Salish Sea Studies Courses
SALI 201 Introduction to the Salish Sea
This place-based, experiential, and multidisciplinary course introduces students to the complex human-environment systems of our shared bioregion, an international inland sea fed by watersheds governed by the United States, Canada, and over 60 Tribes and First Nations. The estuarine inland Salish Sea is surrounded by snow-capped mountain ranges and rich in biodiversity. Freshwater lakes and glaciers filter through temperate rainforest into rivers that meet the saltwater and tides from the Pacific Ocean, filling the Puget Sound, Georgia Basin, and Strait of Juan de Fuca. The name “Salish Sea” reflects the long history of Straits and Coast Salish peoples, who have deep and abiding relationships with the lands and waters. This course invites students to critically examine complex issues in the Salish Sea, and to build meaningful connections across borders, disciplines, and systems to bring to life an healthy and just future for our bioregion.
Optional co-requisite: SALI 202
Credits: 4
Grade Mode: Letter
GUR Attributes: BCGM
SALI 202 Introduction to the Salish Sea - Lab
This course is an optional lab companion to SALI 201: Introduction to the Salish Sea. In SALI 202, students will engage in experiential and applied learning activities that will further deepen and activate SALI 201 content in the areas of natural and social sciences, humanities, and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Co-requisite: SALI 201
Credits: 1
Grade Mode: Letter
SALI 390 Topics in Salish Sea
Topics in Salish Sea Studies. Variable topics. Repeatable with different topics to a maximum of 10 credits, including original course. Prerequisites & Notes: SALI 201 or instructor permission.
Credits: 3-5
Grade Mode: Letter
SALI 490/590 Salish Sea Studies Community Seminar
This place-based and interdisciplinary course creates a learning community among students enrolled in the Salish Sea Studies minor or exploring the minor. This course is adapted and recreated each quarter with new learning activities and readings. This course gives students and instructors creative space to explore the complex ecologies and human experiences of the Salish Sea region, an international and transboundary body of water. This place-based course creates a learning community among students enrolled or interested in the Salish Sea Studies minor. Instructors in SALI 490/590 will highlight how Salish Sea Studies learning domains will be activated throughout the course, guiding students to explore interconnections across their self-designed curriculum for the minor. Every quarter, students will complete regular reflections and a final narrative essay to synthesize their learning experiences. Repeatable up to 6 credits, including original course.
Credits: 1
Grade Mode: S/U