Environmental Sciences
ES: Environmental Conservation and Reclamation Courses
Location
Vermilion
Credential
Diploma
Program Length
2 years
Year 1 required courses
| BI 110 Ecology & Field Biology - 3 credits |
| This course introduces fundamental ecological principles and concepts. Interactions between organisms and their environments are emphasized throughout. Major themes include: the physical environment, natural selection, plant and animal adaptations, population dynamics, predator-prey systems, co evolutionary interactions, population genetics, and ecosystem productivity. Time is spent in the field studying biotic and abiotic relationships in local community types using standard ecological field methods. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| BI 205 Limnology: Lakes & Rivers - 3 credits |
| This course covers various physical, chemical, and biological properties of both standing and running freshwater systems. Students are introduced to various techniques used in the collection and analysis of limnological data, and how to use these data to assess the health of freshwater ecosystems. Prerequisite: none. Co-requisites: BI 110 |
| BI 270 Managing Rangeland Ecosystems - 3 credits |
| A study of rangeland ecology, this course focuses on soil-plant-animal-water interactions in rangeland ecosystems. Basic factors determining survival and the competitive strategy of range plants are studied in detail. Sound range management strategies designed to ensure ecosystem stability and sustainability are emphasized. Considerable time is spent in lab learning to key and identify native plants. Prerequisite: BO 120. Co-requisites: None |
| BO 120 Field Botany & Plant Taxonomy - 3 credits |
| Native plants and communities of Alberta are studied focusing on general and applied plant botany. Students obtain practical field experience in plant community relationships while identifying, collecting, and preserving plants for further study. Students spend considerable time learning to use plant keys for taxonomic classification and for identifying plant species and families. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| CO 166 Scientific Writing & Computer Applications - 3 credits |
| This course explores fundamental approaches to scientific writing. Considerable time is spent discussing what constitutes critical content and how that content is effectively organized for a variety of documents used in the scientific industry. Strategies for efficient technical writing are emphasized for discipline-specific applications. Students become familiar with common computer software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| MA 202 Statistics & Data Management - 3 credits |
| This course provides an introduction to the basic statistical procedures and data management techniques commonly used in the environmental sciences. Emphasis is placed on methods for organizing, storing, retrieving, analyzing, graphing and interpreting environmental data with database and spreadsheet software. Major analytical topics include measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability distributions, parametric and non-parametric hypothesis tests, correlation analysis, simple linear regression, and single-factor analysis of variance. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| SC 110 Inorganic Chemistry - 3 credits |
| This is a basic course in inorganic chemistry with an emphasis on environmental applications. Basic chemical concepts are presented in the lecture series with application of those concepts in the laboratory component. Pre/co-requisites: None |
SC 125 Environmental Mapping & Technology |
| New course in Agricultural Sustainability Program fall 2023. Outline under development. |
| SC 200 Organic Chemistry - 3 credits |
| This course is a study of the structure, properties and reactions of the main classes of organic compounds and their relationship to living organisms and the environment. Laboratory techniques, including tests required for the assessment of environmental quality, are covered. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| SO 210 Introductory Soil Science - 3 credits |
| This course provides an overview of soil formation processes and the fundamental morphological, physical, chemical and biological characteristics of soil. Students gain knowledge of soils through lectures and hands on experience. Students become familiar with The Canadian System of Soil Classification to the Order level and the issues associated with ‘problem soils’. Prerequisites: None. Co-requisites: SC 200 |
There's a new optional work-integrated learning course for all Environmental Science majors! If taken in between year 1 and year 2, students can opt out of BI 210 or SC 301 in year 2.
