COURSE CURRICULUM

The Environmental Studies (ENST) graduate program at Lakehead University offers a diverse range of interdisciplinary courses designed to support students’ academic and research development in the field of environmental and cultural studies. Core courses include ENST 5030: Qualitative Research Methods and ENST 5050: Quantitative Research Methods, both of which equip students with essential methodological tools tailored to their specific research focus. These courses emphasize the theoretical foundations and practical application of qualitative and quantitative approaches, respectively. ENST 5311: Interactions of Environment and Culture explores the dynamic relationship between physical and human environments, using case studies relevant to students' areas of interest while strengthening critical academic skills to support thesis work. ENST 5711: Special Topics allows for curriculum flexibility, offering courses that reflect emerging issues and the research expertise of faculty, thus ensuring relevance and adaptability within the evolving field of environmental studies. All of these courses require permission from the Chair of the Department of Geography & the Environment and are restricted to Environmental Studies majors. The culmination of the program is ENST 5901 (9901): Master's Thesis, a 3.0-credit pass/fail course that allows students to conduct independent, original research under faculty supervision, contributing new insights to the interdisciplinary understanding of environmental and cultural systems. The structure of the course offerings is designed to build a strong foundation in both theory and research methodologies, enabling graduates to effectively analyze and address complex environmental challenges with a nuanced cultural perspective.