NR/IDS 303: Humans and the Environment

Instructor: Oldřich Výlupek
Credits: 3
GEP: Interdisciplinary Perspective

Course Description

Interactions among human populations in the biophysical system and the environment. Emphasis on current issues, ecological principles and their relationships to basic biophysical processes; considers food, population dynamics, public land and common resources, renewable natural resources, pollution, water resources, energy and non-renewable resources. Developing an understanding of interactions between the humans and the environment, natural resource management and basic economic issues related to natural resources. Provide students with basic knowledge of current environmental issues, ecological principles, ecosystems dynamics with their functions and services they provide. To develop an understanding of the management of natural resources at the organizational level. This module introduces an understanding of economic issues in the area of natural resources.

Learning Outcomes

Students would gain the theoretical knowledge in selected areas of ecology, economy and management of natural resources. They will understand the basic concepts, laws and theories, which correspond to the usage of economic exploitation of natural resources to sustainable growth. They will have a basic knowledge of the practical management of the industry and the product development trends, and prevailing world trends in environmental fields. They will
have special knowledge about renewable and non-renewable resources and usable procedures.

Skills: Course participants are able to apply their knowledge in practical applications, especially in the strategic management of natural resources exploitation and use of available tools in addressing typical environmental and
economic issues-oriented problems. They have a basic knowledge of operations management, forecasting, and planning procedures, which they can demonstrate by the use of knowledge about economic and non-economic, ethical and social contexts.

Communication: They effectively act as managers and are able to communicate and manage their activities. The students will gain skills to communicate within the team between themselves and between the team and the lecturer. This way the students prepare and defend their projects.

Education: Students will have the ability to continue self-education and continually monitor and seek independent professional resources to determine their own educational needs utilizing self-paced study. They have a processing capacity for critical information from a variety of open sources to formulate the foundations of their own self-education.