Courses

• CAS GE 110: Our Changing Planet: The Perspective from Space
  An integrated treatment of the various components of the earth system: the atmosphere, lithosphere, ecosphere, and hydrosphere, as well as how they are changing. Extensive use of observations and measurements from space. Emphasis on global environmental change and human impact on earth. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS GE 150: Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society, and Environment
  Examines the social, environmental, and technological aspects of renewable and nonrenewable energy systems. Discusses energy issues in context of globalization, climate change, and sustainable development. Explores lifestyle and policy decisions related to energy issues. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
• CAS GE 201: World Regional Geography
  Overview of the special combination of environmental, historical, economic, and organizational qualities of the regions of the Old World, including Western and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, East and South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Emphasis on current issues of regional and global development. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
• CAS GE 250: The Fate of Nations: Climate, Resources, and Institutions
  Relationships among environment (e.g. climate), natural resources (e.g. energy, water), and human societies (hunter-gatherers to industrial economies). Principles from thermodynamics, climatology, ecology, and economics used to evaluate the role of environment and resources in the success and failure of societies. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
• CAS GE 302: Remote Sensing of Environment
  Introduction to satellite remote sensing of the Earth environment. Examines the physical basis and methods of the remote sensing process, as well as basics of digital image processing and analysis. Applications in Earth system science and natural resource management are considered.
• CAS GE 304: Environmentally Sustainable Development
  Traces the emergence of sustainable development as the defining environmental challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates policies for balancing ecological sustainability and economic development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Also offered as CAS IR 304.
• CAS GE 307: Biogeography
  Examines the spatial distribution of plants and animals from historical, ecological, and analytical perspectives. Environmental and human influences on species distribution, abundance, and diversity are considered, as are changes resulting from past and projected climate change. Also offered as CAS BI 307.
• CAS GE 309: Intermediate Environmental Analysis and Policy
  Introduction to economic and environmental theory critical to the formulation and evaluation of environmental and resource policy. This theory is applied to real world analysis of climate change, population growth, oil supplies, energy use, and globalization.
• CAS GE 310: Climate and the Environment
  Physical principles governing the climate system and its impact on the environment. Emphasis on understanding the physical processes governing energy, mass, and momentum transfer in the ocean and atmosphere. The interaction and feedback of these processes and their impact on the climate system and its variability.
• CAS GE 356: Geography of Third World Development
  Theory and experience of Third World development. Emphasis on issues of income distribution, geographical and regional inequality, importance of location in development planning, efficiency and equity consideration, and models of, and strategies for, regional development.
• CAS GE 365: An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  Practical hands-on computing experience using GIS for analyzing data from maps and other sources. Analytical functions unique to GIS are emphasized, as are applications in archaeology, land use planning, environmental monitoring, and other fields.
• CAS GE 375: Introduction to Quantitative Environmental Modeling
  Introduces students to quantitative models of environmental systems. Emphasizes application of quantitative models to environmental problem solving. Includes computer exercises with examples from current environmental issues such as population growth, pollution transport, and biodiversity.
• CAS GE 382: Understanding the Middle East
  Introduces the contemporary Middle East, including the Arab world, Iran, Israel, and Turkey; examines the systems of government; the roles of external powers; the origins of the state system; the sources and objectives of opposition forces; the prospects for political reform including democratization; and the prospects for future cooperation or conflict. Also offered as CAS IR 382.
• CAS GE 394: Environmental History of Africa
  Focus on the African environment and ecological systems over the past 150 years. Topics include climatic change, hydrography, agriculture, deforestation, soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and the role of colonialism and government policy in environmental change. Also offered as CAS HI 394.
• CAS GE 401: Senior Independent Work
  Senior Independent Work
• CAS GE 402: Senior Independent Work
  Senior Independent Work
• CAS GE 420: Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
  Introduction to the analysis of environmental policy, the implications of environmental problems for public decision making, the tools available to decision-makers, and their effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages.
• CAS GE 425: United States Environmental Policy
  Survey and historical overview of key environmental policies and regulations in the United States. Emphasis on policy development, including formulation and implementation of federal pollution control regulations since the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970. Considers possible future policy needs.
• CAS GE 440: Digital Image Processing ? Remote Sensing
  Pursues both the algorithms involved in processing remotely sensed images and their application. Topics include spectral and spatial enhancement, image classification and clustering, spatial analysis, and linear transforms.
• CAS GE 442: Radar Remote Sensing
  An introduction to radar imaging concepts, systems, and basic applications, including technical fundamentals, interpretation techniques, and aids. Applications include topographic mapping, land use, and earth science. Laboratory exercises included.

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