APES is a rigorous course that requires a high level of commitment. The goals of this course are to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and or preventing them.
The class is also meant to facilitate within the student a deeper connection with the natural world so that the student will develop an appreciation for the planet and a desire to help solve some of the problems humans have created.