project of their own design relating to conservation and rural issues.

U EVST 390 Supervised Internship PEAS - 2 cr. spring and fall, 6 cr. summer
Instructor: Josh Slotnick

Weekly Lecture and Linked Sections for Internship on the PEAS Farm
Offered autumn, spring, and summer
Note: Graduate students see listing under EVST 590

SPRING Begins in late February in the Farm's greenhouse until the ground thaws and the soil is workable. Students will work 6 hours each week in two, 3-hour sections. There will be one 1-hour linked section each week when all the students enrolled will be at the farm at the same time. In this hour of lecture we will discuss, in depth, the reasoning behind the management treatments we have been applying to the farm. During scheduled work times we will engage in informal discussions concerning field and greenhouse management practices.

In the greenhouse we will be making potting mixes, sowing seeds, transplanting and learning about greenhouse plant maintenance. We will also be building more planting flats and more greenhouse benches as well as taking care of general spring upkeep on the farm. As the weather warms and we work outside, we will learn about springtime biological and horticultural issues pertinent to raising produce, herbs and flowers. We will consider fertility and soil health, weed management, preventative as well as curative pest control, and farm planning. We will share weekend watering responsibilities for the field and the greenhouse.

SUMMER A combination of four, 4-hour days of work on the farm, with one hour of formal class and a field trip each Friday to an area farm (returning at 1:00 p.m.). The formal class portion focuses on Agro-ecology considering a production oriented system from the vantage point of ecology. Students will examine crucial scientific production issues, i.e., soil fertility, weed management, crop physiology, and pest management in light of the health of the whole system. We will attempt to consider the long-term ecological effects of common agricultural practices as they come up within different subject areas.

Monday though Thursday 8:00 - 12:00 students will do the work necessary to run a diverse and productive 4-acre vegetable farm. As the season progresses students assume more of the decision-making responsibility at the farm. Throughout the season students will manage the irrigation on the weekends. By August students will know the major vegetable crop families and understand their culture. They will be familiar with common techniques for building soil, and dealing with local pest populations. Students will also gain an appreciation for the tight Western Montana growing season and learn some strategies to work within those limits. The class runs 8:00 - 12:00, but students don't leave immediately at noon. Each day two students make lunch for the rest of class from the food we have been growing. The lunch portion of the class is optional.

AUTUMN For fall semester 2004, starts August 30th and ends October 28th. Students work 6 hours each week in two, 3-hour sections. There will be one 1-hour linked section each week when all the students enrolled will be at the farm at the same time. Fall completes the growing season. Students gain first hand experience with harvest and post-harvest care of mainstay storage crops grown for the Missoula Food Bank: carrots, onions, potatoes, and winter squash. Biologically and ecologically fall is both the end and the beginning of the farming year. Just as students are getting in the last of the winter storage crops they are planting cover crops for the next year. Students are also involved in the farm's city wide pumpkin sale/cider pressing event the weekend before Halloween, picking up wheat straw (next year's mulch) from local wheat growers, and recycling manure from the Missoula Livestock Auction for compost. The course gives students a perspective absolutely necessary for understanding how the farm works both ecologically and as part of the greater community.

The Rattlesnake farm is part of the Garden City Harvest (GCH) project. GCH is a collaborative effort involving the City of Missoula, The University of Montana and a myriad of other public and private agencies. The GCH mission is to grow high quality produce for low-income Missoulians, to provide education in ecologically conscious food production, and to use our sites for the personal restoration of troubled youth and adults. In coordination with the University, GCH operates the Rattlesnake Farm. In partnership with other agencies, GCH also manages a network of community gardens. As PEAS students you are also GCH volunteers working at the Ratttlesnake Farm and the food you help to grow will go to low-income people and to sustain the project.

U EVST 395 Special Topics - variable credit

Offered intermittently. Experimental, new or one-time course offering of current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

U EVST 398 Internship - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., six credits in EVST and consent of instructor. Practical application of classroom learning through internship with governments, organizations or industry. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship may count toward graduation.

Back to Top

UG EVST 410 Environmental Justice in Latin America - 3 cr
Instructor: Dan Spencer

Offered summer. Two week travel seminar to one or more Latin American countries to examine Latin American perspectives on environmental justice and efforts toward sustainable development within the context of the global ecomony and U.S. foreign policy. Required one-credit seminar offered spring semester to provide background readings.

UG EVST 420 The U.S. Environmental Movement - 3 cr
Instructor: Tom Roy

Offered autumn. The environmental movement has had a profound impact -- from passage of major legislation to changes in the way people live their daily lives to disruptions of global trade meetings. Despite clear successes and broad public support, whether the movement can effectively bring about the changes necessary to meet its goal of environmental protection and restoration is still an open -- and a vital -- question. The purpose of this course is to study the environmental movement as a social movement, that is, as collective activity designed to promote (or resist) social change. We will examine different approaches to environmental protection and restoration in view of the movement's historical roots, as well as contemporary debates.

