Course Level Outcomes:

• Define the principles of science, stewardship and sustainability, and recognize their role in evaluating and establishing a viable human society within Earth’s systems.
• Apply the scientific method and recognize that with its use science provides a reliable, rigorous and unbiased way to gain knowledge of the natural world.
• Quantitatively describe the Earth systems of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere/geosphere, and biosphere, and identify how these systems interact with one another and function collectively to support life on Earth.
• Describe ecosystems in terms of how they vary in distribution, are structured and function (internally and as part of the larger biosphere), and how they provide valuable goods and services.
• Justify the value of diverse and properly functioning ecosystems as they enable life and support economic activity.
• Describe human population characteristics and growth trends.
• Relate the specific activities of human societies to their contributions to the environmental problems of biodiversity loss, degradation of water, soil, and air resources, depletion of natural resources, and climate change. 
• Explain the effectiveness and feasibility of governmental environmental policy in defining and regulating the role and impacts of human society on Earth.
• Examine the role of individual choices in minimizing the consequences of our activities on the natural environment. 

Program-Level Learning Outcomes:  This course addresses the following program learning outcomes:

• PSLO 1 - Sustainability:  Students describe the interaction between science, stewardship and sustainability as it applied to the Earth’s systems and human society and the scientific method and how it is used to approach and solve problems.  
• PSLO 2 - Human Environmental Impact:  Students describe human population growth and the current and potential impacts of that of that growth in regards to maintaining the Earth’s living systems, including global climate change, ozone depletion, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
• PSLO 3 - Ecological Systems: Recognizing and defining terms and concepts related to the biosphere and ecosystems

General Education Outcomes: This course addresses the following general education outcomes:

• Communication Skills - Develop, interpret and express ideas and information through written and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience and medium
• Critical Thinking Skills - Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry and creative thinking
• Empirical and Quantitative Skills - Apply mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods through the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
• Personal Responsibility - Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision making by connecting choices, actions and consequences
• Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness) - Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities
• Teamwork - Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal

Catalog Description 

An overview of environmental science and current global concerns, exploring scientific, economic, social and political solutions to environmental problems. Discussion of the history of the environmental movement, environmental regulatory agencies, fundamental principles of resources and their use, population, conservation, and environmental health. A student may not receive credit for both ENVR 1301 and BIOL 2206.

Course Rationale

This course is designed to give a basic understanding of the Earth's life-supporting, ecological systems and the threats to those systems. As a member of this society/planet, it is up to everyone to make educated choices when voting on (or influencing) environmental issues or political candidates and in their daily existence. The information in this class should help to inform the citizen of those correct choices.

Required Text

Essential Environment: The Science Behind the Stories, 7th edition, Jay Withgott and Matthew Laposata, 2025, Pearson (ISBN13: 9780138276867 or 8220144372128). The textbook is required for the course and an electronic version of the textbook will be available through the Course Textbook link in Blackboard. Please note that the electronic version of the textbook is included with this section’s First Day Access registration package (see more information below).

First Day Access: This section includes a fee to cover the costs of an electronic textbook, provided at a discount from the ACC Bookstore. The digital materials fee will be added to your tuition and fees when you register. You may choose to opt-out of this fee and receive a refund if you wish to purchase the course materials separately. Opt-out requests must be received prior to the official reporting date for a full refund. For more information, see the following link: First Day Classes

Any questions or concerns about First Day access textbook should be directed to the Barnes & Noble College Customer Care team (see the email and phone contact information below).

• Email the Customer Care team: bookstorecustomercare@bncollege.com
• Call the Customer Care team: 1-844-9-EBOOKS (1-844-932-6657)

Required Materials, Software, and Technology

Students will need access to the following technology: the internet, a device such as a computer, tablet, or laptop, ACCEID, Blackboard Ultra, ACCmail, GoogleMeet and Respondus Lockdown Browser

Grading System

This course will provide multiple opportunities and a variety of assessment formats for students to demonstrate understanding of course concepts and engagement with the course material. Grades in this course will come from a combination of 4 Exams, 12 Assignments and 4 Quizzes. Grades and assignment/exam feedback will be communicated through the Gradebook in Blackboard Ultra.

Overall Course Grade:

Your Overall Course Grade for ENVR 1301 will consist of 1000 total possible points. The points earned will be translated into a percentage and assigned a letter grade as explained below.

Your Overall Course Grade (%) = (Points Earned/1000 Total Possible Points) x 100.

