Major Environment - Biodiversity and Conservation (63 credits)

Offered by: Bieler School of Environment     Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Program Requirements

This domain (63 credits including core) is open only to students in the B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.) Major in Environment or B.Sc. Major in Environment program.

This domain links the academic study of biological diversity with the applied field of conservation biology. The study of biological diversity, or "biodiversity," lies at the intersection of evolution with ecology and genetics, combining the subdisciplines of evolutionary ecology, evolutionary genetics, and ecological genetics. It has two main branches: the creation of diversity and the maintenance of diversity. Both processes are governed by a general mechanism of selection acting over different scales of space and time. This gives rise to a distinctive set of principles and generalizations that regulate rates of diversification and levels of diversity, as well as the abundance or rarity of different species. Conservation biology constitutes the application of these principles in the relevant social and economic context to the management of natural systems, with the object of preventing the extinction of rare species and maintaining the diversity of communities. As the impact of industrialization and population growth on natural systems has become more severe, conservation has emerged as an important area of practical endeavour.

Suggested First Year (U1) Courses

For suggestions on courses to take in your first year (U1), you can consult the "Bieler School of Environment Student Handbook" available on the website (http://www.mcgill.ca/environment), or contact Kathy Roulet, the Program Adviser (kathy.roulet [at] mcgill.ca).

Program Requirements

Note: Students are required to take a maximum of 30 credits at the 200 level and a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level or higher in this program. This includes core and required courses.

Location Note: When planning their schedule and registering for courses, students should verify where each course is offered because courses for this program are taught at both McGill's Downtown campus and Macdonald campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.

Required Courses (18 credits)

Location Note: ENVR courses are taught at both McGill's Downtown campus and Macdonald campus. You should register in Section 001 of an ENVR course on the Downtown campus, and in Section 051 of an ENVR course on the Macdonald campus.

  • ENVR 200 The Global Environment (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : A systems approach to study the different components of the environment involved in global climate change: the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The interactions among these components. Their role in global climate change. The human dimension to global change.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

  • ENVR 201 Society, Environment and Sustainability (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : This course deals with how scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional and behavioural factors mediate society-environment interactions. Issues discussed include population and resources; consumption, impacts and institutions; integrating environmental values in societal decision-making; and the challenges associated with, and strategies for, promoting sustainability. Case studies in various sectors and contexts are used.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

  • ENVR 202 The Evolving Earth (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Formation of the Earth and the evolution of life. How geological and biological change are the consequence of history, chance, and necessity acting over different scales of space and time. General principles governing the formation of modern landscapes and biotas. Effects of human activities on natural systems.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

  • ENVR 203 Knowledge, Ethics and Environment (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Introduction to cultural perspectives on the environment: the influence of culture and cognition on perceptions of the natural world; conflicts in orders of knowledge (models, taxonomies, paradigms, theories, cosmologies), ethics (moral values, frameworks, dilemmas), and law (formal and customary, rights and obligations) regarding political dimensions of critical environments, resource use, and technologies.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall - Macdonald Campus; Winter - Downtown

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

  • ENVR 301 Environmental Research Design (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Techniques used in design and completion of environmental research projects. Problem definition, data sources and use of appropriate strategies and methodologies. Principles underlying research design are emphasized, including critical thinking, recognizing causal relationships, ideologies and bias in research, and when and where to seek expertise.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall - Downtown campus; Winter - Macdonald campus

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

    • Restrictions: Restricted to U2 or higher

    • Prerequisite(s): Completion of U1 Required courses in Environment, or permission of instructor.

  • ENVR 400 Environmental Thought (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Students work in interdisciplinary seminar groups on challenging philosophical, ethical, scientific and practical issues. They will explore cutting-edge ideas and grapple with the reconciliation of environmental imperatives and social, political and economic pragmatics. Activities include meeting practitioners, attending guest lectures, following directed readings, and organizing, leading and participating in seminars.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall - Macdonald Campus; Winter - Downtown

    • Section 001: Downtown Campus

    • Section 051: Macdonald Campus

    • Prerequisite: ENVR 203

    • Restriction: Open only to U3 students, or permission of instructor

Complementary Courses (45 credits)

Senior Research Project

3 credits will be applied to the program; extra credits will count as electives.
3 credits from:

  • AEBI 427 Barbados Interdisciplinary Project (6 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Biology (Agric & Envir Sc) : The planning of projects and research activities related to tropical food, nutrition, or energy at the local, regional, or national scale in Barbados. Projects and activities designed in consultation with university instructors, government, NGO, or private partners, and prepared by teams of 2-3 students working cooperatively with these mentors.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisite(s): AEBI 421, AEBI 423 and AEBI 425

    • Restriction(s): Restricted to students that are participating in the Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies Field Semester

    • **Since this course is being taught abroad, the Victoria Day statutory holiday will not be taken into consideration. Therefore, students are expected to attend their lecture on Monday, May 18, 2020.

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.

    • Project course AEBI 427 runs concurrently with the other courses (AEBI 421, AEBI 423 & AEBI 425) and the Mondays of each week are dedicated to AEBI 427.

