Environmental Sociology (SOC-345) introduces students to the sub-discipline of environmental sociology. Throughout the semester, students explore interactions between the natural and the human-built environment and discuss factors of human society that have caused the degradation of ecological systems. In order to understand contemporary environmental problems, students must critically look at the values and priorities of a society that drive human actions. Other topics include exploring how social movements have emerged in response to environmental degradation as well as motivations and measures individuals, groups, and nations can curb and/or prevent further environmental degradation.