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Jean Lutz
Program Director
378 Bachelor Hall
(513)
529-5282
lutzja@muohio.edu
Bachelor
of
Arts in
Technical and
Scientific
Communication
Environmental
Science
Course Descriptions
| BOT 115 | Biological Concepts: Ecology, Evolution, Genetics, and Diversity (4) |
| Miami
Plan foundation course. Integrated study of microbes, plants, and animals, emphasizing biological diversity and interdependence of life and environment. Essential if you have no background in this specialty. |
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| BOT 171 | Ecology of North America (3) |
| Miami
Plan foundation course. Presents the basic principles of ecology,
major biomes of North America, and pertinent environmental issues,
each analyzed from a scientific perspective but involving social,
economic, and humanistic factors as well. |
|
| BOT 191 | General Botany (4) |
| Consideration of how plant structure, chemical composition, and genetic makeup interact with growth, development, evolution, and metabolic processes of living plants. 3 Lec. 1 Lab. IVA, LAB. CAS-D/LAB. |
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| BOT 401 | Plant Ecology (3) |
| Studies of plant communities, populations, and individuals in relation to their environment. Prerequisite: two advanced courses in biological science or permission of instructor. |
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| BOT/GEO 431 | Plant Geography (3) |
Research-focused seminor on floristic, ecological, and cultural influences on global patterns of plant diversity, especially in tropical regions. Comparative topics include the role of disturbances and global environmental change. Prerequisite: BOT 115, 191, or higher, GEO 121 or higher, or permission of instructor.
|
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| BOT/GEO 432 | Ecological Foundation of Vegetation- North America (3) |
| Ecological study ofvegetation that applies an understanding of climate, soils, and physiography across the continent toward interpreting major vegetation types and local patterns of diversity. Discussion and field work focus on current research and conservation issues. Required field trip. Prerequisite: BOT 115, 191, or higher, GEO 121 or higher, or permission of instructor | |
| BOT/ZOO 467 | Conservation Biology (3) |
| Principles of ecology and organismal biology applicable to conservation of uncommon plant and animal populations or ecosystems as related to anthropogenic influences and relevant legislation. Prerequisites: an introductory course in biology and ZOO 204 or BOT 401 or equivalent. |
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| CHM 111 | Chemistry in Modern Society (4) |
| Considers
both the nature of basic chemical processes and the ways that chemistry
affects our society and introduces non-science majors to the methods
scientists use to approach problems and make decisions. |
|
| CHM 142/145 | College Chemistry and College Chemistry Laboratory (5) |
| Fundamental principles of atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding, properties of solutions, and chemical equilibrium. Laboratory exercises to illustrate fundamental principles of chemistry. Includes qualitative analysis. Prerequisite: CHM 141, CHM 144; CAS-D/LAB. |
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| ECO 434 | Environmental Economics (3) |
| Economic analysis of environmental quality. Strategies for collective environmental action. Benefit-cost analysis. Economic growth and environmental quality. |
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| ENV 275 | Principles of Environmental Science (3) |
| (Cross listed with BOT, CHM, GEO, GLG, MBI, MTH, STA, AND ZOO)
Topics include contamination of earth systems and pollution mitigation; use, abuse, and conservation of natural resources; land use, conservation and preservation, planning and management and the value of biodiversity and wilderness. Emphasis is on the multidisciplinary nature of environmental problems and their solutions. Prerequisites: at least one course from each of the following three categories is either pre- or co-requisite: 1) BOT/MBI/ ZOO 115 or BOT 191 or ZOO 113; 2) CHM 111 or CHM 142/5; and 3) GLG 111 or 141 or GEO 121. |
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| GEO 121 | Environmental Geology (3) |
| Geologic hazards and human interaction with the geologic environment, including flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, and land-use planning. IVB. |
|
| GEO 271 | Conservation of Natural Resources (3) |
| Miami Plan foundation course. Discusses current problems associated with conservation of soil, forest, water, atmosphere, recreation, fish, wildlife, and mineral resources in the United States. |
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| GEO 421 | Climatology (3) |
| Study of the earth’s climate and atmospheric processes involving energy, moisture, and motion, which give rise to climatic regions. Prerequisite: GEO 121 or permission of instructor. |
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| GEO 425 | Hydrogeography (4) |
| Investigation of the hydrologic cycle focusing on the surficial component parts of precipitation, infiltration, soil moisture, evaporation, transpiration, and surface runoff, and variation of these from place to place over the earth’s surface. Prerequisite: GEO 121 or permission of instructor. |
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| GEO 428 | Soil Geography (4) |
| Study of soil morphology, formation, classification, and geographical distribution of soils. Field work and laboratory work required. Prerequisite: GEO 121 or GLG 111 or 112 or permission of instructor. Offered infrequently. |
|
| GEO 437 | Regional Land Use Capability Analysis (3) |
| Study of the effects of soils, vegetation, climate, water resources, and geomorphology on the use of land by human beings; resource data inventories for use in planning; and critical review of capability analysis in planning projects at local, state, and national levels. Summer only. |
|
| GEO 441 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3) |
| Introduces
techniques for analyzing, displaying, and managing geographic data;
includes structure of geographic databases, principles of digital
cartography, basic spatial statistics, and analysis of spatial relationships
using GIS. Prerequisite: GEO 241, GEO 341, and GEO 345 or 346. |
|
| GLG 111 | The Dynamic Earth (3)* |
| Earth as a geophysical-geochemical unit and its internal and external processes. Formation of minerals and their relationships in rocks. Earth stresses and rock deformation, mountain building, and earthquakes. Geomorphic (landscape) evolution by mass wasting and wave, stream, wind, ground water, glacial, and volcanic activity. IVB, H. |
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| GLG 121 | Environmental Geology (3)* |
| Miami
Plan foundation course. Discusses geologic hazards and human
interaction with the geologic environment, including flooding, earthquakes,
volcanoes, and land-use planning. |
|
| GLG 131 | Geology and Gemstones (3)* |
| A survey of introductory geology with a sub theme of gem minerals. Topics include structure and properties of minerals, color, and other optical properties of gems, origin and evolution of the Earth, rock and gem forming processes, plate tectonics, and mountain building. |
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| GLG 141 | Geology of U.S. National Parks (3)* |
| Explains geologic features of national parks and other public lands in the context of current scientific thinking about structure and geologic evolution of North America. IVB. |
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| GLG 207 | Water and Society (3) |
| Presents
characteristics of water as a compound, physical and biological
processes governing portions of the hydrologic cycle, chemical quality
of natural waters, an overview of wastewater treatment technologies,
and legal and social changes needed to conserve this vital resource.