EPR 200 Environmental Science Practicum - 3 credits |
| Outline under development. New optional course for all Environmental Science majors in Year 1. If taken, students can choose to opt out of BI 210 or SC 301. |
Year 2 required courses
| BI 210 Forest Ecology - 3 credits |
| This course is an introduction to forest ecology and ecological forest management. The impacts of industry and other land-use on forests are investigated at a landscape scale. Topics include dendrology, ecological disturbance, forest biodiversity, forest management techniques, approaches to forest restoration, and reclamation criteria for forested areas. Field trips and labs are used to develop field skills in tree and shrub identification, forest insect and disease identification, timber cruising, forest harvesting, stand assessment, and ecosystem classification. Prerequisites: BI 110 & BO 120. Co-requisites: None |
| ESC 423 Fundamentals of Remediation - 3 credits |
| This course focuses on fundamental aspect of remediation. The course covers the potential contaminant sources, subsurface geochemistry, physical and chemical principles of contaminants and their applications to soil systems. The focus is on the fundamental principles of fate and transport, retardation and transformation processes of contaminants in soil and water media. Students learn about contaminant plume behaviour and application of remedial fundamentals to site specific risk assessment. Pre/co-requisites: None |
| SC 281 Invasive Plant Ecology & Management - 3 credits |
| This course focuses on vegetation management strategies for industrial sites, natural areas, and anthropogenic landscapes. Plant biology and competitive strategies of weed specie are studied in detail with emphasis on invasive plants. Integrated tools and techniques for control are described and include prevention, cultural, manual, physical, and chemical approaches. Students spend considerable time in lab identifying weed species, seedlings, and seeds. Prerequisites: BI 270 & BO 120. Co-requisites: None |
| SC 301 Applied Hydrology - 3 credits |
| This course focuses on the main components of the hydrologic cycle and how this impacts quantity, quality and distribution of water resources within a watershed basin. Precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, streamflow and groundwater flow are examined with reference to drought, flooding, erosion and sedimentation. Students are introduced to field techniques in stream discharge measurement, and geomorphic characterization of watersheds. Pre/co-requisites: None |
SC 307 Environmental Site Assessment - 3 credits |
| Students gain a basic understanding of how to evaluate contaminated sites through the processes of a Site Assessment, Site Characterization, and the parallel process of Environmental Risk Assessment. More and more frequently, the effective management of environmental risks (i.e. contamination) and remediation of contaminated sites requires a basic understanding of the science, policy and culture of risk assessment and risk management. Prerequisites: SC 200 or equivalent. Co-requisites: None |
SC 311 Resource Industries - 3 credits |
| This is a new course in Environmental Sciences fall 2023. Course outline under development. |
| SC 336 Environmental Contaminants - 3 credits |
| This course focuses on study of Environmental contaminants, their physical- chemical properties and fate and transport in environmental media (air, water and soil). The focus is on industrial pollutants discharged into the environment from various sectors such as pulp and paper, oil and gas, mining and agricultural developments. Emphasis is placed on contaminant risk assessment and risk management. Students learn about emerging environmental contaminants and evolving engineering solutions to mitigate these contaminants. Prerequisites: SC 200 & SC 301. Co-requisites: None |
SO 320 Soil Conservation - 3 credits |
| This course is a study of soil properties from a soil conservation perspective. The primary focus is on understanding soil properties to achieve soil and water conservation objectives and to prevent soil degradation. Field techniques used to assess soil degradation and to implement erosion and sediment control projects are emphasized. Prerequisite: SO 210. Co-requisites: None |
SO 340 Soil Classification & Landforms - 3 credits |
| This is an in-depth study of the Canadian System of Soil Classification with emphasis on the factors affecting soil genesis and taxonomy. Topics include geology, glaciation, weathering and the chemistry and physics of Canadian soils. Extensive fieldwork focuses on methods of classifying soils and landforms, soil mapping and report preparation/use, and basic procedures in land assessment. Prerequisite: SO 210 or equivalent. Co-requisites: None |
| SO 350 Soil Fertility & Fertilizers - 3 credits |
| This course is a study of soil as a medium of growth. The fertility status of soils and plant/soil relationships are discussed in depth. Major topics include the function and mode of uptake of essential nutrients by plants, the forms and transformations of nutrients in soils, and the influence of soil chemical and physical characteristics. The impact of fertilizer chemistry, application method, and timing of application on soil fertility status is also reviewed. Prerequisite: SO 210. Co-requisites: None |