Courses for the Minor in Sustainability Studies: 2021-2022

This course presents an overview of factors influencing personal and community health. Students are exposed to prevalent physical and mental health issues from biological, psychological, and sociological points of view. Health-related consequences of alcohol abuse, drugs, birth control, sedentary lifestyle, eating disorders, and communicable diseases are among the topics considered. Lectures only.     

NOTE: Exercise Science students may not take this course for credit.

This course introduces the guiding concepts central to First Peoples Studies at Concordia. These guiding concepts are often misunderstood by mainstream society. Themes include the Medicine Wheel as a structuring approach to course content and teaching/learning; worldviews; colonization and decolonization; First Peoples thought and knowledge; the diversity among First Peoples; and individual and community empowerment within First Peoples frames of reference. Principles and practices of dialogue and cross-cultural communication are introduced. A key process goal of the course is for students to explore, with increasing skill and knowledge, their own motivations, positioning, and goals in relation to pursuing First Peoples Studies.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the School of Community and Public Affairs.

This course examines a number of global environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. The complex interactions and interdependencies among the biophysical, socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects of global environmental change are explored in relation to issues such as global warming, desertification, deforestation, declining biodiversity, and acid rain.

NOTE: Students currently registered in a Human Environment, Environmental Geography, or Environmental Science program may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in any Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Geography,Planning and Environment.

This course focuses on the natural environment and our interactions with it as presented through selected films. Students deconstruct the visual representation of a problem or complex set of problems around the natural environment presented both as “fact” and as “entertainment”. Students generate an understanding of how the individual and one's society can operate more effectively in a global context of increased inter-cultural interaction, in unison with the environment.

Note: Since the topics listed under 298, 398, and 498 course codes vary from one year to the next and are not always relevant to Sustainability, to have this course count officially towards your Minor, please fill out a student request form and submit it to the College to ensure that a note goes on your official record that this course counts. This need not be done before the beginning of the course and can be done anytime before you apply to graduate.

This course provides an introduction to the main problems in the philosophy of science. These include the structure of scientific theories, various models of scientific method and explanation, and the existence of unobservables.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for INTE 250 or PHIL 228 may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Philosophy.

Based on an overview of current economic issues, this course introduces students to the fundamental analytical tools and concepts that are necessary to understand economic public policy and relevant to community development and empowerment.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the School of Community and Public Affairs.

This course provides an introductory overview of knowledge related to the eleven cultural groups of First Peoples in Canada. It explores theories of migration, geographic location, cultural and linguistic diversity, historical socio-economic and political systems as well as the relationships with the environment and traditional practices and beliefs. In-depth focus is placed on representative nations within each group.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the School of Community and Public Affairs.

This course examines a number of global environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. The complex interactions and interdependencies among the biophysical, socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects of global environmental change are explored in relation to issues such as global warming, desertification, deforestation, declining biodiversity, and acid rain.

NOTE: Students currently registered in a Human Environment, Environmental Geography, or Environmental Science program may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in any Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Geography,Planning and Environment.

This online course is an introduction to the emerging field of global environmental politics. It surveys the present environmental crisis and the roles of states, international organizations, and civil society. Various case studies dealing with oceans, forests, fisheries, biodiversity, global warming, and others are used to illustrate the inherent complexity of transnational ecological issues in the era of globalization.

*Students registered to begin the Minor before January 2019 must take this course and three other 200-level courses of relevance.

This course studies energy — a critical resource for civilization — and the impact of energy consumption on societies and the environment. Topics include renewable and non-renewable energy sources, the physics of energy including the second law of thermodynamics and the notion of entropy, energy production and distribution, and social and global environmental issues such as pollution, sustainability, climate change, regulation and the future of energy. Lectures only.

NOTE: Students registered in Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programs may not take this course for credit.

Urbanization represents one of the most powerful, irreversible, and visible forms of global change, with over 50% of the world’s people now living in cities. Urban ecology is the study of the processes, systems, and relationships between organisms that occur in these urban environments. This course will introduce students to the ecological features of cities, the processes determining patterns of abundance and distribution of organisms, and the interactions between humans and nature in urban ecosystems. We will also discuss urban ecology as an interdisciplinary science, emphasizing linkages with social and physical sciences and the humanities, as well as policy and planning. Students will come away from this course with a stronger understanding of urban ecosystem function, and how urban nature and biodiversity are critical for making cities more sustainable, resilient, and equitable. Throughout the semester, we will also make short observational trips to local urban ecosystems, conduct hands-on ecological measurements, and speak with local experts. 

Notes:

(1) Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Biology.

(2) Note: Since the topics listed under 298, 398, and 498 course codes vary from one year to the next and are not always relevant to Sustainability, to have this course count officially towards your Minor, please fill out a student request form and submit it to the College to ensure that a note goes on your official record that this course counts. This need not be done before the beginning of the course and can be done anytime before you apply to graduate.

This course explores the situation of First Peoples across the world from a comparative indigenous perspective. The primary aim of the course is to familiarize students with the similarities and differences between indigenous cultures and nations within the context of global colonialism past and present.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for ANTH/SOCI 303 may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the School of Community and Public Affairs.

