ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (ENV)

The interdisciplinary nature of environmental science will be stressed by covering the chemical, biological, and social aspects of environmental issues and problems in a case study approach. Exercises integrated into the course will expose the students to data analysis and field work associated with applied environmental work. Two or three integrated lecture-laboratory sessions per week. Required for all Environmental Science majors.

Our planet is active; from the smallest drop of water to the largest continental plate the Earth is in a state of constant change. This course will explore the dynamic physical processes that shape the Earth we know today and use our knowledge of the planet’s past to predict what it will look like in the future. Topics will range from the earthquakes and volcanoes that create towering landforms to the powerfully destructive forces of rivers, tides, and winds that wear mountains into valleys. No science background is necessary.

This is an interdisciplinary introduction to our most precious resources. Water has shaped our bodies, our planet, our history, our culture. How we manage it will shape our future. Because of increasing demand, waste, and pollution, we are depleting—and risk destroying—the limited supply of usable fresh water. This course will look at water through scientific, historical, and cultural viewpoints and survey contemporary water problems in all their dimensions—political, economic, and technological.

This special topics course will explore an area of environmental science using the literature, and if appropriate, a cross-disciplinary approach. The course will allow the students and faculty an opportunity to investigate areas of environmental science that are not part of the regular curriculum.

This course will introduce students to the coastal environment and its resources and uses; coastal zone issues resulting primarily from human activities; the framework established by the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act for collaborative planning and regulation of the U.S. coastal zone; the roles played by the federal, state, and local governments, advocacy groups, and private property owners; the design and achievements of these programs; and international applications of coastal management. Guest speakers and case studies (e.g., Boston Harbor project, nonpoint source plans, Cape Cod Commission) will be used to illustrate themes and the intricacies of public policy development.

Directed study within an internship program. The student will be expected to keep a journal detailing the internship. The student will also be expected to write a paper (usually approximately 10 pages in length) summarizing an area related to the internship experience. An evaluation by the on-site supervisor will be considered when determining the grade. The student is required to have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 to enroll.

Wetlands play a vital role in the hydrology and ecology of global landscapes. This course will consider several topics: the function of inland and coastal marshes, swamps, and bogs in water and nutrient cycles; the influence of wetlands on biodiversity, from microbes to vertebrates; the biological links between wetlands and human activities, such as agriculture, coastal development, and fisheries; and the legal framework for the protection and restoration of endangered wetlands.

An in-depth study of a current topic in environmental science. This course will emphasize review and analysis of primary literature. Students will be expected to give oral presentations as part of the course requirements. Some example topics are global availability of drinking water in the 21st century, eutrophication, and environmental pollution control. Classes will meet for three hours weekly.

Directed study or experimental research on some aspect of environmental science.