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SDS 260REcology, Society, and Justice: Social Development and the Environment

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Social Development Studies
Cross-listed
ERS 260

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 1 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course introduces theory and concepts of social ecology, an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the interrelationship of social and environmental well-being. Students critically examine the implications of environment and environmentalism for human society and social justice, and explore ideas for community action and social institutions that reflect a social-ecological ethic.

Prerequisites

  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Reviewed on UW Flow

43% liked it63% easy50% useful

From 7 ratings and 3 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • I'll admit I was incredibly excited to take this course as the topic seemed super interesting. However, this course is not at all what it seems. The intolerably long three-hour lectures and the mindless rambling contribute to the overwhelming sense of boredom that occurs in this class. The content is so dry and unengaging, and the assignments do not contribute to your learning. None of this is transferable to anything in the outside world. For your sake, leave this course be lol. Also, the rubrics were unfathomably foggy, you never knew how to actually fulfill what was being asked.

    Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Not a good intro to SDS if this is an elective for you. Very long class and hard to get through, very reading heavy with no room to reduce the readings even after feedback . 2 quizzes, 1 group presentation (with no option to rate the effort of your groupmates), participation + attendance , and 2 difficult assignments that you'd only succeed at if you were fully immersed and did all the readings to a tee. Lots of group discussion both in large and small groups. Unless you like challenging current systems in depth and that is a major interest for you, stay away. Not a bird course, so don't walk in thinking it is, the assignments are difficult because you are dissecting concepts in assignment…

    Sep 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • A bit reading heavy, but profs willing to adapt course in response to student feedback. Discussion based and super theoretical, very interesting content. Honestly, I found this course to be not only relatively stress free, but genuinely inspiring. My favourite UW course so far.

    Jun 2020 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar