Spring 2019  |  PA 5242 Section 001: Environmental Planning, Policy, and Decision Making (58266)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
A-F only
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/22/2019 - 05/06/2019
Tue, Thu 11:15AM - 12:30PM
UMTC, West Bank
Hubert H Humphrey Center 35
Enrollment Status:
Open (7 of 30 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Theory and practice. Ethical, legal, and institutional frameworks relative to a range of environmental issues. Innovative environmental decision making informed by collaboration, conflict resolution, adaptive management, and resilience thinking. prereq: Grad or instr consent
Class Notes:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?dmilz+PA5242+Spring2019
Class Description:

This course is about making plans for contemporary environmental problems. It adopts the perspective that social and natural systems are linked and complex. Through readings, class discussions, and projects, you will be exposed to the wide range of strategies and tools planners and policy-makers use to mitigate environmental impacts, conserve open space, improve water quality, adapt to climate change, and to promote environmental justice, among others. We will place a strong emphasis on the application of planning skills to address ecosystem malfunction.

Who Should Take This Class?:
As the only required course in the Environmental Planning Concentration, this course is designed to be a gateway between skills acquired within Urban and Regional Planning core curriculum and technical, substantive knowledge acquired via concentration electives. The course is also appropriate for graduate-level students in public policy, social and natural sciences, development practice, natural resource management, public health, design, engineering, and other related fields.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the components of effective environmental planning practice
2. Name and identify common strategies and tactics for addressing a variety of environmental problems; evaluate their appropriateness in a given geographic and/or cultural setting, and demonstrate their utility
3. Classify and define analytical tools typically used by environmental planners, and demonstrate their use for diagnosing ecosystem malfunction and estimating future system states
4. Name the various theoretical perspectives that inform environmental planning practice
5. Describe the basic legal framework for environmental planning in the United States and identify the opportunities it provides and challenges it poses for environmental planning
6. Describe the role of public participation in environmental planning and evaluate its effectiveness and to understand the role of collaborative environmental governance
7. Create data visualizations (tables/graphs/images/maps) to support technical analyses; communicate technical information in a clear and effective manner
Grading:

You will have the opportunity, in this course, to improve your competency in three core areas: (1) critical thinking for planning, (2) technical application, and (3) professional communication. You have four different ways to illustrate your competency:


(10%) Participation

(20%) Quizzes/Assignments

(45%) Four, Mid-Term Papers

(25%) Final Paper & Presentation


Grades for the categories and assignments above will be posted to the Moodle grade book as soon as practically possible. It is your responsibility to regularly review your progress.


Exam Format:
You will have the opportunity to complete up eight weekly "quizzes." "Quizzes" will be worth 10 points each and will come in a variety of formats (multiple choice questions, short essays, technical memos, etc.). "Quizzes" will be available on the course website after class on the dates noted on the course schedule (subject to change), and you will have until the stated deadline to complete the quiz.
Class Format:
Course content is organized into a series of modules. Each module in explores one environmental problem (e.g, air quality), an illustrative case (Salt Lake City), and a planning skill or technique (e.g. Problem Identification).
Workload:
My standard estimate for student workload is based on a ratio of time spent on coursework outside of class and time allotted for class meetings. Multiply the number of credits by the first number in the ratio (below) and add it to the number of credits.

A = 3:1 [(3 x 3) + 3 = 12 total hours per week]
B = 2:1 [(2 x 3) + 3 = 9 total hours per week]
C = 1:1 [(1 x 3) + 3 = 6 total hours per week]

These are estimates and not predictions.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/58266/1193
Past Syllabi:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/dmilz_PA5242_Spring2018.pdf (Spring 2018)
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
10 November 2017

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2019 Public Affairs Classes

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