  • ENVR 401 Environmental Research (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, social, ethical and environmental impact assessment, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Teams begin defining their projects during the preceding summer.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite(s): ENVR 301 and MATH 203 or equivalent, or by permission of the instructor

    • Restriction: Only open to U3 students in their final year in the following programs: B.A. Faculty Program in Environment, B.A.& Sc. Interfaculty Program in Environment, B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.) and B.Sc. Major in Environment, and Diploma in Environment.

  • ENVR 451 Research in Panama (6 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Research projects will be developed by instructors in consultation with Panamanian universities, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Project groups will consist of four to six students working with a Panamanian institution. Topics will be relevant to Panama: e.g., protection of the Canal watershed, economical alternatives to deforestation, etc.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Restriction: students in the Panama Field Semester program. Offered in Panama only

  • FSCI 444 Barbados Research Project (6 credits)

    Offered by: Science (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Faculty of Science : A research project that is supervised by McGill academic staff and is conducted in collaboration with local partners. The project topic must relate to the field of sustainability relating to the Caribbean or Barbados specifically.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisites GEOG 340, ATOC 341, BIOL 343 or permission of the Program Director.

    • Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students from all faculties who are registered in the Barbados Field Study Semester, with minimum CGPA of 3.0.

  • GEOG 451 Research in Society and Development in Africa (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Three intersecting components: 1) core development themes including culture change, environmental conservation, water, health, development (urban and rural), governance and conflict resolution, 2) research techniques for topics related to core themes, including ethics, risk, field methods and data analysis, 3) field documentation, scientific recording and communication.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: Open to U2 or later students in the AFSS.

    • Corequisite: NRSC 452.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken, or are taking ANTH 451.

Biological Principles of Diversity/ Systematics/ Conservation

3 credits from:

  • AEBI 212 Evolution and Phylogeny (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Biology (Agric & Envir Sc) : Overview of the tree of life and exploration of the central role evolution plays in the field of biology. Difficulties inherent to classifying life and critically assessing evolutionary theory among scientific and popular audiences. The importance of phylogenetics and the relationships among major groups of organisms.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Gillung, Jessica (Winter)

  • BIOL 304 Evolution (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : A comprehensive introduction to evolutionary biology. It covers both short-term and long-term evolutionary processes. Topics include the history of life, the origin of species, adaptation, natural selection and sexual selection.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

3 credits from:

  • AEBI 211 Organisms 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Biology (Agric & Envir Sc) : Introduction to the biology of heterotrophs, focusing on animal diversity from the perspectives of phylogenetics, physiology, and ecology. Introduction to major animal taxa, comparing and contrasting these taxa, and exploration of the relationships among them.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Head, Jessica (Winter)

    • Restrictions: None

  • BIOL 305 Animal Diversity (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : The characteristics of the major groups of animals, their ancestry, history and relationship to one another. The processes of speciation, adaptive radiation and extinction responsible for diversity. Methods for constructing of phylogenies, for comparing phenotypes, and for estimating and analyzing diversity.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

3 credits from:

  • BIOL 465 Conservation Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Discussion of relevant theoretical and applied issues in conservation biology. Topics: biodiversity, population viability analysis, community dynamics, biology of rarity, extinction, habitat fragmentation, social issues.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • WILD 421 Wildlife Conservation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Study of current controversial issues focusing on wildlife conservation. Topics include: animal rights, exotic species, ecotourism, urban wildlife, multi-use of national parks, harvesting of wildlife, biological controls, and endangered species.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Elliott, Kyle (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 lectures

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 421.

Ecology:

3 credits from:

  • BIOL 308 Ecological Dynamics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Principles of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics: population growth and regulation, species interactions, dynamics of competitive interactions and of predator/prey systems; evolutionary dynamics.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ENVB 305 Population and Community Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Interactions between organisms and their environment; historical and current perspectives in applied and theoretical population and community ecology. Principles of population dynamics, feedback loops, and population regulation. Development and structure of communities; competition, predation and food web dynamics. Biodiversity science in theory and practice.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: McKinney, Melissa (Winter)

Statistics:

3 credits from the following Statistics courses or equivalent:
Note: Other appropriate statistics courses may be approved as substitutions by the Program Adviser. Credit given for Statistics courses is subject to certain restrictions. Students in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science should consult the “Course Overlap” information in the “Course Requirements” section of the e-Calendar for the Faculty of Science.

  • AEMA 310 Statistical Methods 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Mathematics (Agric&Envir Sci) : Measures of central tendency and dispersion; binomial and Poisson distributions; normal, chi-square, Student's t and Fisher-Snedecor F distributions; estimation and hypothesis testing; simple linear regression and correlation; analysis of variance for simple experimental designs.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Dutilleul, Pierre R L (Fall) Dhiman, Jaskaran (Winter)

    • Two 1.5-hour lectures and one 2-hour lab

    • Please note that credit will be given for only one introductory statistics course. Consult your academic advisor.

  • GEOG 202 Statistics and Spatial Analysis (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Exploratory data analysis, univariate descriptive and inferential statistics, non-parametric statistics, correlation and simple regression. Problems associated with analysing spatial data such as the 'modifiable areal unit problem' and spatial autocorrelation. Statistics measuring spatial pattern in point, line and polygon data.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 hours and lab

    • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.

  • MATH 203 Principles of Statistics 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • No calculus prerequisites

    • Restriction: This course is intended for students in all disciplines. For extensive course restrictions covering statistics courses see Section 3.6.1 of the Arts and of the Science sections of the calendar regarding course overlaps.

    • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar. Students should consult http://www.mcgill.ca/students/transfercredit for information regarding transfer credits for this course.

Science, Policy, and Management:

9 credits from the following:

*You may take AGEC 200 or ECON 208, but not both.

  • AEBI 423 Sustainable Land Use (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Biology (Agric & Envir Sc) : Management, preservation, and utilization of forage crops in sustainable tropical environments; examination of their value as livestock feed in terms of nutritional composition and impact on animal performance; land use issues as it pertains to forage and animal production in insular environments.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisite(s): AEBI 421, AEBI 425, AEBI 427

    • Restriction: Restricted to students that are participating in the Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies Field Semester

    • **Since this course is being taught abroad, la Fête Nationale du Québec (June 24th) and Canada Day (July 1st) statutory holidays will not be taken into consideration. Therefore, students are expected to attend their lectures on both Wednesday, June 24 and Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.

    • Project course AEBI 427 runs concurrently with the other courses (AEBI 421, AEBI 423 & AEBI 425) and the Mondays of each week are dedicated to AEBI 427.

  • AGEC 200 Principles of Microeconomics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Agricultural Economics (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agricultural Economics : The field of economics as it relates to the activities of individual consumers, firms and organizations. Emphasis is on the application of economic principles and concepts to everyday decision making and to the analysis of current economic issues.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Harou, Aurelie (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 lectures

  • AGEC 430 Agriculture, Food and Resource Policy (3 credits)

    Offered by: Agricultural Economics (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agricultural Economics : Examination of North American and international agriculture, food and resource policies, policy instruments, programs and their implications. Economic analysis applied to the principles, procedures and objectives of various policy actions affecting agriculture, and the environment.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hickey, Gordon (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 lectures

    • Prerequisites: AGEC 200 or equivalent

  • BIOL 451 Research in Ecology and Development in Africa (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Development of observation and independent inquiry skills through: 1) participation in short-term project modules in collaboration with existing researchers; 2) participation in interdisciplinary team research on topics selected to allow comparative analysis of field sites; 3) active and systematic observation, documentation, and integration of field experience in ecology and development issues.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Open only to U2 or later students in the AFSS.

    • Corequisite(s): ANTH 451 or GEOG 451

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken or are taking NRSC 451.

  • ECON 208 Microeconomic Analysis and Applications (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Economics (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Economics (Arts) : A university-level introduction to demand and supply, consumer behaviour, production theory, market structures and income distribution theory.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ECON 225 Economics of the Environment (3 credits)

    Offered by: Economics (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Economics (Arts) : A study of the application of economic theory to questions of environmental policy. Particular attention will be given to the measurement and regulation of pollution, congestion and waste and other environmental aspects of specific economies.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken 154-325 or 154-425

  • ENVB 437 Assessing Environmental Impact (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Principles and practice of Environmental Assessment (EA) in Canada and internationally. Exploration of issues surrounding impact assessment for sustainable development in different sectors, including their limitations.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hickey, Gordon (Winter)

    • Open to U2 students and above.

  • ENVR 422 Montreal Urban Sustainability Analysis (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Applied and experience-based learning opportunities are employed to critically assess Montreal as a sustainable city through research, discussion, and field trips. The urban environment is considered through various specific dimensions, ranging from: waste, energy, urban agriculture, green spaces and design, or transportation.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite(s): ENVR 301 or equivalent, or permission from the instructor.

    • Corequisite(s): ENVR 421

  • GEOG 302 Environmental Management 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : An ecological analysis of the physical and biotic components of natural resource systems. Emphasis on scientific, technological and institutional aspects of environmental management. Study of the use of biological resources and of the impact of individual processes.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: Any 200-level course in Geography or MSE or BIOL 308 or permission of instructor.

  • GEOG 340 Sustainability in the Caribbean (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : The local environmental, social, historical, political and economic context of Barbados and the Caribbean. The small island developing States (SIDS), and why those nations are more vulnerable to global environmental challenges. The 17 Sustainability Development Goals of the United Nations, with a focus on the leadership role played by Barbados for the entire Caribbean region.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisites: ATOC 341, BIOL 343, FSCI 444 or permission of the Program Director.

    • Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students from all faculties who are registered in the Barbados Field Study Semester, with minimum CGPA of 3.0.

  • GEOG 360 Analyzing Sustainability (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Examines challenges to sustainability through a series of case studies to illustrate the analytical approaches used to understand the linkages between scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional, ethical, and human behavioural aspect of systems. Includes cases that are thematic and place-based, national and international, spanning from the local to global scales.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • GEOG 408 Geography of Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Examines the geographical dimensions of development policy, specifically the relationships between the process of development and human-induced environmental change. Focuses on environmental sustainability, struggles over resource control, population and poverty, and levels of governance (the role of the state, non-governmental organizations, and local communities).

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • NRSC 451 Research in Ecology and Development in Africa (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Natural Resource Sciences : Development of observation and independent inquiry skills through: 1) participation in short-term project modules in collaboration with existing researchers; 2) participation in interdisciplinary team research on topics selected to allow comparative analysis of field sites; 3) active and systematic observation, documentation, and integration of field experience in ecology and development issues.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Not open to students who have taken or are taking BIOL 451. Open to U2 or later students in the African Field Study Semester (AFSS).

