Social Dimensions of Climate Change and Environmental Justice - Minor

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

This is a 15-credit minor in Social Dimensions of Climate Change and Environmental Justice. To be equipped to address the multi-faceted, multi-scalar issues of Social Dimensions of Climate Change and Environmental Justice, students need an understanding of both the social and natural dimensions of this socio-environmental issue. Climate change refers to long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. It has social drivers and social impacts, which are characterized by inequality from the local to the global scale. Environmental justice approaches focus on fair and equitable outcomes and meaningful involvement and participation in response to environmental issues. Environmental justice is intersectional and interdisciplinary and relates to inequality based on class, gender, race, ethnicity, Indigeneity, sexuality, disability, etc., and spans local to global scales.

This minor in Social Dimensions of Climate Change and Environmental Justice prepares students to understand and address in their personal and professional lives some of the myriad aspects of climate change, a challenge that many deem to be the greatest of our time. Students learn about natural and social science theories and methods related to studying this issue. It will also prepare students to understand and, if desired, support environmental justice efforts in their personal and professional lives. Students learn about environmental justice theories, efforts, and case studies from the local to the global level and will gain a deeper understanding of the related processes of inequality. Students who complete this minor will gain foundational knowledge about Social Dimensions of Climate Change and Environmental Justice, preparing them to work to address climate change and other environmental issues with an approach that considers equity, including in academic, government, nonprofit, and corporate settings.

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Required credits: 15
Maximum credits: 21
Required course: 2 (6 credits)
Elective courses: 3 (9 credits)

The minor requires the completion of 15-credits with a grade of C or better. Courses taken pass/fail will not count towards the minor.

Required courses (6 credits)

SOC 3300 - Sociology of Climate Change 3 credit(s)
SOC 3310 - Environmental Justice 3 credit(s)

Elective Courses (9 credits minimum)

Select one elective, from at least two different programs as indicated by the course prefix, from three of the five categories:

Axes of Inequality
Social Change
A Deeper Dive into Social Science Perspectives on Socio-Environmental Issues
A Deeper Dive into Humanities Perspectives on Socio-Environmental Issues
Climate Change through a Natural Sciences Lens

Course options for Axes of Inequality:

CJ 4200 - Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credit(s)
CJ 4440 - The Origins of the United States Criminal Justice System (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 2370 - Sociology of Gender (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 2630 - Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 2650 - Globalization and International Development (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3010 - Social Inequality (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3330 - Medical Sociology (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3520 - Sociology of Mental Illness 3 credit(s)
SOC 3610 - Rural People and Places (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3750 - Sociology of Aging (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 4410 - Race and Crime (CI) 3 credit(s)

Course options for Social Change:

CJ 3400 - Tribal Criminal Justice Systems 3 credit(s)
CMST 3280 - Organizations and Social Change 3 credit(s)
CMST 4260 - Environmental Communication 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3010 - Natural Resource and Environmental Policy 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4030 - Building Community Environmental Resilience 3 credit(s)
ENVS 6030 - Building Community Environmental Resilience 3 credit(s)
GEOG 3100 - Human-Environment Geography (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4120 - Environment and Development in Latin America (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4400 - Natural Hazards and Society 3 credit(s)
POLS 4410 - International Negotiations 3 credit(s)
SOC 3340 - Activism, Protest, and Social Movements (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3600 - Finding Community in Today’s Society (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 5620 - Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Environmentalisms 3 credit(s)
SOC 6620 - Environment, Technology, and Social Change 3 credit(s)
TCR 4220 - Technology and Activism 3 credit(s)

Course options for A Deeper Dive into Social Science Perspectives on Socio-Environmental Issues:

ANTH 3240 - Anthropology of Disease (DSC) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 3320 - Archaeology of Climate Change (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 4210 - Anthropological Perspectives on Conservation 3 credit(s)
ANTH 4650 - Utah’s Public Lands: Past, Present, Future (DSS) 3 credit(s)
CAI 5600 - Biosecurity I 3 credit(s)
CAI 5610 - Biosecurity II 3 credit(s)
CAI 5620 - Food Security and Solutions 3 credit(s)
ENVS 3010 - Natural Resource and Environmental Policy 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4000 - Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4100 - Introduction to Modeling Human-Environment Systems 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4200 - Sustainability Metrics 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4350 - Ecological Economics 3 credit(s)
ENVS 4700 - Communicating Sustainability (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 3100 - Human-Environment Geography (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4120 - Environment and Development in Latin America (CI) 3 credit(s)
GEOG 4400 - Natural Hazards and Society 3 credit(s)
POLS 4820 - Natural Resources and Environmental Policy: Political Economy of Environmental Quality (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 4620 - Sociology of the Environment and Natural Resources (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 5620 - Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Environmentalisms 3 credit(s)
SOC 6620 - Environment, Technology, and Social Change 3 credit(s)

Course options for A Deeper Dive into Humanities Perspectives on Socio-Environmental Issues:

ENGL 3640 - Nature Writing (DHA) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4630 - American Nature Writers 3 credit(s)
HIST 3530 - African Environmental History (DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 3950 - Environmental History (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 4510 - American Metropolis: Cities and Suburbs in United States History (DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 4625 - The History of Natural Disasters 3 credit(s)

Course options for Climate Change through a Natural Sciences Lens:

ENVS 4750 - Global Change Ecology 3 credit(s)
GEO 1360 - Planet Earth (BPS) 3 credit(s)
GEO 3150 - Energy in the Twenty-first Century (DSC/QI) 3 credit(s)
LAEP 1040 - Introduction to Environmental Planning and Sustainable Development (BLS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 1800 - Introduction to Horticulture (BLS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 2000 - The Atmosphere and Weather (BPS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 2010 - Soils, Waters, and the Environment (BPS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 2700 - Climate Change Impacts (BPS) 3 credit(s)
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change (DSC/QI) 3 credit(s)
PSC 5090 - Sustainable Low Water Landscaping 3 credit(s)
WATS 1200 - Biodiversity and Sustainability (BLS) 3 credit(s)
WATS 3700 - Fundamentals of Watershed Science (CI) 3 credit(s)