Environmental Systems Dynamics

Environmental challenges rarely occur in isolation. They emerge from complex, interconnected systems involving environmental, social, and economic dynamics. This course equips students to understand and analyze these interactions through a systems-based approach to environmental problem-solving. Emphasizing systems thinking, feedback mapping, and scenario planning, learners will explore how to define system boundaries, identify leverage points, and navigate uncertainty in real-world environmental contexts. Students will apply analytical tools to construct visual system models, assess stakeholder influences, and explore the implications of the Precautionary Principle in environmental decision-making. Assignments foster critical engagement with diverse perspectives, particularly those of underrepresented communities, highlighting the social and economic dimensions of environmental issues. By the end of the course, students will synthesize their learning into comprehensive systems models, empowering them to forecast plausible futures and make informed policy or management decisions. This course is a core component of the EPM program and reinforces its commitment to sustainability, applied systems analysis, and evidence-based action.