    • Corequisites: ANTH or GEOG 451 Society & Development in Africa

  • PLNT 312 Urban Horticulture (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Selection, use and care of plants in urban environments for the benefit of urban populations: landscape design, turf and green space management, urban trees, green roofs and walls, design and management of community gardens, urban agriculture.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Wees, David (Winter)

  • POLI 345 International Organizations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Political Science (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Political Science : The politics and processes of global governance in the 21st century, with a special emphasis on the United Nations system.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: A basic course in International Politics or written consent of instructor

    • Note: The field is International Politics.

  • POLI 350 Global Environmental Politics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Political Science (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Political Science : Environmental problems like climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and ocean acidification transcend national borders. Solving these problems will require global cooperation on an unprecedented level. This course will explore the challenges of contemporary global environmental governance and the innovative solutions being advanced at the community, municipal, provincial, national, and international levels.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite(s): A basic course in International Politics.

  • WCOM 314 Communicating Science (3 credits)

    Offered by: McGill Writing Centre (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    WCOM : Production of written and oral assignments (in English) designed to communicate scientific problems and findings to varied audiences Analysis of the disciplinary conventions of scientific discourse in terms of audience, purpose, organization, and style; comparative rhetorical analysis of academic and popular genres, including abstracts, lab reports, research papers, print and online journalism.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CCOM 314.

Field Courses

3 credits from the following:

  • BIOL 240 Monteregian Flora (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Field studies of ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants; the use of keys for plant identification.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or permission

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 358

    • Note: Taught at the Gault Nature Reserve. Contact instructor for specific dates, logistics: (virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca).

    • This course is offered in the summer.

    • This course, given at the University’s Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilaire, has an additional fee of $485.56 which includes a hand lens, a textbook, handouts, lodging and supper each day.

  • BIOL 331 Ecology/Behaviour Field Course (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215, or equivalents, or permission of the instructor.

    • Note: This course has an additional fee. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

    • The field portion of this course is given at the University’s Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilare over a two-week period in the summer term. In the summer, students prepare a report based on projects carried out during this field portion. There is an additional fee of $688.37 that covers room and board and handouts. This fee could be refundable if the department approves it.

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.

  • BIOL 334D1 Applied Tropical Ecology (1.5 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Relevant to agriculture, forestry, fisheries and conservation of natural resources. Field component taught at the University's Bellairs Research Institute in Barbados, for two weeks in early May. The course is organized in a series of small-group field projects of 2-3 days each. Interested students should check the course website, attend the full information session and fill out an application form.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • BIOL 334D2 Applied Tropical Ecology (1.5 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : See BIOL 334D1 for course description.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter, Summer

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206; and BIOL 215 or both ENVR 200 and ENVR 202; and permission of the instructor.

    • Students must register for both BIOL 334D1 and BIOL 334D2.

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both BIOL 334D1 and BIOL 334D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms

    • This course, given in Barbados, has an additional fee of $1,847.31 to cover the costs of room and board at Bellairs Research Institute, the course pack and all other expenses during the course. It does not cover tuition, airfare, flight insurance, airport taxes, meals in transit, or the cost of supplementary health insurance. The fee is only refundable prior to the deadline to withdraw with full refund

  • BIOL 335 Marine Mammals (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Biology of marine mammals with special emphasis on seals and whales of the Bay of Fundy. Taught at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St. Andrews, N.B., for two weeks in August. The course combines lectures, laboratory exercises, field trips, and individual projects.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 205

    • This course is offered in the summer.

    • Apply first to Huntsman, then contact susan.gabe [at] mcgill.ca.

    • The fee for this field course is $1858.12 to cover fees related to the use of facilities for teaching and lab spaces in the Huntsman Marine Center (lodging, meals, facility rental spaces, transportation and tour fees).

  • BIOL 553 Neotropical Environments (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Ecology revisited in view of tropical conditions. Exploring species richness. Sampling and measuring biodiversity. Conservation status of ecosystems, communities and species. Indigenous knowledge.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ENTO 340 Field Entomology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : A field course and project about arthropod taxonomy, field methods and experimental design in entomology. Includes natural history observation, and experimental approaches to arthropod population and community ecology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Summer

  • ENVB 410 Ecosystem Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Biotic and abiotic processes that control the flows of energy, nutrients and water through ecosystems; emergent system properties; approaches to analyzing complex systems. Labs include collection and multivariate analysis of field data.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • This course carries an additional charge of 19.94 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

    • Prerequisites: ENVB 222, AEMA 310 or permission of instructor

  • GEOG 495 Field Studies - Physical Geography (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Field research projects in physical geography. Held locally in Monteregian or Eastern Township regions. The course is organised around field projects designed to formulate and test scientific hypotheses in a physical geography discipline. May Summer session.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 2-week field school

    • Prerequisites: 6 credits from the following list of Systematic Physical Geography courses: GEOG 305, GEOG 321, GEOG 322, GEOG 350, GEOG 372

    • Additional Dept. fee $579.99 will be charged to student fee account to cover the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and all meals for approximately 12 nights, as the course is held at the Gault Estate at Mont St.-Hilaire during May.

    • **This is a field course, so students won't be taking the holiday.

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.

