Climage Change Solutions - Course Descriptions

U CCS 398 Climate Change Internship, 2-4 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. CCS 203 and consent of instructor. This course gives students an opportunity to gain hands-on, "real world" experience working with a local, regional, national or international group to address climate change. Students gain supervised, practical work experience with specific projects and organizations; create a network of professional contacts; and have opportunity to apply ideas and approaches studied in the Climate Change Studies minor.

U CCS 391 Climate Change Practicum, 2-4 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. CCS 203 and consent of instructor. Students design and implement a capstone project involving creative solutions to climate change. Project proposal, narrative activity log, documentary report, and public presentation required. Honors credit available.

U EVST/MGMT 210 Sustainable Business Practices/Honors - 3 cr. Offered spring. This course will examine the social and environmental responsibilities of business within a free-market system. It will examine alternative models for organizational and economic development and focus on sustainability-driven innovations as a strategic option for organizations. Leading sustainability frameworks will be explored and utilized to analyze holistic organizational performance, thereby offering a contrast to traditional profit-driven models. Sustainability reporting as a supplement to traditional annual financial reporting will be examined.

U NRG 298 Energy Internship, 2 cr. Offered spring. Same as CCS 298. Students will complete a field experience at an energy-related site or in an energy-related industry. This experience increases student competency in the field, prepares the student for initial employment, and increases occupational awareness and professionalism. A series of career development seminars and activities related to the field experience are completed in parallel.

U EVST 485 Environmental Citizenship, 3 cr. Offered spring. Same as CCS 485. Open to juniors and seniors only or by permission of instructor. Develops environmental citizenship through student-initiated projects informed by principles of social marketing.

U NRG 102 Introduction to Energy Systems II, 3 cr. Offered spring. Same as CCS 102. This course is a survey of renewable energy systems and technologies. The course addresses the physical and technical aspects of wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, tidal, biological, and wave energy systems. Consideration is also given to the engineering, economic, social, environmental, and political factors that determine implementation and sustainability. Spring only.

U BUS 160S Issues in Sustainability, 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Same as CCS 160S. This literature-intensive course is intended to expose the student to a variety of essays addressing the balance of economic development with the principles of sustainability and social equity. The student is offered an introduction to sustainability concepts, natural systems/cycles and environmental economics. Natural capitalism and triple bottom line maximization is explored, along with the role of corporations and small businesses in sustainable development. A survey of issues surrounding corporate social responsibility and sustainability-driven innovation will be conducted.

U NRG 191 Energy Practicum, 2 cr. Offered summer. Same as CCS 191. The practicum provides students with a supervised field experience. Students will gain hands-on experience with energy specific technologies. This opportunity increases students’ occupational awareness and professionalism.

U CAR 235T Building Energy Conservation, 3 cr. Offered spring. Study of the analysis techniques for reduction of energy consumption and energy management, including energy accounting and energy auditing. Residential and commercial building energy efficiency opportunities are covered. Other topics include motors, pumps, green building, purchasing energy supplies, and careers in energy efficiency.

U NRG 242 Solar and Wind Systems, 3 cr. Offered fall. Same as CCS 242. Solar and Wind Systems is an introduction to the fundamentals of solar and wind energy for the design and installation of solar and wind systems. The material covered will prepare students for a career in renewable energy or for installing a renewable energy system on their own home.

U RSCN 321 and EVST 311 Cycle the Rockies: Energy and Climate Change in Montana, 6 cr. Offered summer through the Wild Rockies Field Institute. This course takes place on a 4-week, 700 mile bicycle tour of Montana. Students traverse the state while studying the ecological, social, and economic issues associated with energy production and use. Montana offers prime examples of current energy production facilities, from traditional fossil fuel energy sites to wind, solar, geothermal, biofuels, and hydroelectric power. This course examines the effects of energy production and climate change while meeting with people deeply involved in energy and climate issues.