Overview
Students may create their own Thematic Concentration by selecting a group of related elective courses from the three Areas of Expertise. The identification of a particular theme could be based on a combination of instructor interests, student interests, and subjects for which there is significant career potential. The thematic concentrations would ideally be in areas that are of particular interest to the student in order to best prepare them for finding a career after graduation within the area they chose.
Thematic Concentrations must still follow the “5:2:1” rule but students could submit a petition to: a) make minor changes to the 5:2:1 Rule or b) have other courses, not listed in the Areas of Expertise, count towards the elective requirement. The petition would consist of the B.A. Coursework Checklist and a justification for the requested changes. Examples of thematic concentrations with some suggested courses for each example are below.
Examples
The Global Environment
Explore how the global community and the environment interact and change one another.
ECO/ AEC 479 Public Economy
ANT 225 Culture, Environment, and Global Issues
ANT 311 Global Dreams & Local Realities
ANT 340 Development & Change in the Third World
ARC 315 World Architecture and Urbanism
GEO 225 Geography of the Global Economy
GEO 455 Globalization and the Changing World Economy
GEO 331 Global Environmental Change
SOC 380 Globalization: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Environmental Health
Learn how a person and community's situation, role, and interactions with the environment affect their health.
GRN 250 Growing Old Today
GRN 585 Aging and the Environment
CPH 201 Introduction to Public Health
CPH 320 Fundamentals of Environmental Health
PHI 361 Biology and Society
SOC 363 Environmental Justice
Environmental Journalism
Acquire the skills necessary for a successful career in environmental journalism.
ENG 425 (Required) Environmental Writing
ENG 339 Author Studies
GEO 431 Political Ecology
WRD 304 Writing in the Social Sciences
WRD/ ENG 401 Special Topics in Writing
Environmental Justice
Discover how certain communities and individuals are disproportionately burdoned with unfair treatment and lesser involvement within environmental laws, policies, and regulations.
ANT 225 Culture, Environment, and Global Issues
ANT 326 People & Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa
ANT 340 Development & Change in the Third World
ANT 375 Ecology & Social Practice
FOR 240 Forest & Natural Resource Ethics
GEO 431 Political Ecology
PHI 361 Biology and Society
SOC 363 Environmental Justice
SOC 360 Environmental Sociology
SAG 201 Cultural Perspectives on Sustainability
Environmental Law
Learn how laws, policies, and regulations shape the conditions and treatment of the environment.
AEC 324 Agricultural Law
AEC 326 Principles of Environmental Law
FOR 280 Forest Policy
FOR 599 Independent Study: International Environmental Law
GEO 235 Environmental Management & Policy
NRE 381 Natural Resource Policy Analysis
SOC 363 Environmental Justice
History of the Environment
Study how people and cultures have interacted with their environment throughout history.
ANT 221 Native People of North America
ANT 240 Introduction to Archaeology
ANT 241 Origins of Old World Civilizations
ANT 322 Ancient Mexican Civilizations
ANT 340 Development & Change in the Third World
ANT 342 North American Archaeology
ANT 545 Historical Archaeology
ARC 314 History and Theory III: 20th Century and Contemporary Architecture
HIS 240 History of Kentucky
LA 205 History of Landscape Architecture
Resources and Products
Examine the natural resources cultures utilize within their communities and economies.
AEC 445G Introduction to Resource & Environmental Economics
AEC 545 Resource & Environmental Economics
ANT 543 Cultural Resource Management
BIO/GEO 530 Biogeography Conservation
EES 385 Hydrology & Water Resources
FOR 240 Forest & Natural Resource Ethics
GEO 550 Sustainable Resource & Environmental Management
NRE 201 Natural Resource & Conservation Management
NRE 381 Natural Resource Policy Analysis
NRE 545 Resource & Environmental Economics