Environmental Science & Policy 101 - Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy

How do humans build a more just and sustainable world? What processes promote social-ecological flourishing? In this course, students explore these urgent questions, engage with real-world answers, and develop their own views. They also contrast individualistic and tech-centered solutions to environmental issues with systems approaches. The course examines complex social–ecological systems across the world—from local initiatives on the Indigenous lands now known as the Pioneer Valley to international examples of transformative action toward justice and sustainability. Students practice interdisciplinary thinking that integrates the social and natural sciences and the humanities, to embrace the complexity of climate and environmental change while respecting diverse values and worldviews. Enrollment limited to 50.