Coastal Resiliency and Sustainability
Understanding resiliency and sustainability from ecological, social, economic, organizational, planning, and built-environment perspectives. Topics include ecological disturbance, adaptive learning, sustainable enterprise, social vulnerability, natural hazards, climate change, and ecological footprint analysis. Problem-based approach where students apply principles of sustainability and resiliency to realistic coastal settings.
Environmental Policy and Management
Introduces environmental policy, policymaking, and management in the United States. Covers the role of governmental institutions, political processes, and public policies in environmental decision-making. Addresses ecosystem planning, management principles, and a variety of environmental policy areas including air, water, waste, public land use, and sustainable development.
Environmental Planning & Administration
Broad range of topics in coastal environmental planning from social and natural science perspectives. Covers ecosystem science, landscape ecology, multi-party collaboration, plan quality and analysis, GIS and information support systems, and land use planning tools and policies. Open to graduate students across departments including Landscape Architecture, Wildlife, Coastal Resource Management, and Ecosystem Science.
Physical Geography: Weather & Climate
Three major components: (1) review of meteorological factors influencing climate (temperature, humidity, pressure, precipitation, winds); (2) introduction to climate classification, climate cycles, and weather hazards (tornadoes, hurricanes); and (3) the science of climate change including the greenhouse effect and climate models. Examines interlocking systems of climate, vegetation, soils, and landforms.
Environmental Disasters & Human Hazards
Survey of scientific principles explaining natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods) and human-influenced events (dam failures, industrial accidents). Includes study of human perceptions of and reactions to natural hazards at individual, community, and policy levels.
GIS Applications in Emergency Management
Review of geospatial methodologies used across emergency management phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Explores risk and vulnerability assessment, volunteered GIS during disasters, and emerging geospatial technologies for emergency management including remote sensing and real-time data platforms.
