Solving environmental problems often requires social intervention skills and not just an understanding of the biophysical environment. This certificate program is designed to give students, regardless of their major, an understanding of individual behavior, social organization and values, politics, law, and communication as these fields relate to environmental intervention. The aim is to provide action-oriented training in skills that strengthen environmental protection efforts. The program culminates in a practicum experience in which these skills are applied to an environmental issue of current concern.
The certificate is administered jointly through several departments at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Further information can be obtained from any of the following three faculty members:
Dr. Caron Chess, Cook Office Building, Room 205, 732-932-9153, ext. 318, or chess_c@aesop.rutgers.edu.
Dr. William K. Hallman, Cook Office Building, Room 215, 732-932-9153, ext. 313, or hallman@aesop.rutgers.edu.
Dr. Andrew Pleasant, Cook Office Building, Room 207, 732-932-9153, ext. 320, or pleasant@aesop.rutgers.edu.
Required courses (18)
11:374:279 Politics of Environmental Issues (3)
11:374:322 Environmental Behavior (3) or 11:374:335 Social Responses to Environmental Problems
11:374:325 Environmental Communication (3)
11:375:333 Environmental Law I (3)
An independent study project approved by the certificate adviser (3)
One of the following courses in communication skills, in addition to the 6 credits required by the school (3):
01:355:302 Scientific and Technical Writing (3)
01:355:303 Writing for Business and the Professions (3)
01:355:402 Advanced Writing Workshop (3)
04:192:220 Fundamentals of Speaking and Listening (3)
04:192:359 Persuasive Communication (3)
04:192:365 Principles of Public Relations (3)
04:192:380 Public Speaking (3)
04:567:324 News Reporting and Writing (3)
04:567:327 Public Information and Public Affairs (3)
11:374:435 Communication in the Life Sciences (3)
11:374:493 Environmental Communication Clinic (3)
Electives (9)
01:790:301 Political Campaigning (3)
01:790:305 Public Policy Formation (3)
01:790:330 Interest Groups (3)
01:790:341 Public Administration: American Bureaucracy (3) or 01:790:342 Public Administration: Policymaking (3)
11:373:363 Environmental Economics (3) or 01:220:332 Environmental Economics (3)
11:374:201 Research Methods in Human Ecology (3)
11:374:313 Environmental Policy and Institutions (3)
11:374:335 Social Responses to Environmental Problems (3)
11:374:337 Systems Approaches and Interventions in Human Ecology (3)
11:374:430 Risk, Health, and Safety (3)
11:374:433 Public Participation and Environmental Policy (3)
11:375:334 Environmental Law II (3)
19:910:666 Social Action Techniques and Methods (3)
__:___:___ Additional communication skills course from the list above (3)
Other courses approved in advance by the certificate adviser may be substituted.
