200-level

ENVR209
Environmental Science and Resource Management
Description
This course explores the debates and issues in environmental science and resource management around the core theme of agriculture and the environment. There is an emphasis on developing solutions to environmental issues. The course takes a quantitative approach to environmental issues, teaching students to make informed decisions that integrate biophysical data with policies and practices of management in New Zealand, and global, contexts. Students will learn to recognise patterns and processes in agricultural environments, and gain an understanding of how those patterns and processes influence, and are influenced by, resource management decisions. Students will develop an awareness of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand as it applies to environmental issues associated with agriculture, recognising that Maori values may be distinct to regulatory guidelines regarding environmental quality. Matauranga Maori aspects of agriculture and the environment will be covered.
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
(ENVR101 and GEOG106) or (GEOG110 and GEOG106); and 15 points from CHEM, GEOL, BIOL, ARTS102 or STAT101.
Restrictions
GEOG206, GEOG209 and ENVR201
GEOG209
Environmental Science and Resource Management
Description
This course explores the debates and issues in environmental science and resource management around the core theme of agriculture and the environment. There is an emphasis on developing solutions to environmental issues. The course takes a quantitative approach to environmental issues, teaching students to make informed decisions that integrate biophysical data with policies and practices of management in New Zealand and global contexts. Students will learn to recognise patterns and processes in agricultural environments, and gain an understanding of how those patterns and processes influence and are influenced by resource management decisions. Students will develop an awareness of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand as it applies to environmental issues associated with agriculture, recognising that Maori values may be distinct to regulatory guidelines regarding environmental quality. Matauranga Maori aspects of agriculture and the environment will be covered.
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
(ENVR101 and GEOG106) or (GEOG110 and GEOG106); and 15 points from CHEM, GEOL, BIOL, ARTS102 or STAT101.
Restrictions
GEOG206, ENVR201, ENVR209
HLTH214
Environmental and Occupational Health
Description
This course will introduce students to environmental and occupational health, including population interventions designed to improve health through prevention, early detection, communicable disease control, emergency preparedness, and global health interventions.
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
Any 60 points at 100 level from any subject, or any 30 points at 100 level from HLTH or SPCO
MAOR219
Te Tiriti: The Treaty of Waitangi
Description
This course uses the Treaty of Waitangi to frame examinations of contemporary New Zealand society. We ask questions designed to highlight and emphasise the relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi to everyday New Zealanders. In addition, the course looks at the importance of this document in the maintenance of Crown and Maori relations. Topics covered range from the signing of the Treaty, and historical developments, to the protest movements and activism of the continuing Maori renaissance period, race relations and one law-for-all.
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
Any 15 points at 100 level from CULT, HIST, HSRV, MAOR, POLS, SOCI, SOWK, or TREO, or any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA.
Restrictions
POLS218, POLS258, HIST268, SOCI209, HSRV207, CULT219
GEOG222
Transport, Urban Development and Wellbeing
Description
Nau mai ki GEOG222 - welcome to GEOG222. Transport fundamentally shapes our communities and affects our wellbeing. This course examines the role and influence of transport in shaping our towns and cities, and affecting our personal wellbeing. The course will have a particular focus on how transport and urban development can help face challenges like climate change. The course will also look at issues related to Maori, for example, how has urbanisation affected their wellbeing. As well as gaining increased understanding of transport, urban development and wellbeing through traditional learning approaches, students will also learn from transport, urban development and health professionals. They will develop a range of practical, applied and transferrable skills by addressing real world problems and present findings in both written and oral formats.
Occurrences
Semester One 2025
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
45 pts of 100 level including GEOG110 or GEOG106
LING225
Language and Social Justice
Description
How can we use linguistic evidence to solve crimes? What does linguistic analysis tell us about legal language? In this course, students learn how to use linguistics for forensic purposes. What can a piece of spoken or written language tell us about its authors? Can linguistic analysis expose inequalities in the legal system? What are the implications of using linguistic evidence for commercial or defense purposes?
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Semester Two 2025 (Distance)
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
Any 15 points at any level from any subject.
COMS232
Risk and Crisis Communication
Description
This applied course introduces students to a major area of the planning of communication, the management of risk. Theories of risk, crisis and the risk society are described, before the course focuses in detail on the practice of risk communication, including communication planning, crafting messages and involving communities in collective risk decision-making. Risks explored range from individuals' health and safety, disasters, reputational crises and pervasive risks such as climate change. This course has on-campus and distance options. You will learn from professional guests, and from each other, to develop skills in evaluating and planning crisis response.
Occurrences
Semester Two 2025
Semester Two 2025 (Distance)
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
Any 15 points at 100 level from COMS, or either ENVR101 or GEOG106, or any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA.
PHIL249
Environmental Ethics
Description
Humanity faces threatening environmental problems, not least climate change. Can science, technology and free markets provide the solutions - or must we reconsider our values and priorities? Is nature inherently valuable? What should be protected for future generations? Do we have moral duties to non-human animals, including endangered species? PHIL249 examines recent philosophical responses to these and other questions in environmental ethics. This course is for students in Arts, Science, Engineering, Business and Law; no background in philosophy is required.
Occurrences
Summer Jan 2025
Summer Jan 2025 (Distance)
Points
15 points
Prerequisites
Any 15 points at 100 level in PHIL, or any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA or the BSc.

Not Offered Courses in 2025

200-level

POLS216
City Politics and Urban Policy
Description
This is the century of the city. By 2050, seven in ten people on the planet will be living in an urban area. Many of the rapidly growing cities are larger than small nations. How do cities make decisions? How do citizens in cities effect change? This course examines local and regional community politics in rapidly developing urban areas and struggling regions; in particular the course examines the role and function of local democracy through the lens of public participation in key policy issues. Discussion and analysis considers the role of the public in policy formulation, and implementation at neighbourhood, city and regional level; and the relationship between local and central government and international agencies and considers the changing roles and challenges of local governance. There is a special focus on the politics of disasters and community recovery. Teaching includes field trips in both Christchurch and Westport field centre.
Occurrences
Not offered 2025, offered in 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 , 2024
For further information see POLS216 course details
Points
15 points