Spring 2008 Courses

Graduate Courses, MS in Environmental Science and Policy. To register for courses, visit the College of Graduate Studies. (Note: more courses to be added. Please check site again.)

ESP 5500.02 Special Topics: Applied Environmental GIS 

March 3, 10, & 24, 4:00 – 8 pm; and Tuesdays, March 4 – May 20, 5:30 – 8 pm; Instructor: Joan Turley

This introductory, hands-on course will enable students to understand how to apply Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the role of natural resource professionals. The course will use Arc9 GIS software with the expectation that students will be proficient in basic GIS skills by the course's conclusion. Students will work on individual or team projects using GIS to enhance local conservation efforts.

ESP 5500.01 Special Topics: Cultural Ecology 

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, January 28 - May 16,  12:20 pm to 1:10 pm; Instructor: Kate Donahue
   
Examines culture as a human adaptation to nature from the Pleistocene to the present. Case studies will demonstrate success and failure of various societies in their adaptation to and impact on their environments. Emphasis will be on present-day traditional societies as well as cultural ecological problems facing third world countries and industrial nations. Demographic pressures, environmental degradation and climate change will be discussed.     

ESP 5590 Data Presentation and Communication

Tuesdays 3:30-5:00 pm; Instructor: Kevin McGuire

Visualizing data and communicating their meaning is an important part of science and science communication. This course will explore communicating data and scientific results effectively to technical and non-technical audiences. Students will learn how to display different types of environmentally-related data and communicate study results successfully in presentations and written formats. Components of the course will address issues related to developing proposals, theses, journal articles, and oral presentations.  This course contributes to the communication requirement of the M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy program. 

ESP 5610 Environment and Society

Tuesdays, Thursdays 2:00-3:15 pm; Instructor: Brian Eisenhauer

This course will to introduce students to the study of environmental sociology and to develop critical thinking skills facilitated by the application of sociological perspectives.  Environmental issues and problems are often viewed as technical ones, to be resolved by the application of scientific and technical means alone. This common perception will be critically examined in this class, and we will see that environmental problems, their solutions, and even ideas of what the environment is are grounded in social systems and cultures. Environmental problems are problems for society that challenge and threaten our current system of organization, and are also problems of society – it is our systems that produced these problems and must adapt to address them.  The class will examine material, ideal, and practical elements of environmental issues. Current environmental problems and policy issues will be debated, and their connections with society and culture will be the focus of the course. The meanings of nature and wilderness will be discussed. Other topics include: environmental justice, the history and workings of the environmental movement, greenwashing, public attitudes towards the environment, and the idea of sustainability.

ESP 5700 Graduate Seminar in Ecology & the Environment Ecological & Environmental Effects of Global Climate Change

Thursdays, Jan 26 - May 18, 4:00 - 6:30 pm; Instructor: Larry Spencer

This course will examine how organisms respond to changes in climate. It will focus on the similarities and differences in responses between plants and animals. It will also examine the fossil record to see past changes in flora and fauna as related to global changes in climate.

ESP 5710 Science Colloquium Series (1 credit per year)

Wednesdays, January 30, February 20 & 27, March 12 & 26, April 9, 16, 23 & 30; 4:00 – 5:00 pm, Boyd Science Center Room 001

This graduate seminar is designed to be a core course in the Environmental Science and Policy program. It will focus on the analysis on contemporary issues in environmental science. Specific topics will vary from year to year and will be tailored to the interests of the students enrolled and faculty interests. The course will create a foundation of knowledge of contemporary issues. It is also expected that it will help students refine their research interests as well as be exposed to new ideas through interaction with others in the course.

ESP 5920 Independent Environmental Research (1-4 credits)

Students select a topic and project in consultation with their advisor and committee. Collaboration with external organizations and partners is encouraged. A timeline, goals, deliverables, credits, and expected outcomes are outlined for each project.

ESP 5900 Master’s Thesis Research (1-8 credits)

Students select a topic in consultation with their advisor and committee. A timeline, proposal, and defense are outlined. A final thesis is prepared in accordance with program thesis guidelines.