Course Description
Apocalypses signal an end of times, and they are seen in the histories, present, and futures of life on Earth. In this course, we examine what it means to survive - and prevent - an apocalypse! Together, we draw from diverse disciplinary perspectives, including human-environment geography, environmental studies, sustainability, and disaster management.
Athena Title
How to Survive the Apocalypse
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Articulate the meaning and importance of apocalypses, using examples from academic and popular literature, digital media, and historical and current events. 2. Identify the major drivers and impacts of global environmental change, contextualized by the history and major components of Earth’s climate system. 3. Apply methods of ensuring community health and safety preparedness as they relate to community vulnerability and resilience. 4. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of an all-hazards framework for disaster planning, including mitigation and adaptation, using case studies in support of conclusions. 5. Describe psychosocial consequences likely to be experienced by public health workers and community members, particularly as these experiences relate to risk perception. 6. Evaluate how vulnerability and resilience play a role in social-ecological responses to disasters and environmental change.
Topical Outline
• History and types of apocalypses • Apocalypses and catastrophic events in media • Climate science 101 (history and components of Earth’s climate system) • Thresholds, tipping points, and feedback loops • Global environmental change (including global, regional, and local impacts) • Social-ecological systems • Vulnerability and community resilience • Disaster policy and management • Adapting to/with change • Adaptation strategies and case studies • Envisioning the future
Syllabus