  • PLNT 358 Flowering Plant Diversity (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Beauregard, Frieda (Fall)

    • A 4-day field week is held the week preceding the start of classes

    • Prerequisite: AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of instructor

    • A $92.68 fee is charged to all students registered in this course, which has a fieldwork component prior to the beginning of classes in August. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, a hand lens, instructional handouts and identification aids. Students who have already received a hand lens may request a reimbursement of a portion of this charge through their department.

  • PLNT 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

    • Prerequisite: AEMA 310 or permission of instructor.

    • This course carries an additional charge of $170.00 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

  • WILD 401 Fisheries and Wildlife Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Principles of fisheries and wildlife management are considered and current practices of research and management are discussed.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Humphries, Murray Mitchell; Elliott, Kyle; McKinney, Melissa; Roy, Denis (Fall)

    • Prerequisite: WILD 307 or permission of instructor

    • A fee is charged to all students registered in WILD 401, Fisheries and Wildlife Management, a course that has a required field trip. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, accommodations, food and fees associated with visiting research facilities where final projects are devised, and data are collected in the field (e.g., at the SUNY-ESF Adirondaks Ecological Center in Newcomb, New York). The Department of Natural Resource Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity.

  • WILD 475 Desert Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : A three week field course exploring relationships between climate, geology, landforms, biodiversity, biotic adaptations and ecosystem conditions in the arid regions of Arizona and southern California. Focus is on the Sonoran and Mojave deserts but includes the transitions to adjacent grassland and forest biomes of the Sky Islands and Colorado Plateau. Exploration of issues arising from human use of land and water, and conservation in arid environments. Experiential learning involving team and individual projects and assignments before and during the field trip.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Odd-numbered Winter terms; enrollment limited to 20.

    • The course begins and ends in Phoenix AZ. Students are responsible for their transportation to/from Phoenix.

    • The course requires camping and living under desert conditions.

    • Restriction(s): Restricted to U2 and U3 students.

    • Prerequisite(s):Permission of the instructors is required to register. To be eligible students are required to have at least one systems-focused course, one ecology course and two organismal courses. Students should consult the instructors for list of appropriate courses.

    • A course fee of $1,596.23 covers the cost of transportation, camping, admissions and most meals during the field trip.

  • WOOD 441 Integrated Forest Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Woodland Resources : The study of silviculture and silvics and their application to forest management to sustain the production of wood and other ecological goods and services such as wildlife, water and landscape in natural forests and rural environments (agroforestry). Acquisition of practical skills in forest surveying and computer simulation of forest growth.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Côté, Benoît (Winter)

General Scientific Principles

6 credits from the following:

* Note: You may take one of BREE 529, ENVB 529 or GEOG 314; you may take one of GEOG 322 or BREE 217; you may take one of ANSC 326 or BIOL 324.

  • ANSC 326 Fundamentals of Population Genetics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Animal Science : Population genetics mechanisms in mammals, birds and plant. Factors influencing gene, genotype, and phenotypic frequencies. Effects of different types of selection, Hardy-Weinberg, linkage and recombination, polymorphisms and heterozygosity, population size, random drift and inbreeding on gene and genotype frequencies. Relationship between quantitative genetic parameters and gene frequencies.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Cue, Roger (Fall)

    • Prerequisites: AEMA 310 and LSCI 204, or equivalents, or permission of the instructor.

  • ATOC 341 Caribbean Climate and Weather (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : The climate system and ongoing global change, ocean and atmosphere circulation and future trends in the tropics; local climate variability and dynamics, extreme weather events in the Caribbean

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students from all faculties that are registered in the Barbados Field Study Semester, with minimum CGPA of 3.0.

    • Corequisites: BIOL 343, GEOG 340, FSCI 444 or permission of the Program Director

  • BIOL 202 Basic Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Introduction to basic principles, and to modern advances, problems and applications in the genetics of higher and lower organisms with examples representative of the biological sciences.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture, 1 hour optional tutorial per week

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 200 or BIOL 219

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking LSCI 204 or BIOL 302.

  • BIOL 216 Biology of Behaviour (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Introduction to the study of animal behaviour at the population, organismal, cellular, and molecular levels. Historical and contemporary methods and experiments will be presented and discussed to provide an overall appreciation of the biology of behaviour, with a focus on the application of multiple levels of analysis to biological phenomena and the formulation of hypotheses about evolution, development, function, and mechanisms of behavioural traits. Topics will range from how animals communicate with one another to the cellular mechanisms that allow information to be processed by nervous systems.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • BIOL 324 Ecological Genetics (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Presents evolutionary genetics within an ecological context. Covers theoretical and applied topics together with relevant data from natural populations of plant and animals.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 202 or BIOL 302

    • Two lectures per week; one required computer lab or conference per week

  • BIOL 342 Global Change Biology of Aquatic Ecosystems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An introduction to freshwater and marine biology. Topics include the structure and functioning of the major aquatic ecosystems and how these aspects are affected by global change drivers.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • BIOL 432 Limnology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215 or permission of instructor.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENVB 315.

