On completion of this course students will be able to:

•   Demonstrate a sound   understanding of the theoretical principles and conceptual development of   Environmental Assessment.
•   Demonstrate an appreciation   of tools and processes for, and practice of, environmental assessment and management;
•   Demonstrate skills in   assessing development projects, policies and program documents;
•   Drawing on key social science   readings, analyze and evaluate environmental problems and policy problems   affecting EA practices.
•   Evaluate the role, strengths   and limitations of various assessment tools among a suite of policy   approaches used in environmental decision making.
•   Demonstrate understanding of   how complex socio-political and economic contexts affect environmental   decision making
•   Identify, assess and   articulate how social relationships and political contexts affect how   assessment practices function, especially in shaping the trade-offs that   occur between competing interests during assessment processes.

Students will learn to apply the basic principles of environmental assessment to critically assess development   proposals, develop public consultation strategies, and evaluate monitoring   and mitigation in environmental management plans, and consider how Strategic   Environmental Assessment (SEA) principles might be built into decision making.

The course will be assessed on the basis of student performance in four primary task areas:

•   3 reaction papers based on an   assigned reading (3 reaction papers of 300 words each times, worth 5% each =   15%);
•   Seminar oral presentation (10%);  
•   Assignment 1: Short essay on   contemporary EIA policy (2,000 words, 35%);   
•   Assignment 2: Preparation of   a Preliminary Environmental Assessment for a real world project (2,500 words,   40%).