UG EVST/PHIL 427E Ethics and the Environment - 3 cr
Instructor: Deborah Slicer

Offered autumn. Prereq., PHIL 202 or 300. Same as PHIL 427E. Critical exploration of selected philosophical and literary texts pertinent to the ethics of human relationships with the natural environment.

U EVST 430 Culture and Agriculture - 2 cr
Instructor: Josh Slotnick

Offered spring. Class ends third week of April. Surveys the treatment of farmers and farming in the humanities. The course is divided into three parts:1) specific agricultural crops and their effect on social and environmental history, 2) artistic commentary on agricultural life and 3) farmer philosophy. Themes range from the tea and opium wars, to Wendell Berry's poetry to David Orr's Philosophy.

UG EVST/GPHY 432 Human Role in Environmental Change - 3 cr
Instructor: Staff

Offered autumn, even-numbered years. Prereq., upper-division or graduate standing. A systematic examination of the ways in which the major physical systems and ecosystems of the earth have been modified by human activity, and approaches to the rehabilitation of these systems.

UG EVST/ECNS 433 Economics of the Environment- 3 cr
Instructor: Helen Naughton

Offered autumn. Prereq., ECNS 201S, 202S or consent of instructor. Outlines a theoretical framework for the analysis of environmental problems, including concepts of market failure and externalities, materials balance and property rights. The policy implications of this analytical model are explored for a range of topics including pollution and the preservation of natural environments and species. Consent of instructor required. Sam as EVST 440. (was ECON 440, Environmental Economics)

UG EVST/RSCN/CSS 449 Climate Cahnge Ethics and Policy- 3 cr
Instructor: Dane Scott

Offered spring. This course focuses on the ethical dimensions of climate change policy. It will cover the following major topics: (1) climate change, personal and collective responsibilities, (1) ethics, climate change and scientific uncertainty, (2) distributive justice and international climate change negotiations, (3) intergenerational justice and climate change policy.

UG EVST 450 Food, Agriculture, and Environment - 3 cr
Instructor: Neva Hassanein

According to Wendell Berry, “eating is an agricultural act.”  But most of us know very little about how the food we eat each day is produced or how it reaches our plates.  Food is central to our lives, and it has the capacity to profoundly connect us with nature and the place where we live.  In this course, we will explore the premise that the sustainability of the food and agriculture system requires practices, policies, and social arrangements that balance concerns of environmental soundness, economic viability, and social justice among all sectors of society.  We will look at the conditions created by the dominant, “industrial” food and agricultural system, as well as investigate emerging alternatives – such as “sustainable agriculture” and “local food systems.”  The purpose is to introduce you to some of the central contemporary issues in the study of food and agriculture in the U.S. and to demonstrate an approach to broad, interdisciplinary study and practice.  Through a research paper or a project, you will also have the opportunity to improve your research, communication, organizing, and presentation skills.

UG EVST 460 Introduction to Alternative Energy - 1 cr (R-2)
Instructor: Josh Slotnick

Offered autumn odd-numbered years. Survey of alternative technologies currently available to address energy problems and their environmental and economic impacts.

UG EVST/FOR 465 Restoration Ecology - 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson and Dan Bedunah (Forestry)

Offered intermittently. Prereq., senior standing and a course in ecology. Philosophy and practice of restoring damaged ecosystems. Restoration planning including improvement of degraded soils, site prepartation for revegetation, and case studies. Same as FOR 465.

UG EVST 470 Appropriate Technology- 1 cr (R-2)
Instructor: Josh Slotnick

Offered autumn even-numbered years/spring odd-numbered years. Problem assessment, project design, fund-raising and implementation of technical resource issues at the PEAS farm to gain practical skills in small scale community development projects, creative problem solving, and working in groups.

UG EVST 477S Environmental Justice Issues and Solutions/Service Learning- 3 cr
Instructor: Robin Saha

Offerred autumn.  This course, open to graduate students and upper division undergraduates, explores how and why environmental risks - such as exposure to toxic chemicals and vulnerability to "natural" disasters - and benefits -such as access to natural resources, environmental amenities, and environmental protection - are inequitably distributed among various segments of society.  We explore the premise that a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable society at the local, national, and global levels cannot be achieved unless the reasons for environmental and social inequity are understood and both root and superficial causes addressed.  Thus, through various case examples, including those in Montana, we look at the historical, sociocultural, political, and economic processes by which environmental inequities by race, socioeconomic status, and gender are believed to have arisen and continue to persist.  We also think deeply and strategize about what can be done about these problems.  To do so, we consider interactions among the evidence from empirical research, claims of environmental justice advocates, and policy responses of government, industry, and traditional environmental organizations.  Students will investigate and critique these responses and propose means of addressing the limitations and challenges facing those seeking environmental justice (EJ) for all communities.