    • This course, involving two field weekends, has an additional fee of $353.32, which includes room and board and transportation. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

  • BIOL 441 Biological Oceanography (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : An introduction to how the ocean functions biologically: biology and ecology of marine plankton; regulation, extent and fate of production in the sea.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • BIOL 515 Advances in Aquatic Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Aquatic ecology and the major issues challenging the field.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours seminar

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 432 or BIOL 441 or permission of the instructor

  • BREE 217 Hydrology and Water Resources (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Bioresource Engineering : Introduction to water resources and hydrologic cycle. Precipitation and hydrologic frequency analysis. Soil water processes, infiltration theory and modeling. Evapotranspiration estimation methods and crop water requirements. Surface runoff estimation as a function of land use modifications. Estimation of peak runoff rates. Unit hydrograph. Design of open channels and vegetated waterways.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Prasher, Shiv (Winter)

    • Three lectures, one 2-hour lab per week.

    • This course carries an additional course charge for field trips.

    • This course carries an additional course charge of $19.43 to cover transportation costs for two field trips, which may include a visit to a national weather station and a trip to gain hands-on experience on monitoring water flow in streams.

  • BREE 529 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Bioresource Engineering : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Adamchuk, Viacheslav; Cardille, Jeffrey; Dhiman, Jaskaran (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): At least one environmental science course and one ecology course or permission of instructor

    • Restriction(s): U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 201, GEOG 306, GEOG 307, ENVB/BREE 430, or ENVB 529. Limited to 32 students.

    • Fall

  • ENVB 313 Phylogeny and Biogeography (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Topics in the interface of evolution, phylogenetics, and biogeography, including tree thinking, phylogeny estimation, and the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity. The major scientific discoveries that demonstrated how Earth’s history affects the evolution of organisms, including the unheard voices of evolutionary biology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ENVB 500 Advanced Topics in Ecotoxicology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Exploring the impact of environmental chemicals on biological organisms in an ecological context. Basic topics in ecotoxicology, such as source and fate, routes of exposure, bioavailability, dose-response, biomarkers, and risk assessment will be covered from both theoretical and applied perspectives. The processes by which pollutants are tested, regulated, and monitored will be critically examined.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Head, Jessica (Fall)

  • ENVB 529 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Cardille, Jeffrey; Adamchuk, Viacheslav; Dhiman, Jaskaran (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): At least one environmental science course and one ecology course or permission of instructor

    • Restriction(s): U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 201, GEOG 306 or GEOG 307, ENVB/BREE 430, or BREE 529. Limited to 32 students.

    • Fall

  • GEOG 272 Earth's Changing Surface (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Introduction to the study of landforms as products of geomorphic and geologic systems acting at and near the Earth's surface. The process geomorphology approach will be used to demonstrate how landforms of different geomorphic settings represent a dynamic balance between forces acting in the environment and the physical properties of materials present.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours

  • GEOG 314 Geospatial Analysis (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Overview of both the theoretical and applied aspects of geographic information science and systems. Topics will include spatial analysis techniques, geographic models as abstractions of the real world, spatial data manipulation and management, and conceptual issues related to geographic data and technology. Introduction to a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • GEOG 321 Climatic Environments (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : The earth-atmosphere system, radiation and energy balances. Surface-atmosphere exchange of energy, mass and momentum and related atmospheric processes on a local and regional scale. Introduction to measurement theory and practice in micrometeorology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • GEOG 322 Environmental Hydrology (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or equivalent

  • LSCI 204 Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Life Sciences : The course integrates classical, molecular and population genetics of animals, plants, bacteria and viruses. The aim is to understand the flow of genetic information within a cell, within families and in populations. Emphasis will be placed on problem solving based learning. The laboratory exercises will emphasize the interpretation of genetic experimental data.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Charron, Jean-Benoit (Fall)

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken BIOL 202.

  • MICR 331 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : The ecology of microorganisms, primarily bacteria and archaea, and their roles in biogeochemical cycles. Microbial interactions with the environment, plants, animals and other microbes emphasizing the underlying genetics and physiology. Diversity, evolution (microbial phylogenetics) and the application of molecular biology in microbial ecology.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Driscoll, Brian T (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite(s): LSCI 230 or AEBI 212 or ENVR 202 or permission of the instructor.

    • Not recommended for U1 students.

  • SOIL 315 Soil Nutrient Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Soil Science : Plant nutrients in the soil, influence of soil properties on nutrient absorption and plant growth, use of organic and inorganic fertilizers.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Whalen, Joann (Fall)

A second field course from the program curriculum may also be taken.

Social Science:

3 credits from the following:

  • AGEC 333 Resource Economics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Agricultural Economics (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agricultural Economics : The role of resources in the environment, use of resources, and management of economic resources within the firm or organization. Problem-solving, case studies involving private and public decision-making in organizations are utilized.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Thomassin, Paul (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: AGEC 200 or equivalent

  • AGRI 411 Global Issues on Development, Food and Agriculture (3 credits)

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agriculture : International development and world food security and challenges in developing countries. Soil and water management, climate change, demographic issues, plant and animal resources conservation, bio-products and biofuels, economic and environmental issues specially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Globalization, sustainable development, technology transfer and human resources needs for rural development.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Vasseur, Elsa (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Two 2-hour conferences

  • ANSC 555 The Use and Welfare of Animals (3 credits)

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Animal Science : Understanding the roles in which animals are used by Society, especially in food production, companionship, research, and recreation; application of the scientific approaches that are used in assessing and improving animal welfare; and use of ethical approaches that are invoked in the use of animals, often in controversial contexts. An interdisciplinary course, based on active participation and discussion-method learning.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Vasseur, Elsa (Winter)

