WATER AND PEOPLE
Water is central to the functioning of planet Earth and is influential to shaping many historical and present-day cultures across the globe. As humans increase their impact on Earth's water cycle, our understanding of the multiple roles of water becomes critical to finding sustainable strategies for human and ecosystem health. Explore different perspectives around cultural significance of, engagement with, and access to water, with particular focus to case studies from the United States. Identify the human influence on water quality and quantity in a changing global climate, from local, regional, and global perspectives, and how different racial and ethnic communities in the United States are differentially impacted.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Civics & Perspectives Ethnic St - Ethnic Studies Breadth - Physical Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Summer 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Situate individual experiences with the water cycle in the broader context of different perspectives around the cultural significance of, engagement with, and access to water Audience: Undergraduate 2. Summarize how historical circumstances/events have affected present day water resource policies, management, and standards, with a focus on the United States Audience: Undergraduate 3. Apply knowledge of historical circumstances and current policies to describe how present-day communities are affected by water rights and management, and why Audience: Undergraduate 4. Analyze the human influence on water quality and quantity under changing climate conditions from local, regional, and global perspectives Audience: Undergraduate 5. Examine how different racial and ethnic communities, with particular focus on marginalized communities in the United States, are impacted by changes in water quality and quantity Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Situate individual experiences with the water cycle in the broader context of different perspectives around the cultural significance of, engagement with, and access to water Audience: Undergraduate 2. Summarize how historical circumstances/events have affected present day water resource policies, management, and standards, with a focus on the United States Audience: Undergraduate 3. Apply knowledge of historical circumstances and current policies to describe how present-day communities are affected by water rights and management, and why Audience: Undergraduate 4. Analyze the human influence on water quality and quantity under changing climate conditions from local, regional, and global perspectives Audience: Undergraduate 5. Examine how different racial and ethnic communities, with particular focus on marginalized communities in the United States, are impacted by changes in water quality and quantity Audience: Undergraduate
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Catalogue variants
- WATER AND PEOPLE · 3 credits.