U EVST 484 Senior Capstone Project - 3 cr

Offered Intermittently. Prereq., Senior standing in EVST. For seniors who want to design and perform a significant capstone project involving research and/or service. Students have responsibility for designing their projects which are subject to faculty approval. A final report and public presentation are required. Honors credit available.

U EVST/CSS 485 Environmental Citizenshio/Service Learning - 3 cr

Offered spring.  Prereq., open to juniors and seniors only or by consent of instructor. Develops environmental citizenship through student-initiated projects informed by principles of social marketing.

UG EVST 487 Globilization, Justice and the Environment - 3 cr
Instructor: Dan Spencer

Offered spring. Study of current trends in economic globalization and its effects on efforts to work for social justice and environmental sustainability, particularly in the Global South. Examination of different models and theories of globalization, analysis of ethical issues raised, and assessment of alternatives proposed.

U EVST 494 Seminar - 3 cr

Offered intermittently. Prereq., EVST 101N or consent of instructor. A seminar on a current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

U EVST 495 Special Topics - variable credit

Offered intermittently. Experimental, new or one-time course offering of current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered. Scroll down to those fall & spring course listings (bottom of this page) or use the links at the top of this page to jump down to fall or spring course offerings.

U EVST 496 Independent Study - 1 to 6 credits

Offered autumn and spring.

Back to Top

G EVST 501 Scientific Approaches to Environmental Problems - 3 cr
Instructor: Len Broberg

Offered autumn. The class is designed to introduce students without a science background to the approach, methodology, and concerns of scientists and scientific institutions. Ultimately the purpose of the class is to equip students with enough familiarity with science to interpret basic scientific materials, gather scientific information and effectively incorporate scientific information in an environmental campaign.

G EVST 502 Environmental Law for Non-Lawyers - 3 cr
Instructor Len Broberg

Offered intermittently. This course will examine environmental law from the perspective of the non-lawyer activist seeking to evaluate the potential for legal action in support of environmental advocacy. The course will briefly review judicial and executive branch structure and basic principles of administrative law and legal procedure. The remainder of the course will be a review of substantive environmental law with an emphasis on public land and natural resources law. Students will learn how to research a legal issue using legal sources (caselaw, statutes and regulations) and interpret those sources. Students will either 1) complete a project with a grassroots organization involving a legal issue or 2) take a midterm and write a paper on a topic relevant to the class.

G EVST/PHIL 504 Colloquium in the Philosophy of Ecology - 3 cr
Instructor: Deborah Slicer

Offered autumn. Documents of ecology studied in the context of social and political philosophy, metaphysics and ethics, philosophy of science and technology.

G EVST 505 The Literature of Natural History: Spring 2010 Focus -- Poison Tree or the Dark Side of Nature Writing
Instructor: Nathaniel Miller

See description below in Spring 2010 listing.

G EVST 513/LAW 613/FOR 595 Natural Resources Dispute Resolution 3 cr
Instructor: Matthew McKinney

Offered spring. If you currently work on land use, natural resource, and/or environmental issues, or plan to in the future, this course will help you: Understand the range of strategies available to achieve your interests, resolve disputes, and shape effective public policy; Determine the pros and cons of alternative strategies, and when to use which strategy; and improve your skills in multi-party negotiation.

We start by reviewing the history ideas that have shaped the policies, institutions, and strategies used to resolve natural resource disputes (particularly, but not exclusively in the American West), and then develop a theoretical and strategic framework for multi-party negotiation. One of the core propositions of this course is that the most effective way to sustain communities and landscapes is to create forums that allow the right people to come together with the best available information to address issues of common concern.

After developing the framework, we will apply it to a number of chronic problems related to the governance of natural resources, such as how to: Resolve intractable value disputes; Resolve disputes over scientific and technical information; Resolve disputes over regional, multi-jurisdictional, trans-boundary resources; Deal with situations or communities faced with "streams of disputes"; Get "unaffiliated citizens" involved in the process; and mobilize citizens and leaders to be more proactive.

For each of these problems, we will consider one or more innovative models as a way to test and refine our theoretical and strategic framework for multi-party negotiation. We will also convene a two-day workshop on skills to convene and participate in multi-party negotiations.

G EVST 520 Environmental Organizing - 3 cr
Instructor: Neva Hassanein

Offered spring. Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." She was right. But, how do thoughtful, committed citizens do it? That's what this course is about. The goal is to improve students' understanding of and concrete skills in civic participation.