Prerequisite: 24 university credits. This course examines the geographical processes that have affected the production and consumption of food from the beginnings of agriculture to the rise of genetically modified organisms, and considers the part played by different patterns of diet and cuisine in shaping distinctive regions at the global and local scale.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for this topic under a GEOG 398 number may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Geography,Planning and Environment.

In 2015, the 193 members states of the United Nations (UN) adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing a vision of a brighter future for people and the planet. They explicitly recognized the links between social, economic, and environmental sustainability, stressing the crucial need to address issues of poverty, inequality, health, education, and economic growth, while tackling the challenges of climate change and biodiversity conservation. Through this course, students will be introduced to all 17 SDGs from an interdisciplinary perspective and will examine progress towards these goals in Canada and across the globe. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe the different SDGs, understand their inter-relationships, and analyze our effectiveness at achieving these goals from different disciplinary perspectives.

Note: Since the topics listed under 298, 398, and 498 course codes vary from one year to the next and are not always relevant to Sustainability, to have this course count officially towards your Minor, please fill out a student request form and submit it to the College to ensure that a note goes on your official record that this course counts. This need not be done before the beginning of the course and can be done anytime before you apply to graduate.

This course explores the role of business in developing a sustainable global society. Students explore current environmental and societal concerns and the role of business in influencing them. Students learn how the relationships between business and various stakeholders, including communities, governments, and the natural environment, can create opportunities for generating economic, environmental, and social value.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Management.

This course focuses on the emerging business environment, and how organizations implement ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable management. Sustainable strategies are explored within the context of global economic development, to develop organizational vision, products and processes for achieving long‑term sustainable prosperity.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for this course under a MANA 299 or COMM 299 number may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Management.

This course is an introduction to the emerging field of global environmental politics. It surveys the present environmental crisis and the roles of states, international organizations, and civil society. Various case studies dealing with oceans, forests, fisheries, biodiversity, global warming, and others are used to illustrate the inherent complexity of transnational ecological issues in the era of globalization.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Political Science.

This course offers a socio-anthropological account of botanic gardens, natural science museums, and zoos in relation to the genesis of modern governance as well as in relation to contemporary socio-environmental dynamics. The course is divided into three parts. In the first part of this course students will learn about the historical role that these three institutions played in the emergence of the modern Nation State and in the establishment of colonial processes of empire building. In the second part of the course students will critically explore the current re-invention of botanic gardens, natural science museums, and zoos as institutions of environmental governance. In the third and final part of the course students will explore illustrative case-studies of the ways in which these three institutions are currently engaged in environmental conservation via citizen engagement, education, and public outreach.

Notes:

(1) Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

(2) Note: Since the topics listed under 298, 398, and 498 course codes vary from one year to the next and are not always relevant to Sustainability, to have this course count officially towards your Minor, please fill out a student request form and submit it to the College to ensure that a note goes on your official record that this course counts. This need not be done before the beginning of the course and can be done anytime before you apply to graduate.

Prerequisite: Membership in the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability, or permission of the College. The student works under the supervision of a Fellow of the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre, a Fellow of the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability (LCDS), or another faculty member approved by the College on an in-depth research project of relevance to either Sustainability Studies or Diversity Studies. A formal, written report is required.

Note: Since the topics listed under 298, 398, and 498 course codes vary from one year to the next and are not always relevant to Sustainability, to have this course count officially towards your Minor, please fill out a student request form and submit it to the College to ensure that a note goes on your official record that this course counts. This need not be done before the beginning of the course and can be done anytime before you apply to graduate.

Prerequisite: 12 credits of LOYC courses; or permission of the College. This course focuses on the conceptualization of cross-disciplinary inquiry and the problems of interdisciplinary communication. The role of discipline-based and cross-disciplinary research is studied. A brief intellectual history of discipline-formation and emerging interdisciplinary fields is discussed. One contemporary global issue will usually be discussed in detail in this context.

There are two options for this course: the internship option and the research project option. For the first, students complete 120 hours of an approved internship and some related work in class. For the second, students complete a major research paper.

This course explores the role of business in developing a sustainable global society. Students explore current environmental and societal concerns and the role of business in influencing them. Students learn how the relationships between business and various stakeholders, including communities, governments, and the natural environment, can create opportunities for generating economic, environmental, and social value.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Management.

This course focuses on the emerging business environment, and how organizations implement ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable management. Sustainable strategies are explored within the context of global economic development, to develop organizational vision, products and processes for achieving long‑term sustainable prosperity.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for this course under a MANA 299 or COMM 299 number may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Management.

This course critically examines the existing food system by asking whether it is economically, socially and ecologically sustainable. It explores the politics of food by introducing students to existing and emerging social movements whose goal is to build a more sustainable food system.

NOTE: Students who have received credit for ANTH 384 or SOCI 384 or for this topic under an ANTH 398 or SOCI 398 number may not take this course for credit.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

This course considers ethical issues arising in the context of social, legal, and political relations. These issues are discussed in relation to both traditional and contemporary moral perspectives, both religious and non-religious. Topics covered typically include discussions of social and economic inequality, welfare, poverty, just punishment, business ethics, public ethics, economic development, and sustainable development.

Note: Students registered to begin the Minor in January 2019 or later cannot take this course towards their Minor if they are also registered in a Major, Specialization, or Honours program hosted by the Department of Religions and Cultures.