Prerequisite: GLG 111 or GLG 121 or GLG 141. |
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| GLG 211 | Chemistry of Earth Systems (4) |
| Material presented serves as the basis for dynamic links with upper-division courses within the department. The chemical evolution of the Earth is presented spanning all pressure and temperature conditions. Major geological processes are discussed with respect to the chemical principles controlling the distribution of elements and mass, e.g., crustal genesis, metamorphism, metasonmatism, formation of the atmosphere and oceans, diagenesis, hydrothermal processes, and low-temperature chemical weathering. Prerequisiste: Any 100-level, 3 credit hour GLG course. Corequisiste: GLG 201, CHM 137 or 141, 144. 3 Lec. 1 Lab. |
|
| GLG 401 | Global Climate Change (4) |
| Examines physical factors controlling climate and climate changes throughout geologic time. Interactions of the oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere on our climate in addition to astronomic controls examined. Prerequisite: GLG 244 or WCP 221 or 22 or permission of instructor. |
|
| GLG 408 | Ground Water Hydraulics and Development (3) |
| Studies
theory of flow through porous media and geophysical techniques used
for ground water exploration. Prerequisite: GLG 111,
MTH 141, or permission of instructor. |
|
| GLG 491 | Geochemistry of Natural Waters (3) |
| Explores the range of geochemical reactions governing water-rock interaction. Includes discussions of thermodynamics, kinetics, acid/base reactions, mineral equilibria, absorption/desorption, oxidation-reducation, organic geochemistry, and geochemical modeling. Prerequisite: GLG 211 or permission of instructor. |
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| HST 397 | American Environmental History (3) |
| Introduction to human-natural environment relationships in English North America and the United States, ca. 1600 to present. Chronological and regional approach with emphasis upon political economy and the American conservationist/ environmentalist movement. Cross-listed with AMS 397. |
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| IES 431 | Principles and Applications of Environmental Science (3) |
| Miami
Plan foundation course. Analyzes the relationship of human
beings to the environment and specifically assesses their impact
on the environment as a whole. Prerequisite: upper-level undergraduate
status. |
|
| IES 450 | Environmental Law (3) |
| Introduces
the origins of environmental law; discusses regulatory agencies
and the regulation of water pollution, hazardous substances, solid
waste, land use, and air pollution. Prerequisite: upper-level
undergraduate status. |
|
| PHY 121 | Energy and Environment (3) |
| Miami
Plan foundation course. Applies physics principles and models
to societal uses of energy, including mechanics, electricity and
magnetism, thermodynamics, and atomic and nuclear physics.
Prerequisite: algebraic skills are required, but no previous
course in physics is needed. |
|
| PHY 421 | Introduction to Biophysics (4) |
| Designed to acquaint the advanced undergraduate and graduate science major with physical principles required for an understanding of modern quantitative biology. Covers both experimental and theoretical aspects of physical biology. Prerequisite: PHY 172 or 182, MTH 241 or 251, or permission of instructor. |
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| ZOO 113 | Animal Diversity (4) |
| diversity of animal life examined in context of origin, evolutionary history, integration, sensitivity to perturbation, and interactions with humans. Assignments encourage students to synthesize previous laboratory experiences, explore current issues, or investigate an organism of special interest. Successful completion of loaboratory required. Offered at Hamilton and Middletown campuses. 3 Lec. 1 Lab. IVA, LAB. CAS-D/LAB. | |
| ZOO 204 | Fundamentals of Ecology (3) |
| Discusses
the interrelationships between organisms and their environments.
Prerequisite: one year of chemistry. |
|
| ZOO 333 | Field Ecology (3) |
| Experience in collection, analysis, and interpretation of ecological data. Prerequisite: ZOO 204. |
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| ZOO 453 | Animal Physiological Ecology (4) |
| Study of physiological and behavioral adaptations of organisms. Topics include discussions of flying, diving, and swimming adaptations as well as consideration of specific environments such as deserts, caves, and estuaries. Prerequisite: ZOO 204, 305, or equivalent, and permission of instructor. |
|
| ZOO 462 | Ecological Toxicology (4) |
| Evaluates
the current status of our knowledge of the effects of toxic chemicals
on individual organisms and on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Prerequisite: ZOO 204 and 305, or equivalents, and one year
of organic chemistry. |
|
| ZOO 463 | Limnology (4) |
| Studies
the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of freshwater
ecosystems. Prerequisite: ZOO 204 or equivalent, one year of chemistry,
or permission of instructor. |