Environmental Studies 305: Environmental Impact Assessment, a three-credit, senior-level course, is designed to introduce you to a systematic process for predicting and evaluating the significant environmental consequences of a proposed action or undertaking. This process—environmental impact assessment—has been applied primarily to new infrastructure projects, such as power plants, highways, pipelines, dams, mines, airports, incinerators, and landfills. Assessment processes have also been used to consider the implications of new technologies, plans, and policies that may result in significant social and biophysical effects. This course focuses on environmental assessment processes—what they are meant to accomplish, and how they are designed or should be designed to be effective, efficient, and fair.
Outline
Unit 1: History and Key Features of Environmental Assessment
Unit 2: Setting a Standard for Environmental Assessment in Canada—the Berger Inquiry on the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
Unit 3: Setting a Standard for Environmental Assessment in Canada—the Ecosystem Approach
Unit 4: Legislated Environmental Assessment at the Federal Level in Canada
Unit 5: Legislated Environmental Assessment at the Provincial Level in Canada
Unit 6: Indigenous Issues and Environmental Assessment in Canada
Unit 7: The Role of the Public in Environmental Assessment
Unit 8: Biophysical Impact Assessment and Cumulative Environmental Effects
Unit 9: Social Impact Assessment
Unit 10: Case Study—Environmental Assessment of the Red Hill Valley Parkway
Unit 11: The Prospects for Advancement of Environmental Assessment
Evaluation
To receive credit for ENVS 305, you must complete all assignments and achieve a minimum grade of at least 60 percent on the final examination and a composite course grade of at least C- (60 percent). The weighting of the course grade is as follows:
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Preliminary Submission for the Major Assignment
5%
Assignment 2: Short Essay
20%
Assignment 3: Major Assignment
35%
Final Online Exam
40%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Richardson, M., Sherman, J., & Gismondi, M. (1993). Winning back the words: Confronting experts in an environmental public hearing. Toronto: Garamond. (Print)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.