Spend two weeks in the mountains and earn three credits in philosophy this summer!

PHIL 345 (Environmental Ethics CRN 46461) will be offered by Dr. Ken Shockley for 3 credits at the Mountain Campus July 25-August 7, 2021 from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. Prereading and advanced meetings are required. For the syllabus and additional information, please visit  Frequently Asked Questions. This course also has an online and campus component. Please contact Professor Shockley to learn more: kenneth.shockley@colostate.edu.

Professor Ken Shockley describes the mountain campus as a remarkable setting for studying the interconnectedness of the environment and how humans relate to it.

“I can’t imagine a more perfect place to explore the complex ethical relations between humans and the natural environment,” Shockley says. “The mountain course provides a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the topic and the place.”

Ken integrates his many experiences into his teaching. This includes his experiences with the National Outdoor Leadership School, Peace Corps (Malawi), and Semester at Sea, and from his academic work on climate change, environmental conservation, and sustainable development around the world and here in Colorado.

Students from previous summers are enthusiastic about Ken’s teaching and their class experience.

“One of the best courses I’ve ever taken anywhere,” said Kari Rogers, who recently graduated with a degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. “It was an immersive and engaging experience in which we got to work closely with our fellow classmates and Dr. Ken, who is an amazing, passionate, and intelligent professor. Being able to be out in the beautiful environment there at the mountain campus, hiking most days, and learning what I thought to be a very interesting topic, is an opportunity students won’t want to pass up — it is intensive being a two-week, three-credit course, but it is so worth it.”

“There’s nothing like being at the mountain campus, and it is an amazing opportunity that is not to be missed,” said junior Daniel Wilson. “Even for someone like me, who is not particularly philosophy minded, being at the mountain campus and being able to contemplate, reflect and discuss how the readings tie to the natural beauty surrounding us — that we were actually sitting in — is what made this class one if the most enjoyable and memorable experiences I have had at CSU.”

What to expect

Students read Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac” before the course begins. A typical day following the class period includes several hours of reading and at least an hour of writing.

This course may be used as an elective, as a part of wide range of disciplinary majors and minors, or as part of the interdisciplinary minors in Environmental Affairs or Global and Environmental Sustainability.

Students who are interested in attending may register through RAMweb and must contact Professor Ken Shockley for information about nominal housing costs and pre-course logistics.

Additional information:

• • Course Description and Summer 2020 Syllabus
  • Profile of Dr. Ken Shockley