Through a cooperative and supportive atmosphere, the course seeks to meet this goal in three ways. First, the readings, discussions, guest speakers, and other activities provide an understanding of the theory and practice of social change. Topics include: developing issue campaign plans, nurturing leadership and group process skills, running good meetings, working with the media, meeting research needs, and negotiating. Second, students learn by doing. Specifically, as a class we will engage in a major class project aimed at "greening the campus," by working in teams of 3 to 4 people. The purpose is to give you concrete and guided experience with the skills we are learning. Third, students in this class will participate in the Environmental Leadership Series (information to be announced).

G EVST/C&I 521 Foundations in Environmental Education - 3 cr
Instructor: Fletcher Brown

Offered autumn. The goal of EVST/C&I 521 is to provide students with an opportunity to share their previous experiences in teaching about the environment in the formal and non-formal sector and formalize these experiences within the context of the field of EE. In class the major components of EE are explored and characterized using readings and methods which model effective learning. This is followed by an analysis of a variety of curricula and projects that model exemplar environmental education. In addition to classroom activities, discussion and field trips the course involves an applied project. The aim of the projects is to apply the course work to a real EE setting. Examples of projects completed in the past include developing an in-service workshop in environmental education for the Forestry Department involving ecosystem management, developing an educational trunk for the local Natural History Center, or the development of an interpretive trails and curriculum for K-12 student groups. Readings are selected from numerous authors including: Van Matre, Mayer, Lawson, Hines, Knapp, and Hungerford/Volk. Student assessment involves papers, journals, classroom participation, and the possible development of a portfolio involving a chosen theme involving environmental education.

G EVST/C&I 525 Teaching Environmental Science (Teaching Environmental Education Methods) - 1 to 3 cr
Instructor: Fletcher Brown

Offered spring. This course is designed to provide students with background information and skills that will guide them in practicing and enhancing their teaching abilities in environmental education. Throughout the course students will read, discuss, and practice various instructional strategies. This will be accompanied by direct teaching experiences in both the traditional and non-traditional classroom settings. Students will teach in groups of two with one student teaching while the other evaluates and/or videotapes the student. Each student will complete a minimum of three formal teaching experiences, complete a self-evaluation for each teaching experience, evaluate three other students teaching abilities, and present one of their teaching experiences to the class. In addition to teaching, students will be asked to complete two reviews of environmental education curriculum of their choosing.

G EVST 531 Citizen Participation in Environmental Decisions - 3 cr
Instructor: Len Broberg

Offered spring. Environmental decision-making often occurs in a context of heightened conflict in the western United States. Citizens interested in participating effectively in the evolution of land management policy or other realms of environmental policy have several avenues of recourse available to them. This course will review those methods of citizen participation and focus on the judicial, collaboration, mediation and negotiating processes that resolve land management issues. The course will provide an intro to US administrative law and one process, species management and toxics regulatory law: the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Air Act. Students will be required to complete one or more forms of citizen participation by the end of the semester. Student projects can take many forms, including, but not limited to, environmental education, environmental writing or journalism, public communications and public speaking.

G EVST 537 Building Effective Environmental Organizations - 3 cr
Instructor: Tom Roy

Offered fall. Writers provide vision and inspiration; the rest of us realize eventually that if we are to make contributions to change, we shall have to do so with others...through organizations. And that can be a struggle. This course should teach you how to be more effective at working with groups and through organizations to achieve your goals and reach your visions. Among the topics to be considered are: the nature and structure of non-profits, working with groups, program planning, budgeting, fund-raising, supervising staff and volunteers, developing and maintaining members and other management issues-problems. In addition, particular emphasis will be given to fundraising, writing a grant proposal and making presentations.

Books will include: Michael Seltzer, Securing Your Organization's Future; Norman Kiritz, Program Planning and Proposal wrting; Susan Jacobsen, Communication Skills for Conservation Professionals.  This course might more appropriately be entitled Management of Nonprofits. I would further note that many entry level professional postions with nonprofit groups call for experience in fund development and fund raising. This course will set you up to be a "qualified" applicant.

G EVST 540 Watershed Conservation Ecology - 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered autumn. Integrates watershed science, policy, planning, action and organizing. The science component explores watershed connections, evaluating change and assessing watershed condition. The policy component explains the scientific basis of national, state and local laws, programs & agencies that affect watersheds. The planning & action component discusses developing watershed conservation plans and selecting actions likely to address problems without creating other problems. The organizing component covers how to help watershed communities make choices, resolve conflicts and build commitment for watershed conservation (& FIND FUNDING!) Students work individually or in teams to assist Montana groups in developing watershed CPR plans, initiating monitoring projects, and/or conducting education projects.

G EVST 542 Transboundary Environmental Issues - 3 cr
Instructor: Len Broberg

Offered intermittently in autumn. Fall 2005 Field Trip dates: October 7-15. Len Broberg and graduate students from EVST will join Mike Quinn and graduate students from the University of Calgary for a nine-day trip traveling the Rocky Mountain area from Polebridge, Montana to Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.

The purpose of this course is to give students a transboundary planning, policy and ecology experience. Students will work on a group project oriented to an issue spanning the Canadian/United States border. The course will review the political systems and administrative systems of each country relevant to natural resource policy decision-making as well as the ecological systems in which they occur. Students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with stakeholders in the issue, review pertinent literature and work as a group, dividing tasks, to produce an integrated report of use to decision-makers and citizens on both sides of the border.

Topics Covered:
• A comparison of Canadian and US legislative structures
• A comparison of Canadian and US administrative structures
• A comparison of Canadian and US environmental groups and tactics
• Private land initiatives and regulation
• Ecology of the Rocky Mountain Front
• Resource development strategies of the region

G EVST/C&I 548 Supervision and Teaching Environmental Education (Environmental Education Curriculum/Program Development & Assessment) - 3 cr
Instructor: Fletcher Brown

Offered spring. Prereq., EVST 521 or C&I 521. This course is aimed at environmental educators who will be responsible for developing and assessing curriculum and programming in formal and nonformal EE settings. Through discussions, applied research, and presentations, students will build knowledge and skills in curriculum development and assessment. Projects will include a formative curriculum evaluation and an opportunity to develop a curriculum, material, or program for an organization or school. To facilitate skills in curriculum development and assessment, students will begin by developing a personal philosophy of education and exploring topics including constructivist learning theory, experiential education, problem-based and action learning, and other educational approaches of interest to the students.

This course builds skills in designing and implementing innovative environmental education experiences. We'll start by exploring progressive and socially-critical perspectives of EE. Based on the instructor's area of expertise, the course will have an emphasis on EE aimed at developing students' capacities to participate in environmental problem-solving.
Course participants will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own perspectives concerning the aim of EE, and to build skills in creating EE experiences to achieve that aim. Through workshop-style class sessions, we'll explore active EE teaching approaches including experiential education, sustainability education, and environmental service-learning. Course projects include evaluating an EE program/material and developing a program/material for a school or other organization. Course participants will pursue individual interests in EE for formal nonformal, and/or community settings. Contact Fletcher Brown at fletcher.brown@mso.umt.edu for more information.

G EVST/BIOL 550 Pollution Ecology - 3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered spring even-numbered years. Examines sources, fate, and effects of pollutants on organisms and ecosystems; methods of measuring and predicting pollutant fate & effects, assessing & reducing risks, estimating ecosystem assimilation capacity; setting standards and restoring ecosystems damaged by pollution. Briefly examines some relevant laws and policies at the federal, state and local level.  Students write 2 papers, one academic, one applied, and present one orally. Students also provide a peer review of another student's paper. Prerequisite: a college ecology course.

G EVST 551 Environmental Field Study 1-3 cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered intermittently. Designing, executing and interpreting environmental field studies. Oriented to studies of aquatic systems and watersheds. Students will assist with a class project and may also pursue their own project. Projects focus on the Clark Fork, Bitterroot & Blackfoot River basins.

G EVST/SOC 555 Research Methods for Social Change - 3 cr
Instructor: Neva Hassanein

Offered spring. In recent decades, there has been a quiet "methodological revolution" in the social sciences, reflecting an increased interest in interpretive, qualitative approaches to research and theory. Qualitative research includes a complex, interconnected family of terms, concepts, and assumptions. We will explore the role of qualitative methods in social science research and in social change efforts outside of the academy (e.g., participatory action research). We will study several major approaches to data collection and analysis that fall under the broad umbrella of qualitative research. For the most part, we will look at qualitative inquiry from the perspective of doing research that analyzes and/or facilitates social change (i.e., various forms of action research). Emphasis will be placed on qualitative research as a process of better understanding human experience in a complex world in order to (1) inform a theoretical argument and/or (2) take action based on that understanding. The course will also raise important issues regarding the practice of science, the relationship of knowledge to democracy, the ethics of research, and the potential for community and professional researchers to collaborate. In addition to readings, lectures, and class discussion, all students will have an opportunity to engage in your own field research project during the semester and to try out the methods learned.

G EVST 560 Environmental Impact Analysis - 3cr
Instructor: Vicki Watson

Offered spring in odd-numbered years. Covers legal and scientific aspects of environmental impact analysis (EIA), including: What is required by international, national & state laws & regulations? How to organize an effective interdisciplinary team research effort and public process? How to produce an effective EIA document and meaningful & open decision process? What scientific tools are used in EIA? How could the EIA process be improved?

