Second year level

There are two second-year level courses in Environmental Science. ENV 201 is normally taught in the first semester and ENV 202 in the second semester. Credit may be obtained in each courseseparately and, in addition, an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to be equivalent to atwo-credit course ENV 2, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in each component (i.e. the class mark and each exam). However, students who wish to major in Environmental Science must obtain credit in both ENV 201 and ENV 202. No supplementary examinations will be offered for either course. Practical reports, essays, seminars and class tests collectively comprise the class mark, which forms part of the final mark.

Credit in Geography (EAR 101 and GOG 102) and either Anthropology (ANT 1), Botany (CEL 101 and BOT 102),Economics (ECO1), Geology (GLG 1) or Zoology (CEL 101 and ZOO 102) is required before a student may register for ENV 201 or ENV 202, other than for Law students. These students shall register for EAR 101 and GOG 102 concurrently with ENV 201 and ENV 202. Adequate performance in ENV 201 is required before a student may register for ENV 202.

ENV 201 (Foundations of Environmental Science)

ENV201 provides the conceptual foundation for all other courses in Environmental Science, and covers the following topics: integrated perspectives on environmental issues; introduction to inter/transdisciplinarity and local ecological knowledge; ecosystem services and human well-being; complexity; social-ecological systems; planetary boundaries and sustainability; social systems; economic valuation of natural resources; ecological systems. Practicals include the interaction between the social, economic and ecological components of the environment. Students will be required to undertake compulsory field site visits during a limited number of weekends as part of their practicals.

ENV 202 (Global Environmental problems and policies)

The Environmental Science 202 course is designed to cover a selection of current major issues or problems in environmental science. The purpose of the course is to apply interdisciplinary skills, systems approaches and perspectives to analyse and understand environmental issues and policies of global and local concern. Critical analysis and consideration of counterviewpoints, from a systems perspective, is central. This will be done at different spatial and temporal scales. The skills
covered in Environmental Science 201 are particularly relevant, especially those relating to systems analysis, team work and interdisciplinarity as well as rigorous and in-depth analysis and thinking. Practicals: a variety of different practicals pertaining to the issues covered in lectures.

 

Last Modified: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 14:50:13 SAST