Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - EVR6946
Tracking Number - 5085
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Current Status:
Approved by SCNS - 2015-04-01
Campus: St Petersburg
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: USF-STPT approved 3/17/15. to USF Sys 3/18/15. to SCNS 3/26/15. Approved Effective 4/1/15
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2014-10-13
- Department: Geography and Environmental Science and Policy
- College: AP
- Budget Account Number: 511224 10000
- Contact Person: Dona J. Stewart
- Phone: 34066
- Email: dstewar6@usfsp.edu
- Prefix: EVR
- Number: 6946
- Full Title: Major Themes in Environmental Science
- Credit Hours: 3
- Section Type: D -
Discussion (Primarily)
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: N
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?: N
- If repeatable, how many times?: 2
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Major Themes Env Science
- Course Online?: B -
Face-to-face and online (separate sections)
- Percentage Online: 0
- Grading Option:
-
- Prerequisites: None
- Corequisites: None
- Course Description: This is a seminar course that reviews major themes in environmental science that integrates knowledge and research from various scientific disciplines.
This course adopts and implements an interdisciplinary and integrative approach that emphasizes the
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? This is a new core course that will support our revised MA degree. The revisions to the MA are being made to meet identified student interest and more accurately reflect current and emerging themes within the discipline.
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) PhD with minimum of 18 credit hours in field.
- Objectives: Course Objectives:
o To understand the system approach and interconnectedness among the systems and how it works in terms of basic principles of biology, chemistry and physics within a system and across systems.
o To understand the relationships between humans and the environment (including human health, ecosystem health, sustainability and landscape processes).
o To understand major environmental problems including their causes and processes as well as consequences.
- Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Objectives:
o Provide foundational knowledge to understand major themes in environmental science
o Discuss the role of tools and models in understanding and mitigating environmental problems.
o Apply critical thinking perspectives to analyze environmental problems
o Critically assess peer-reviewed research and use this assessment to develop interdisciplinary methodologies for understanding and analyzing environmental problems.
- Major Topics: systems science
water policy
water shed management
hydrology
biochemistry
soil quality
air quality
human health impacts
land use analysis
- Textbooks: None, readings are drawn from current peer-reviewed journals
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: See complete bibliography on syllabus
Akimoto, H. (2003). Global Air Quality and Pollution. Science, 302 (1716)
Biswas, A. K.(2004). Integrated Water Resources Management: A
Reassessment. Water International, 29, (2), 248256
Blunier, T. and Brook, E.J. (2001). Timing of Millenial-Scale Climate Change in Antarctica and Greenland During the Last Glacial Period. Science, 291, (109).
Boersema J. J. and L. Reijnders. 2010. Principles of Environmental Sciences . Springer
Doran, J. and Zeiss, M.R. (2000). Soil Health and Sustinability: managing the biotic component of soil quality. Applied Soil Ecology, 15, 3-11
Doran, J.W. (2002). Soil Health and Global Sustinability: translating science into practice. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment, 88, 119-127
Frank, L.D., Sallis, J.F., Conway, T.L., Chapman, J.E., Saelens, B.E., Bachman, W. (2006) Many Pathways from Land Use to Health: Associations between Neighborhood Walkability and
Active Transportation, Body Mass Index, and Air Quality, Journal of the American Planning Association, 72,(1), 75-87
Gleick, P.H. (1993). Water and Conflict: Fresh Water Resources and International Security. International Security, 18, (1), 79-112
Gotelli, N.J. and Colwell, R.K. (2001). Quantifying Biodiversity: procedures and pitfalls in the measurement and comparison of species richness. Ecology Letters, 4, 379-391.
Guo, L.B. and Gifford, R.M. (2002). Soil carbon stocks and land use change: a meta analysis. Global Change Biology, 8, 345-360
He, C. (2003). Integration of Geographic Information Systems and Simulation Model for Watershed Management. Environmental Modelling and Software, 18, 809-813
Herrick, J.E. (2000). Soil Quality: an indicator of sustainable land management? Applied Soil Ecology, 15, 75-83
Karr, J.R and I. J. Schlosser. 1978. Water Resources and the Land-Water Interface.
Science, 201, (4352), 229-234
Salem, B.B. (2003). Application of GIS to biodiversity monitoring. Journal of Arid Environments, 54, 91-114
Stanford, J.A. and Ward, J.V. (1992). Management of Aquatic Resources in Large Catchments: Recognizing Interactions Between Ecosystem Connectivity and Environmental Disturbance. (pp. 91-124) In Naiman, R.J. (Ed.) Watershed Management: Balancing Sustainability and Environmental Change. Springer, New York.
Thanapakpawin, P., Richey, J., Thomas, D., Rodda, S., Campbell, B., Logsdon, M. (2006). Effect of landuse change on the hydrologic regime of the Mae Chaem river basin, NW Thailand. Journal of Hydrology, 334, 215-230.
Thanapakpawin, P., Richey, J., Thomas, D., Rodda, S., Campbell, B., Logsdon, M. (2006). Effect of landuse change on the hydrologic regime of the Mae Chaem river basin, NW Thailand. Journal of Hydrology, 334, 215-230.
US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (2006). Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin: USDA Handbook 296
Xiaming, Z., Wenhong, C., Qingchao, G., Sihon, W. (2010). Effects of landuse change on surface runoff and sediment yield at different watershed scales on the Loess Plateau. Sediment Research, 25, 283-293.
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Grades
Midterm 20%
Weekly Summary Presentation 15%
Weekly Participation in Seminar/ canvas discussion 15%
Mata Analysis Report Presentation 10%
Final Term Paper 20%
Final Exam 20%
Grading Scale
>= 96% A+
90 - 95% A
85 89% B+
80 84% B
75 79% C+
70 74% C
65 69% D+
60 64% D
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: Midterm 1
The exam is mandatory! You are required to complete it within allocated time. The midterm will be in essay format questions take-home that will contain information based applied and integrative theoretical questions.
Participation in Seminar/Canvas Discussion
You are required to complete your weekly readings and post your thoughts, questions on comments to facilitate discussion during the class. You participation and moving the discussion forward will consist of 10% of your final grade. Follow the participation guidelines posted on the Canvas for more details.
Final Paper
You are required to select a topic and conduct meta analysis and write a report with full citation and analysis. You will be presenting your findings in class.
- Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. Its the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: Make Up Exams
Make up exams may be permitted and must be arranged prior to the exam unless it is an emergency. Late project idea or preliminary reports will be accepted when caused by unavoidable circumstances. However, you should inform me at the earliest opportunity.
Final project report is due on the 10th of Dec by 1:00 pm NO EXCEPTION. Class presentation of your project is an essential part of course and you are required to do so NO EXCEPTION. If you have any concern, please come and talk to me. You will be presenting your final project on 9th of Dec.
- Program This Course Supports: Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Policy
- Course Concurrence Information: None
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.