Each student writes two papers, one academic, one applied, on some aspect of EIA and give at least one presentation. These papers can address an EIA document currently out for public review (or write your own version), critique methods, evaluate EIA procedures or policies, trace history of a concept or policy, or any other approved topic. Group research projects are encouraged.

G EVST 561/GEOG 561/LAW 687 Land Use Planning Law - 3 cr
Instructor: Michelle Bryan Mudd

Offered spring. An overview of the law of land use planning, this course examines traditional governmental regulatory land use tools (e.g., planning zoning, subdivision regulation), traditional governmental proprietary land use tools (e.g., infrastructure, transit, publicly owned facilities) and traditional government fiscal tools (e.g., differential tax assessments, special assessments, tax increment financing.) The course also examines modern techniques for land use planning including private techniques (e.g., conservation easements, land trusts, covenants) and government techniques (e.g., performance zoning, transfer of development rights, regional authorities). The course will also consider constitutional limitations on the authority of state and local governments to regulate private land use. The course focuses on the skills of interpreting, drafting and applying state legislation and local ordinances.

G EVST 562/GEOG 595/LAW 600 Land Use Planning Clinic - 1 to 6 cr
Instructor: Michelle Bryan Mudd ; EVST Advisor: Robin Saha

Offered autumn and spring. For academic year 2004-05, Law School fall semester classes begin 8/24/04. Variable 1-6 credits. Prereq or coreq., EVST 561 or GEOG 561. Located on campus, the Land Use Clinic is staffed by law students, graduate students in Environmental Studies and students in land use planning in the Geography Department. Students work with city, town and county attorneys, local planning personnel and citizen boards, assisting them in long-range planning efforts and development of growth management plans, ordinance drafting and other land use issues. Students will travel periodically to the communities for which they are working to meet with local officials and to attend public hearings. Co-requisite: Clinic students must have completed or be enrolled in Land Use Planning Law.

G EVST 563/LAW 650 Introduction to Environmental Law - 3 cr
Instructor: Elizabeth Kronk

Offered autumn. For academic year 2004-05, Law School fall semester classes begin 8/24/04. The course begins with an introduction to the ecological and economic theories underlying much of modern environmental law. The course also includes a brief review of common law theories of environmental protection and a basic introduction to administrative law. The major substantive topics are the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

Course Structure and Assessment: Students will work in mock law firms assigned to represent competing interests in sophisticated problems involving the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Class sessions will consist of lectures and class discussions covering the introductory material and the basics of air and water pollution control. Several of the class sessions will consist of individual law firm meetings analyzing the problems and class sessions structured as mock proceedings or negotiations.

Student grades will be based on two minor problems (20%of final grade) and two memoranda prepared individually on issues raised by the law firm problems (80% of final grade).

G EVST 564/LAW 649 Environmental Law II- 3cr
Instructor: Elizabeth Kronk

Offered spring. Working in mock law firms assigned to represent competing interests, students address sophisticated problems involving toxic substances, endangered species and environmental analysis. Students prepare written memoranda and participate in mock proceedings on behalf of their "clients."

G EVST 565/LAW 654 Public Land & Resources Law - 3 cr
Instructor: Ray Cross

Offered autumn. For academic year 2004-05, Law School fall semester classes begin 8/24/04. Students examine how historic, political, and economic concepts shape our public land and natural resources law. Topics for classroom analysis include major policy areas of the federal government's management of public lands and natural resources; the evolving federal statutory and regulatory standards that govern the use of public resources; and federal legislative or administrative reforms.

G EVST 566/LAW 619 Advanced Public Land Law - 2cr
Instructor: Ray Cross

Offered spring. The people of Montana and the Pacific Northwest region enjoy a unique and unrivaled abundance of public natural resources. But fundamentally differing visions of public land stewardship divides the citizens of this region. Students will analyze these competing visions of land stewardship in the context of four major public natural resource areas: minerals, wildlife; forests and wilderness.

Students will assess how these competing land stewardship strategies impact or affect existing legal, economic and institutional arrangements. Students will evaluate emerging land and resource management theories that seek to accommodate or reconcile competing public and private interests in these public natural resource areas. Student participation is emphasized through classroom discussions, case presentations and exercises. Students are required to prepare and present an individual research paper on a relevant topic in public natural resources law.

G EVST 567/LAW 663 Water Law - 3 cr
Instructor: Michelle Bryan Mudd

Water law examines the historical events, customs and policies that led to our current regulations governing the use and allocation of water. The course then examines modern-day water regulations and water-related issues - from water marketing, to instream flow, to tribal water rights and climate change.

Then course compares the differences between water law in the eastern and western United States, and then focuses on the Rocky Mountan West and the variations among the states in our region. Alongside a selection of regional readings, students also will study the specific water laws of Montana.

