ENM101 People And The Environment (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Biological Sciences (BILSC)
Duration: One session
Abstract:
Professionals increasingly are required to deal with complex and uncertain socio-ecological issues in both their planning and practice. Social science is the body of theory, understanding and experience that deals with the human (or social) dimensions of environmental issues. This subject places social science research and knowledge squarely in the domain of natural resource and environmental management. The practice of social science research and application is explored through discussions in tutorials (or residential school) with reference to contemporary environmental and resource management issues. The subject contains a total estimated workload of 160 hours.
+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations
| Session 1 | |
|---|---|
| Internal | Albury-Wodonga |
| Distance * | Albury-Wodonga |
*This subject offering contains a residential school. Please view following information for further details.
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: ENM101
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.
Enrolment restrictions:
Students who have previously completed PKM101 or PKM105 may not enrol in this subject.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
be able to:
- understand the nature and philosophy of the social sciences,
- distinguish between different social science disciplines,
- use some current methods of social research,
- critically consider some applications of social research in natural resource/environmental management,
- have information literacy skills,
- consider why the human dimension is important for natural resource/environmental managers.
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
- Why bother with the human dimensions?
- Introduction to the social sciences: Economics, philosophy and psychology
- Introduction to the social sciences: Sociology and the sociological imagination
- Introduction to the social sciences: Anthropology and the ethnographic approach
- Social research: quantitative, qualitative and participative approaches
- Ethical considerations of research with humans
- NRM Case study 1: The changing face of protected area management
- NRM Case study 2: Environmentally sustainable development
- NRM Case study 3: Indigenous peoples knowledge and understandings
- NRM case study 4: Landcare
- NRM case study 5: Environmentalism
Residential School
This subject contains a compulsory 3 day residential school.
The purpose of the residential school is to allow distance students to participate in group exercises and share experiences. This will enhance learning of subject content, but is also an end in itself as participatory and/or reflective approaches to research are part of the subject material. Students will undertake two activities necessary for the completion of an assignment. Most importantly, they will practice interview techniques on each other in a relatively safe and controlled environment. Learning sound and ethical interviewing is particularly important as many courses contain subjects which require students to undertake interviews for assessment.
The information contained in the 2013 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 24 April 2013. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.