Course Grade = 1000 Total Possible Points From:

500 points (50%) – 4 Exams (125 points each) 

200 points (20%) – 4 Quizzes (50 points each)

300 points (30%) – 12 Assignments (25 points each) 

Letter Grades will be determined from the Overall Course Grade percentage using a standard grade scale (100-90% = “A”, 89-80% = “B”, 79-70% = “C”, 69-60 = “D”, and 59 or less = “F”).  There is no curve at the end of the course. Opportunities for extra credit may be offered at the instructor’s discretion and will be announced in Blackboard Ultra if available.

Grade Components

Exams (500 points, 50%) – Four closed-book, timed, independently-completed end-of-module exams, worth 125 points (12.5%) each, will be given in the format of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, interpreting data, and short-answer questions to assess your understanding of the course content provided in the lectures and addressed in related assignments and quizzes. Refer to the Course Schedule (at the end of the syllabus) for the dates of the four exams. For this class, exams are expected to be completed independently (without consulting other people or resources), within one 80-minute class period, and without the use of course materials (textbook/lectures/notes), or other online information. Exams will be completed and submitted during the class period on the day of the exam. During testing, students must remain in the classroom and must leave all electronic devices and backpacks at the back of the classroom.

Module 1 EXAM – The first exam will test material covered in Module 1 during Weeks 1-4.

Module 2 EXAM – The second exam will test material covered in Module 2 during Weeks 5-8.

Module 3 EXAM – The third exam will test material covered in Module 3 during Weeks 9-12.

Module 4 EXAM – The fourth exam will test material covered in Module 4 during Weeks 13-16.

Quizzes (200 points, 20%) – Four quizzes worth 50 points (5%) each, will be completed and submitted through Blackboard Ultra in which two are the pre-course and post-course to access understanding of certain required topics. The pre-course quiz will also be used to communicate acknowledgement and understanding of course-specific information and policies provided in the syllabus.

Assignments (300 points, 30%) – Twelve assignments, worth 25 points (2.5%) each will be assigned and submitted through Blackboard Ultra to provide an opportunity to: 1) engage with the textbook and other resources provided by the instructor, 2) demonstrate understanding of course concepts, 3) make real-world connections to lecture content, and 4) explore specific environmental science topics in more depth. Assignments are “open-book” and expected to be completed using the resources provided or referenced in the assignment. However, assignments are expected to be completed independently (without consulting other people or AI). Assignments will be given in a variety of formats including a combination the following formats.

• Discussion Board Contributions: Discussion board contribution assignments will facilitate student-student interaction and learning.
• Assessment-Type Assignments: Assessment-type assignments will give students an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking about course concepts as well as connections to real-world issues in an open-book assessment.
• Student-Created Products: Student-created products (i.e., a digital poster, presentation, or blog) that are shared with classmates in the Discussion Board, will provide students with an opportunity to explore, summarize, and raise awareness of more specific environmental science-related issues and/or environmental problems. These student-created product assignments may also be used to assess ACC-required Gen-Ed skills.
• In-Class Learning Activities: In-class participation-based learning activities will be completed during class over the course of the semester in order to encourage attendance and participation, engage students in the lecture content, provide students with an opportunity to interact with and learn from other students in class and communicate questions and share course topic interests with the instructor. In-class learning activities will be submitted as “exit tickets” at the end of the class period.

Optional Extra Credit

An optional extra credit assignment MAY BE offered during the semester. Students who complete the instructor‑provided assignment may earn up to 2% added to their final course grade. This opportunity is intended to support deeper engagement with environmental science concepts and provide an additional pathway for demonstrating learning in this accelerated 10‑week course.

The extra credit assignment may be completed once and must be submitted by the deadline posted in Blackboard. Extra credit is applied after all other course grades have been calculated and does not replace missing work or individual assignment grades. Full assignment instructions and submission requirements will be provided in Blackboard.

Attendance/Participation

Regular class attendance, as well as thorough completion and timely submission of all exams, assignments, and quizzes, are essential to successful completion of the course. Students are expected to keep up with the course material presented in lectures and addressed in assignments, submit all grade components by their due dates, and communicate any questions, concerns, or technical difficulties as soon as possible. The student is responsible for communicating with the instructor reasons for failing to attend and/or participate in the class or complete assignments and exams. If a student misses class on a lecture day, it is the student’s responsibility to review (on their own) the lecture slides provided in Blackboard Ultra.

Attendance Certification: ACC-required course Attendance Certification by the term’s Census Date will be completed during the first two weeks of class by class attendance and submission of all Weeks 1 and 2 grade components by their due dates (end of Weeks 1 and 2). If a student fails to: 1) attend class during Weeks 1 and 2, and 2) submit the grade components for Weeks 1 and 2 by their due dates, that student will be certified on the Census as having “Not Attended” the course and will be dropped from enrollment in the course. Additionally, if during the course, a student’s attendance, participation, or compliance with course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw the student from the course.

Withdrawal Policy

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date. The Final Withdrawal Date for this 16-week semester is Thursday, November 19, 2026. . The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.”

Missed Exams

Only ONE make-up exam per semester will be permitted to students who have a valid and documented reason of illness or other extenuating circumstance that prevent them from taking the exam on time. A make-up exam will be given as a proctored exam that must be completed in the ACC Campus Testing Center within ONE WEEK of the missed exam date (for Exams 1-3), and by Friday of Week 16 for Exam 4. To complete the make-up exam in the Testing Center, the student must obtain prior INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL and SCHEDULE an APPOINTMENT to take the make-up exam with the ACC Campus Testing Center. A student may NOT take a make-up exam if they have more than 2 absences (missed 25% or more of the classes) in that 4-week learning module. Please contact me as soon as possible to discuss scheduling a make-up exam should extenuating circumstances arise that result in a missed exam.

Late Assignments

In order to keep-up with the course material, assignments MUST be turned in on time. Assignments that are turned in up to TWO DAYS LATE (by Sunday at 11:59 PM) will be accepted for FULL credit. Assignments that are turned in more than two days late, but NO later than 1 week late will receive PARTIAL credit (-2.5 points). Assignments that are turned in more than 1 week late, but NO later than 2 weeks late will receive PARTIAL credit (-5 points). Assignments turned in more than 2 weeks late will receive NO credit (except for excused absences due to valid and documented extenuating circumstances). Please contact me as soon as possible concerning extenuating circumstances that result in late assignments.

Incomplete Policy

An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given for extenuating circumstances. What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion. If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester. A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant. The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not. The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an “I” grade.

1.          Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date. This meeting can occur virtually or in person. The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.          The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student. The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement. A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.

3.          The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above. This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.

4.          Students will retain access to the course Blackboard Ultra page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.

5.          When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F. If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.” Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

Definition of GAI: Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can generate text, images, or other content based on minimal human input. Examples: ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.

The use of generative AI (GAI) is permitted in this course under certain conditions to enhance learning while maintaining academic integrity. GAI is permitted to foster technological fluency and to leverage advanced tools for research, as long as it does not substitute for critical thinking and learning. GAI can be used for initial research and idea generation. It is not to be used for final submissions of assignments and taking exams. If this course requires submission of a research paper, GAI cannot be used for generating images, maps and diagrams. GAI can be used as a research tool but cannot be used for the final identification of rocks, minerals, fossils or wildlife. Students using GAI must use proper citations.

GAI can be inaccurate, and students should verify content. The ACC Library Services AI Guide provides information on how to properly cite using AI and techniques for use. Contributions of GAI must be clearly cited and will be assessed on the student’s ability to critically analyze and integrate the AI-generated content. Misuse of GAI, including a failure to cite, will be considered a breach of academic integrity, with consequences including a failing grade for the assignment and academic review. Should the technology be required as an accommodation, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

GAI Data Privacy and Security: In accordance with our dedication to privacy and security, students are advised to refrain from sharing any sensitive or personally identifiable information on GAI platforms. Given that content inputted into or generated by these platforms may become accessible to the platform’s operators, caution is advised. Always ensure your data is clean, accurate, and does not include personal information before interacting with these technologies.

GAI Bias, Discrimination, and Falsehood: Students are cautioned that GAI may inadvertently produce biased or inaccurate content. It is incumbent upon the student to critically evaluate and verify the information provided by these platforms. Relying on unverified GAI content for academic work is unacceptable and may lead to disciplinary action

GAI Academic Honesty: Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and others, are rapidly evolving technologies that have great potential in all realms of human endeavor, including teaching and learning. They also pose serious challenges, particularly with regard to academic integrity. At Austin Community College, the use of these tools in coursework, like any others, is subject to the same standards outlined in the college’s Academic Integrity policy.

Presenting AI-generated content as your own without proper attribution is considered a violation of academic integrity. All work you submit must reflect your own understanding and effort. If you use generative AI to help with your work, you must clearly acknowledge how and where it was used. Intellectual honesty is essential to a fair and supportive academic environment.

If there is any doubt, consult with your instructor before using AI tools.