Finally, students will practices some of the primary skills needed to be a water lawyer, including researching and analyzing water rights, handling water rights in a real estate transaction, and appearing before the Montana Water Court in adjudication proceedings.

G EVST 573 Environmental Writing - 3 cr
Instructor: Phil Condon

Spring 2009.  Environmental Writing is a writing workshop class designed to help you practice and improve your writing skills on environmental subjects and concerns for a general audience. I intend the course to inspire, challenge, hone, and encourage your writing, as it also challenges and broadens your reading. We create a community of writers based in honesty, courtesy, commitment to craft, and shared enthusiasms--for good writing and a more thoughtful world. I have faith you’ll write work that surprises and challenges yourself, your classmates, and me, and whether directly or serendipitously, work that might engage, enliven, and wake up a weary world.

The course requires 4 main works: 2 original essays, plus a significant revision of one (your choice), plus a polished edit of the other. Student work will be read and discussed by class, with an eye to specific writing questions, problems, solutions, and opportunities each essay presents. The revision and the edit are due to me by finals week. One essay should fall in a shorter range (5-10 pgs) & one should fall in longer range (10-20 pgs). There are also additional smaller related assignments throughout the semester.  Outside readings include contemporary and classic essays on ERES at Mansfield Library.  Required: Pocket Style Manual, Hacker.

G EVST/COMM 575 Seminar: Rhetoric and Environmental Controversy - 3 cr
Instructor: Steve Schwarze

Offered intermittently. The study of how advocates use symbols to influence meaning and action in environmental controversies. Rhetorical concepts used to examine recurring strategies and tactics in specific controversies.

G EVST/LAW 579 Advanced Natural Resources Conflict Resolution - 3 cr
Instructor: Matt McKinney

Offered autumn. Same as FOR 579. Prereq., EVST 513 or consent of instructor. This seminar is designed primarily for students in the Natural Resources Conflict Resolution Program, although other graduate students may enroll. It will focus on current topics in theory and practice; develop and refine skills to prevent and resolve natural resource disputes; and create an opportunity for students to exchange ideas and share their work. The topics and number of credits may vary each year. This seminar may fulfill either required or elective credits for the NRCR Program.

G EVST 590 Supervised Internship PEAS - 2 cr
Instructor: Josh Slotnick

Weekly Lecture and Linked Sections for Internship on the PEAS Farm
Offered autumn, spring and summer

SPRING Work on the farm will begin in late February in the greenhouse until the ground thaws and the soil is workable. In the greenhouse we will be making potting mixes, sowing seeds, transplanting and learning about greenhouse plant maintenance. We will also take care of general spring upkeep on the farm. As the weather warms and we work outside, we will learn about springtime biological and horticultural issues pertinent to raising produce, herbs and flowers. We will consider fertility and soil health, weed management, preventative as well as curative pest control, and farm planning. We will share weekend watering responsibilities for the field and the greenhouse. Graduate students will play a leadership role with the undergraduates on the farm and work closely with Josh, Tim and the 2nd years to plan for the summer. The graduate class will also work together on one specific project that benefits the farm. This can be anything from construction to written work.

SUMMER A combination of four, 4-hour days of work on the farm, with one hour of formal class and a field trip each Friday to an area farm (returning at 1:00 p.m.). The formal portion focuses on Agro-ecology. Students will examine crucial scientific production issues, i.e., soil fertility, weed management, crop physiology, and pest management in light of the health of the whole system. Each week a different subject will be addressed in lecture. We will attempt to consider the long-term ecological effects of common agricultural practices as they come up within different subject areas.

Monday though Thursday, 8:00 - 12:00, students will do the work necessary to run a diverse and productive 4-acre vegetable farm. Graduate students take on a leadership/supervisory role. Students learn and understand the culture of the major vegetable crop families, become familiar with common techniques for building soil, managing weeds and dealing with local pest populations. Students will also gain an appreciation for the tight western Montana growing season and learn some strategies to work within those limits. Throughout the season students manage the irrigation on the weekends. By the end of the season students will be well acquainted with some of the technical issues growers face. The educational aim here is not to provide universal and definitive answers to those issues, rather to gain understanding of the issues themselves.

Each week produce is distributed through our Community Supported Agriculture Cooperative (CSA). Graduate students manage the CSA, oversee set-up and distribution of produce and create weekly newsletters for members.

The class runs 8:00 - 12:00, but students don't leave immediately at noon. Each day two students make lunch for the rest of class from the food we have been growing. The lunch portion of the class is optional.

