Approximately half of human populations live in urban areas and this is expected to increase drastically within the next decade. As the built environment of cities becomes the prevalent feature of our planet, it is imperative that we understand how living things are impacted by and woven into our urban landscapes. In this course, we will explore the emerging interdisciplinary field of urban ecology, including topics such as environmental justice, biodiversity, public health, and disease ecology. Students will engage with diverse perspectives through critical readings and communicate through classroom discussion and activities. Out of class, students will use the discussion topics as a lens for investigating the urban ecology of D.C., sharing personal blogs that link to an interactive map. Students will also develop an independent project that synthesizes a literature review with experiential learning in the community.