    • Prerequisites: ANSC 250 or PSYC 301 or WILD 421 or Permission of Instructor

    • Restriction: U3 and graduate students or permission of the instructor

  • ANTH 339 Ecological Anthropology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Anthropology (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Anthropology : Intensive study of theories and cases in ecological anthropology. Theories are examined and tested through comparative case-study analysis. Cultural constructions of "nature" and "environment" are compared and analyzed. Systems of resource management and conflicts over the use of resources are studied in depth.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ANTH 416 Environment/Development: Africa (3 credits)

    Offered by: Anthropology (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Anthropology : Study of environmental effects of development in East Africa, especially due to changes in traditional land tenure and resource use across diverse ecosystems. Models, policies and cases of pastoralist, agricultural, fishing, wildlife and tourist development will be examined, across savanna, desert, forest, highland and coastal environments.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Restriction: Open only to students in the Study in Africa program, a full-term field study program in East Africa

    • Prerequisite: One prior course in Anthropology, Geography or Environmental Studies

  • ANTH 451 Research in Society and Development in Africa (3 credits)

    Offered by: Anthropology (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Anthropology : Instruction focuses on three goals: 1) existing research in selected core thematic areas, 2) participating in interdisciplinary team research, 3) developing powers of observation and independent inquiry. Students will be expected to develop research activities and interdisciplinary perspectives, and to become conversant with advances in local research in their field.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: Open to U2 or later students in the AFSS.

    • Corequisite: NRSC 452.

    • Restriction: Open only to AFSS students during the year of participation in the field. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 451.

  • ECON 326 Ecological Economics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Economics (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Economics (Arts) : Macroeconomic and structural aspects of the ecological crisis. A course in which subjects discussed include the conflict between economic growth and the laws of thermodynamics; the search for alternative economic indicators; the fossil fuels crisis; and "green'' fiscal policy.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • ENVR 421 Montreal: Environmental History and Sustainability (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : This course will focus on the role of place and history in the cities in which we live and in our understanding of sustainability. Each year, students will work to develop a historical reconstruction of the natural environment of Montreal and of its links to the cultural landscape, building on the work of previous cohorts of students.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Each year focuses on making a specific and unique contribution to The Hochelaga Project; topics vary as required.

    • Prerequisite(s): ENVR 301 or equivalent, or permission from the instructor.

    • Corequisite(s): ENVR 422

  • GEOG 404 Environmental Management 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Practical application of environmental planning, analysis and management techniques with reference to the needs and problems of developing areas. Special challenges posed by cultural differences and traditional resource systems are discussed. This course involves practical field work in a developing area (Kenya or Panama).

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: GEOG 302 or permission of instructor

  • GEOG 498 Humans in Tropical Environments (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Focus on understanding of inter-relations between humans and neotropical environments represented in Panama. Study of contemporary rural landscapes, their origins, development and change. Impacts of economic growth and inequality, social organization, and politics on natural resource use and environmental degradation. Site visits and field exercises in peasant/colonist, Amerindian, and plantation communities.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 6 hours lecture for 4 weeks, 3 hours seminar, 2 hours laboratory, 8 hours conference

    • Restriction: Location in Panama. Student must register for a full semester of studies in Panama

    • Prerequisites: HISP 218, MATH 203 or equivalents

  • GEOG 530 Global Land and Water Resources (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Linkage of physical processes (hydrology and ecosystems) with issues of societal and socio-economic relevance (land, food, and water use appropriation for human well-being). Application of a holistic perspective on land, food and water issues in an international setting, highlighting linkages, feedbacks and trade-offs in an Earth system context.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Organisms and Diversity:

6 credits from the following:

* Note: You may take one of ENTO 330, BIOL 350 or ENTO 350.

  • AEBI 421 Tropical Horticultural Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Biology (Agric & Envir Sc) : A comprehensive survey of the major fruit, vegetable, turf, and ornamental crops grown in Barbados. Effect of cultural practices, environment, pests and pathogens, social and touristic activities, and importation of horticultural produce on local horticulture.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisite(s): AEBI 423, AEBI 425, AEBI 427

    • Restriction: Restricted to students that are participating in the Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies Field Semester

    • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.

    • Project course AEBI 427 runs concurrently with the other courses (AEBI 421, AEBI 423 & AEBI 425) and the Mondays of each week are dedicated to AEBI 427.

  • AGRI 340 Principles of Ecological Agriculture (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agriculture : Focus on low-input, sustainable, and organic agriculture: the farm as an ecosystem; complex system theory; practical examples of soil management, pest control, integrated crop and livestock production, and marketing systems.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Begg, Caroline B (Winter)

    • 3 lectures and one 2-hour seminar

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken AGRI 250

  • BIOL 310 Biodiversity and Ecosystems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Ecological bases of the natural causes and consequences of current global environmental changes, including how biodiversity and ecosystem processes are defined and measured, how they vary in space and time, how they are affected by physical and biological factors, and how they affect each other and human societies.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • one-day field trip to Mont St-Hilaire

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 215; or ENVR 200 and ENVR 202; MATH 112 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor

  • BIOL 343 Biodiversity in the Caribean (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Biodiversity loss and the measure of ecological integrity of ecosystems, patterns of diversification and evolution of terrestrial and oceanic biotas in the Caribbean.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Corequisites: GEOG 340, ATOC 341, FSCI 444 or permission of the Program Director.

    • Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students from all faculties who are registered in the Barbados Field Study Semester, with minimum CGPA of 3.0.

  • BIOL 350 Insect Biology and Control (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Introduction to insect structure, physiology, biochemistry, development, systematics, evolution, ecology and control. Stress on interrelationships and integrated pest control.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 205 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENTO 330 or ENTO 350.

    • Note: This course is also offered as ENTO 350 in the winter term.

  • BIOL 352 Dinosaur Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Using dinosaurs as exemplars, this course teaches aspects of comparative, functional, and developmental morphology, macroevolution, macroecology, and phylogenetic systematics. Lab dissections will explore vertebrate anatomy.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 215 or ENVR 202 or EPSC 233 or permission of instructor.

  • BIOL 427 Herpetology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Principles of biology as exemplified by amphibians and reptiles. Topics include: adaptation, social behaviour, reproductive strategies, physiology, biomechanics, ecology, biogeography and evolution. Laboratories will emphasize structure, systematics and identification of local and world herpetofauna as well as field methods.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 2 hours lecture; 3 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 205 and BIOL 305 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken BIOL 327.

  • BIOL 510 Advances in Community Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : The origin, maintenance and roles of biological diversity within ecological communities.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture/seminar

    • Prerequisites: BIOL 308 or GEOG 350 or permission of instructor.

  • BIOL 540 Ecology of Species Invasions (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Causes and consequences of biological invasion, as well as risk assessment methods and management strategies for dealing with invasive species.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite(s): BIOL 215 (or ENVR 200 plus ENVR 202), and at least one 300- or 400-level course in ecology, evolution, or conservation biology.

    • Restriction: Not open to U1 or U2 students

    • Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken ENVR 540.

  • ENTO 330 Insect Biology (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : Introduction to entomology, including the the importance and diversity of insects; insect morphology, anatomy and physiology; insect sensory systems; reproduction; metamorphosis; insect classification and survey of the orders and common families.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Boucher, Stephanie (Fall)

  • ENTO 350 Insect Biology and Control (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : Introduction to insect structure, physiology, biochemistry, development, systematics, evolution, ecology and control. Stress on interrelationships and integrated pest control.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 205 or permission of instructor

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENTO 330 or BIOL 350

    • Note: Offered on the downtown campus. This course is also offered as BIOL 350 in the Fall term.

  • ENVR 540 Ecology of Species Invasions (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (School of Environment)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Environment : Causes and consequences of biological invasion, as well as risk assessment methods and management strategies for dealing with invasive species.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 215 (or ENVR 200 plus ENVR 202), and at least one 300- or 400-level course in ecology, evolution, or conservation biology.

    • Restrictions: Not open to U1 or U2 students. Not open to students who are taking or have taken BIOL 540.

  • PARA 424 Fundamental Parasitology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Parasitology : Systematics, morphology, biology and ecology of parasitic protozoa, flatworms, roundworms and arthropods with emphasis on economically and medically important species.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Rohrbach, Petra (Winter)

    • Prerequisite(s): AEBI 211 or LSCI 230 or permission of instructor

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 424.

  • PLNT 304 Biology of Fungi (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : This course describes the various groups of fungi and explores in depth their biology and physiology, their ecological niches and the role in various ecosystems and their benefits and uses in industry and biotechnology.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

    • Restriction: U2 or above, or permission of instructor.

  • PLNT 434 Weed Biology and Control (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : A study of the biology of undesirable vegetation as related to the principles of prevention and physical, biological, managerial and chemical control. Emphasis on the environmental impact of the different methods of weed control.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Begg, Caroline B (Winter)

  • REDM 400 Science and Museums (3 credits)

    Offered by: Redpath Museum (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Redpath Museum : Natural history museums and their collections, how collections are created and maintained and how collections are used in scientific research. Context of natural history museums, collections-based research and curatorial methods.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter: Course consists of lectures, practical labs, field trips and individual term-projects.

    • Prerequisites: A 200- or 300-level course that deals with diversity of specimens or objects relevant to Museum-based research and collections. e.g. BIOL 215, BIOL 305, EPSC 210, EPSC 233, ANTH 208, ANTH 310, PLNT 358, WILD 212, WILD 313, or permission of instructor.

  • WILD 307 Natural History of Vertebrates (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : The diversity and natural history of Canadian vertebrates illustrated with trophic, phylogenetic, and macroecological approaches.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Humphries, Murray Mitchell (Fall)

    • This course carries an additional charge of 19.94 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

  • WILD 350 Mammalogy (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : This course focuses on the evolution, classification, ecology and behaviour of mammals and relations between humans and mammals. Also structure, systematics and identification of local and world mammals, as well as field methods will be emphasized.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Humphries, Murray Mitchell (Winter)

    • Prerequisites: AEBI 211 and WILD 307

    • An additional fee of 19.07 is charged to all students registered in WILD 350, Mammalogy, a course that has a required field trip.

  • WILD 420 Ornithology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Taxonomic relationships and evolution of birds. Examination of the physiology, migration, identification and ecological processes of North American birds.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Elliott, Kyle (Fall)

    • Prerequisite: WILD 307 or permission of instructor

    • This course carries an additional charge of 19.94 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

Bieler School of Environment—2024-2025 (last updated Apr. 3, 2024) (disclaimer)
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