AUTUMN For fall semester 2006, starts August 28th and ends October 27th. Students work 6 hours each week in two, 3-hour sections. There will be one 1-hour linked section each week when all the students enrolled will be at the farm at the same time. Fall completes the growing season. Besides experiencing the fall biological and ecological demands of a small, diversified vegetable farm, graduate students gain first hand experience with community outreach. Students will organize two community events held each fall, at the farm and on campus. They will oversee logistics, publicity and day-of-the-show management. They will gain skills applicable to any organization that does periodic public education and outreach. They will also learn harvest and post-harvest care of mainstay storage crops grown for the Missoula Food Bank: carrots, onions, potatoes, and winter squash. Biologically and ecologically, fall is both the end and the beginning of the farming year. Just as students are getting in the last of the winter storage crops, they are planting cover crops and making compost for the next year. Students will gain an appreciation for the cyclical nature of this work and an understanding of the biological linkage of the seasons.

G EVST 593 Professional Paper - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST.

G EVST 594 Graduate Seminar - 3 cr

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST or consent of instructor. In-depth analysis of a current environmental topic. Description listed under semester offered.

G EVST 595 Special Topics - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST or consent of instructor. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or on-time offerings of current topics. Description listed under semester offered.

G EVST 596 Independent Study - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST . Work on selected problems by individual students under direct faculty supervision.

G EVST 597 Research - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST . Directed individual graduate research and study appropriate to background and objectives of the student.

G EVST 598 Internship - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST . Practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus.

G EVST 599 Thesis - variable credit

Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in EVST.

Back to Top

Autumn 2009 Course Offerings

Note: to simplify transferring credits, UM is adopting a Common Course Numbering System.

Field Courses:

Field Courses Offered by Our Affiliates:

A variety of field courses can be taken for academic credit at The University of Montana. These outdoor classes are offered throughout the year in Montana and beyond. For information on course offerings, registration procedures and costs, please visit the websites listed below and contact the organization directly.

Ecology Project International is offering a Costa Rica Sea Turtle Biology Program to UM students, June 7 – June 15, 2009.  While on-course, students will monitor a population of critically endangered leatherback sea turtles on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in collaboration with sea turtle biologist in Costa Rica plus members of local Costa Rican communities. This is an amazing opportunity to assist with authentic research and be active in international conservation efforts. The 9-day course includes over 40 hours coursework and instruction with 15 hours of field research. While at the sea turtle nesting area, every student develops and presents a field-based research project.  The course will take place June 7 – June 15.  Can you think of a better way to end the semester? Visit this link for more information: http://www.ecologyproject.org. For course dates and details, please contact Joshua Klaus at the EPI office at 406.721.8784 or josh@ecologyproject.org.  Approval for academic credit through the UM/Continuing Education Department is pending as of 2/28/09.

Northwest Connections
Landscape and Livelihood Field Semester:  Northwest Connections’ Field Semester immerses a small community of learners in an intensive two-month program focusing on ecology and community-based conservation. Students learn experientially as they study the landscape of the Swan Valley and the human community it supports.  NwC’s instructional philosophy emphasizes participation in conservation projects as a means of developing field skills. Students also work closely with local citizens and land managers in order to understand the relationship of environmental issues to rural communities. Landscape and Livelihood’s residential program operates seven days per week, creating time for classroom lecture, field work, reading, reflective writing, independent study and involvement in community activities. Fifteen semester credits are earned in Forestry and Conservation, Environmental Studies, Recreation Management and General Science through a cooperative agreement with the University of Montana. Base camp for the semester is a historic homestead on the Swan River.  For more information visit: www.northwestconnections.org

Wild Rockies Field Institute                                                                                                                                                                        Field courses with the Wild Rockies Field Institute are a truly wild experience- academically and personally!  Courses take place in the stunning backcountry of North America where students camp, backpack, kayak and/or canoe while studying the ecology, cultural history and land use policy of the landscape around them.  Students also investigate our personal roles in, and relationships with, human and ecological communities.  Visits to the frontcountry allow for meetings with a wide variety of locals to learn directly from the people who live in the area and to complete this experiential learning opportunity.  Course areas include Montana, Utah, the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, Alaska, Canada and Mexico.  Courses are 1-9 weeks in length and are offered during each semester, summer, winter break and spring break.  These field courses offer 300-level credit in Environmental Studies, as well as Forestry, Anthropology, Geography, Native American Studies and Science.  To register for these courses and for more information, visit the Wild Rockies Field Institute's web page.

Field Course Offered at UM:

The Wilderness and Civilization Program offers students a Wilderness Studies Minor through two semesters of interdisciplinary coursework. The program is offered by the UM College of Forestry and Conservation in cooperation with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Wilderness and Civilization program combines classroom and field learning, small class size, and internship experience for an in-depth exploration of wildland issues. Integrated with the curriculum are a series of long and short field experiences. Two, 10-day wilderness trips provide a unique opportunity for field-based experiential learning. Shorter field trips compliment classroom teaching by exploring local ecology and a variety of local environmental and land management issues. The program is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors of any major.

Back to Top