TCD offers interdisciplinary core courses in three categories: concepts, skills, and methods. An additional possible core course is the TCD Practicum (see below). A list of TCD course offerings for the current and previous semesters can be found HERE.
Course Requirements
PhD students must take 3 courses totaling 9 credits as per scheme below:
- One TCD core conceptual course (LAS 6290 or equivalent); and
- One TCD core skills course (LAS 6291 or equivalent); plus
- One additional core course that can be any course listed below.
Master’s students from affiliate departments, MALAS and MDP students must take 2 core courses totaling 6 credits as per scheme below:
- One TCD core conceptual course (LAS 6290 or equivalent); and
- One TCD core skills course (LAS 6291 or equivalent).
Interdisciplinary Core Courses List
TCD Concepts (fulfill LAS6290 course requirement)
- LAS 6938 Social-Ecological Tipping points in Amazonia (*New course only offered in Spring 2026*)
- LAS 6290/FOR 6628 Community Forest Management (Every fall semester)
- LAS 6290 Ethnoecology and Conservation (Every other year)
- LAS 6943 Development Theory and Practice in Latin America and Africa
- LAS 6938 Power & Environment (Every spring semester)
- LAS 6938 Climate change and Environmental justice in Latin America
- GEO 6938 People and Parks (Every spring semester)
- WIS 6522 Coupled Human and Wildlife Systems (Spring semester of even years)
TCD Skills (fulfill LAS6291 course requirement)
- LAS 6291 Conservation Media
- LAS 6291 Communication and Leadership Skills (Every fall semester)
- LAS 6291 Conflict and Collaboration Management (Alternate each spring semester)
- LAS 6291 Facilitation Skills for Adaptive Management (Alternate each spring semester)
TCD Research Methods
- LAS 6292 Data Collection and Management (Every spring semester)
- SUR 6934 Drone Ecology
TCD Practicum
- LAS 6941 Tropical Conservation and Development Practicum (Available every semester)
Courses that have been offered in the past:
- LAS 6290 Harvesting Lessons and Strengthening Coalitions for Amazon Conservation (*New course Spring 2025*)
- LAW 6930 Conservation Clinic
- LAS 6291 Fundraising for TCD Professionals
- FOR 6934 / LAS 6290 Social-Ecological Impacts of Dams and Infrastructure Projects
- LAS 6290 The Amazon
- LAS 6290 Knowledge, Governance and Land Use Dynamics in the Tropics
- LAS 6290 Interdisciplinary Research and Practice for Social-Environmental Management
- LAS 6292/FOR 6934 Field Skills for Forest Conservation
- LAS 6291/WIS 6934 Systematic Planning for Conservation Projects