Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: PLANETARY HEALTH: HOW TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND OURSELVES (BROWN)

Department: College Courses

Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 1

Description: Climate change and its associated challenges are expected to cause millions of deaths over the next century. The dangers are varied and comprehensive: floods that wash away houses, wildfire smoke that suffocates lungs, and diseases that come knocking on the doorstep. Planetary health is an emerging field that studies the interdependence of human health and the health of our planet. In this discussion-based course, students will learn about anthropogenic environmental change and its associated health impacts, with a focus on environmental justice and health equity. The course will draw primarily from scholarly articles across disciplines, in a manner accessible to students from all backgrounds. Beyond identifying problems, students will also learn about social, political, scientific, and public health solutions. Planetary health touches every aspect of our society––as a final project, students will develop an action plan on how they can promote planetary health in their future careers. At the end of the course, students will collaboratively come to answer the question: “How can we understand our relationship with the natural world to pursue solutions that save not only the environment but also ourselves?”