Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - IDS6247
Tracking Number - 5348

(password required)

Current Status: -
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments:


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2015-12-21
  2. Department:
  3. College: CS
  4. Budget Account Number:
  5. Contact Person: Seneshaw Tsegaye
  6. Phone: 8139740311
  7. Email: seneshaw@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: IDS
  9. Number: 6247
  10. Full Title: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?: N
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Climate Change Mitigation
  19. Course Online?: B - Face-to-face and online (separate sections)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: -
  22. Prerequisites: None
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: This course will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore climate vulnerability and pathways of climate mitigation and adaptation. Case studies will be reviewed to provide insight on climate change adaptation planning and societal resilience.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
  26. 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? Required course for MA in Global Sustainability (Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainability Concentration)

    Climate change mitigation and adaptation is a just a little bit more complicated than we previously thought. We need to take into account not only the direct impact of climate change, but also how communities will respond to such change - the impact of adaptation. This course will be a concentration course for the MA in Global Sustainability Program. It foster to create the future leaders in sustainability who are capable of assessing vulnerabilities to climate change and applying appropriate tools for protecting the well-being, economy, and environment of citizens.

  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) - PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering or closely related field

    - Experience in teaching

  29. Objectives: This course will:

    - Analyze concerns of climate change and explore current perceptions, attitudes and beliefs

    - Explore climate change, climate vulnerability, climate mitigation and the adaptive capacity of the climate change

    - Use case studies to create a discuss on different pathways of climate mitigation and climate adaption at the local, regional and national levels

    - Discuss mitigation through the development of sustainable communities and wise urban planning

  30. Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1. Identify some of the different ways in which climate change challenges are being perceived and represented

    2. Develop a solid understanding of the climate system and explore the consequences, risks, and uncertainties of climate change

    3. Develop an understanding about the connections the climate has with urban processes, the contribution of cities to climate change and how cities are in turn impacted by it

    4. Understand how cities build resiliency in the face of the changing climate through the integration of mitigation and adaptation strategies

    5. Engage in thoughtful discussions and collaborative analyses of different nations’ climate policies, adaptive strategies and mitigation efforts

  31. Major Topics: Cities and climate change; the meaning and ethics of adaptation; risk and uncertainties of climate change; climate change vulnerability; from environmental justice to climate justice; international governance of climate change adaptation; decision making under uncertainty; dimensions of resilience; adaptive capacity; climate protection: mitigation strategies; climate protection: adaptation strategies; adaptation planning in developing countries; adaptation planning in the US; adaptation pathways: transitions and transformation; climate change communication; inside the global climate change negotiation.
  32. Textbooks: Dodman, D., Bicknell, J., & Satterthwaite, D. (Eds.). (2012). Adapting Cities to Climate Change: Understanding and addressing the development challenges. Routledge.
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: - Adger, W. N. (2000). Social and ecological resilience: are they related?. Progress in human geography, 24(3), 347-364.

    - Davoudi, S., Brooks, E., & Mehmood, A. (2013). Evolutionary resilience and strategies for climate adaptation. Planning Practice & Research, 28(3), 307-322.

    - Dow, K., Berkhout, F., Preston, B. L., Klein, R. J., Midgley, G., & Shaw, M. R. (2013). Limits to adaptation. Nature Climate Change, 3(4), 305-307.

    - Griggs, D., Stafford-Smith, M., Gaffney, O., Rockström, J., Öhman, M. C., Shyamsundar, P., ... & Noble, I. (2013). Policy: Sustainable development goals for people and planet. Nature, 495(7441), 305-307.

    - Leichenko, R., Thomas, A., & Barnes, M. (2010). Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (pp. 133-151). Routledge: New York and London.

    - Jones, L., Jaspars, S., Pavanello, S., Ludi, E., Slater, R., Arnall, A., ... & Mtisi, S. (2010). Responding to a changing climate. Overseas Development Studies, London.

    - Mainstreaming climate adaptation into urban planning: overcoming barriers, seizing opportunities and evaluating the results in two Dutch case studies.Regional environmental change, 13(2), 399-411.

  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Students are expected to complete the following requirements:

    - Assignment/short paper (20%)

    - Midterm exam (20%)

    - Final exam (30%)

    - Research project (30%)

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: There will be two assignments/short papers, one mid exam, one final exam, and one group research project.
  36. 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. It’s 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.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: Late Work and Make-up Examinations:

    Automatic make-up examinations will be given ONLY for students involved in official University of South Florida activities (i.e. athletics, conferences, field trips, etc.). Students away on official USF business during scheduled exams must present a valid excuse on official University of South Florida stationary signed by the appropriate college personnel. No assigned work will be handed in after the last day of the grading period unless otherwise specified. Students missing examinations due to illness must verify their health problems with signed documentation from two acceptable corroborative sources (i.e. your doctor and your parents). Students needing to miss examinations due to chronic health conditions or to deaths in the family should consult with the instructor. Late assignments will not be accepted.

    Academic Misconduct:

    The University of South Florida policies apply to all aspects of this course. There is zero tolerance for cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty. The application project paper MUST include proper citation of sources, failure to do so will result in a grade of F. Any infringement will result in the maximum prosecution of the offender by the University of South Florida and may result in various consequences ranging from a course grade of zero to academic suspension.

    Student Disability Services:

    Students in need of academic accommodations for a disability may consult with the office of Services for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. Students are required to give reasonable notice (typically 5 working days) prior to requesting an accommodation.

  38. Program This Course Supports: MA in Global Sustainability
  39. Course Concurrence Information: It could serve as an elective for various USF programs in Civil Engineering, and Environmental Science and Policy.


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.