Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Introduction to Environmental Science and Sustainability (Online)

ENVS 1000-30I

Course: ENVS 1000-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: GEOS
CRN: 31332

Course Description

A study of local- to global-scale environmental issues including their causes, possible solutions, and impacts to human health, biodiversity, and natural resources. Topics include air and water quality, sustainability, food systems, and energy. (Fall, Spring, Summer [As Needed]) [Graded (Standard Letter)] General Education Category: Physical Sciences

Required Texts


TEXTBOOK: Sherman, D. J. and Montgomery, D. R. (2021) Environmental Science and Sustainability. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. ISBN’s: (e-book) 978-0-393-42867-4; (Loose Leaf) 978-0-393-42213-9; (Paperback) 978-0-393-42210-8
**An electronic copy of the textbook will be available to you on Canvas on the first day of class for a discounted price. You may opt out if you wish to get the textbook from another source.

Learning Outcomes


Essential Learning Outcomes

8.0 Inquiry & Analysis: Inquiry: Students systematically explore issues, objects, or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis: Students break complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.

8.1. Topic Selection: Fluency is the identification of a creative, focused, and manageable topic that addresses potentially significant yet previously less-explored aspects of the topic.

8.2. Existing Knowledge, Research, and/ or Views: Fluency is the synthesis of in-depth information from relevant sources representing various points of view/ approaches.

8.5. Conclusions: Fluency is stating a conclusion that is a logical extrapolation from the inquiry findings.

8.6. Limitations & Implications: Fluency would demonstrate an insightful detailed discussion using relevant and supported limitations and implications.
 

11.0. Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World: Students demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world.
 

13.0 Problem Solving: Students will design, evaluate, and implement strategies to answer open-ended questions or achieve a desired goal.

13.1. Define Problem: Fluency demonstrates the ability to construct a clear and insightful problem statement with evidence of all relevant contextual factors.

13.2. Identify Strategies: Fluent students can identify multiple approaches for solving the problem that apply within a specific context.

13.3. Propose Solutions/Hypotheses: Fluent students propose one or more solutions/hypotheses that indicates a deep comprehension of the problem. Solution/hypotheses are sensitive to contextual factors as well as the ethical, logical, and cultural dimensions of the problem.

13.4. Evaluate Potential Solutions: Fluent students demonstrate deep and elegant evaluation of solutions and thoroughly completes all of the following: considers history of problem, reviews logic/reasoning, examines feasibility of solution, and weighs impacts of solutions.

 

Knowledge Area Outcomes

This course fulfills General Education course requirements for the Physical Sciences Knowledge Area. Therefore, by the end of this course, students will be able to: 


(1)  Demonstrate understanding of science as a way of knowing about the physical world; 

(2)  Demonstrate understanding of forces in the physical world; 

(3)  Discuss the flow of matter and energy through systems (in large and small scales); 

(4)  Develop evidence-based arguments regarding the effect of human activity on the Earth; and 

(5)  Describe how the Physical Sciences have been shaped by historical, ethical, and social contexts.

Course Requirements


Learning Activities: Each module, there will be a number (usually 1-3) of learning activities to reinforce learning of concepts covered in the textbook chapters. I will only record grades for 15 learning activities, so each student can miss up to five with no penalty. All learning activities are graded credit/no credit. In order to receive credit, make a good-faith effort to answer all questions.

Challenge Activities: These activities are similar to learning activities, except they are a little more challenging or require extra time. There are seven challenge activities available throughout the semester, and I will only record grades for five. That means each student can miss up to two with no penalty. Challenge activities typically take 1-3 hours to complete, and are graded credit/no credit.

Assignments: There are six assignments throughout the semester, most of which will be submitted on Canvas. None of the assignment grades are dropped. The assignments are scaffolded, meaning they build on each other to result in a small research project on a topic related to human impacts on the environment. Requirements for each assignment will be available on Canvas.

·         Topic Choice and Reference List: For this assignment, students will choose a topic for their report and infographic, which are completed later in the semester and learn how to support their arguments about the topic with scientific evidence. Then, each student will identify five peer-reviewed references related to their topic that they can cite. For each reference, students will record the full citation and the short citation. There is one class day designated to work on this assignment.

·         Literature Matrix: Using the list of references from the Topic Choice assignment, students will create a literature matrix that identifies themes or concepts in their references. There is one class day designated to work on this assignment, but students should expect to work on it outside of class as well.

·         Report Rough Draft: Each student will create a rough draft of their final report. The purpose of this assignment is to give students an opportunity to receive feedback on their report before submitting the final draft. There is one class day designated to work on this assignment.

·         Infographic: Each student will prepare an infographic on their research topic meant to explain their topic and why it is important. There is one class day designated to work on this assignment, but students should expect to work on it outside of class as well.

·         Final Report: Each student will prepare a report on their research topic. There is one class day designated to work on this assignment, but students should expect to work on it outside of class as well.

Course Outline

  | Module | TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS | READING
| 1 | Welcome: Course Format, Expectations, and Overview Learning Activity: Syllabus Quiz | Syllabus
 | 2 | Environmental Science and Sustainability: What’s the Big Idea? Learning Activities: Environmental Science Jobs; Information Literacy; References and Citations Challenge Activity: Identifying the Steps in the Scientific Method | Ch 1
 | 4 | Ethics, Economics, and Policy: Who or What Do We Value? Learning Activity: What Shapes our Ethics? | Ch 3
| 5 | Matter and Energy: What are the Building Blocks of Sustainability? Learning Activities: Trophic Levels; pH of Water Challenge Activity: What’s in our Water? | Ch 4
| 6 | Life: What Shapes Biodiversity? Learning Activity: Kaibab Deer Population; Natural Selection Game Challenge Activity: Endangered Species | Ch 7
 | 7 | Water: How Do We Use It and Affect Its Quality? Learning Activities: Calculating your Water Footprint; Watershed Modeling Challenge Activity: Stormwater Management in your Hometown | Ch 7
 | 8 | Air: What Are We Breathing?  Learning Activity: Reading a Weather Map; Air Pollution | Ch 8
 | 9 | Land: How Does It Shape Us? Learning Activities: Geology Rocks!; Soil Texture Triangle Challenge Activity: Soils in our Town | Ch 9
 | 10 | How Systems and Cycles: Are We Harming Earth’s Life Support Systems? Learning Activities: Feedbacks; Nitrogen Cycle Challenge Activity: Solutions for Soil and Water Salinity | Ch 10
| 11 | Climate: How Does Global Climate Change?  Learning Activity: Ocean Currents; Ecological Footprint Challenge Activity: Climate Change Effects | Ch 11
 | 12 | Decision Making: Why Do Our Choices Matter?   Learning Activity: Decision Making Case Study Final Report submitted online 4/24 at 1:00 pm | Ch 18

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late assignments are not accepted, however students may miss some assignments with no penalty.

Attendance Policy

Not applicable - this is an online class.

Course Fees

$37.50

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.