Courses

• CAS ES 539: Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
  Tropical reefs-- diverse, complex, and ancient-- exhibit lawful cycles of growth, degradation, and regeneration. Explore these through observations on the Belize Barrier Reef in fossil reef environments and through laboratory experiments. Insights are applied to reef conservation in today's changing world. Also offered as CAS BI 539.
• CAS ES 540: Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
  An introduction to the chemistry and physics of atmospheric pollution, and the impacts of air pollution on human welfare and the environment. Highlights the interactions between air quality, the biosphere, climate, and sustainable development.
• CAS ES 543: Estuaries and Nearshore Systems
  Physical and ecological processes interacting in estuarine and nearshore environments, including salt marshes, beaches, lagoons, deltas, and in wave- and tide-dominated regimes. Lectures complemented by extensive field work oriented toward individual and group research projects.
• CAS ES 557: Oceanography of Stellwagen Bank and Surrounding Waters
  Nutrient distribution and physical oceanography of Stellwagen Bank and adjacent waters. Bathymetric influences and effects of ocean currents of biogeochemical parameters. Includes day-long cruises on NOAA research vessel. Taught as part of the BU Marine Program Semester.
• CAS ES 565: Landscape Evolution: Tectonics, Surface Processes, and Climate
  An introduction to processes that shape landscapes in areas of active deformation, and the tools used to quantity rates of deformation, erosion, and exhumation. Draws upon techniques and processes from tectonics, geomorphology, sedimentology, geochronology, and GIS.
• CAS ES 576: Aquatic Geochemistry
  Fundamentals of water chemistry as applied to the evolution of surface, soil, and ground waters. Emphasis is on chemical equilibrium and kinetics, pH as a master variable, carbonate chemistry, mineral solubility, aqueous complexes, ion exchange, redox, and weathering reactions.
• CAS ES 591: Bio-Optical Oceanography
  This field- and lab-based course explores how the optically active constituents in seawater affect the in-water light field, and in turn, how field optics and remote sensing can facilitate the study of marine biogeochemistry, biological oceanography and water quality. Also offered as CAS BI 591.
• CAS ES 593: Marine Physiology and Climate Change
  Explores the range of physiological responses marine organisms exhibit in response to climate change. Investigates phenotypic plasticity exhibited across different organisms and how this plasticity can influence an organism's resilience to its changing environment. Also offered as CAS BI 593.
• CAS FY 101: First Year Experience
  Through activities and discussions, FY101 is focused on creating BU community, promoting health, wellness and safety, building academic pathways and success, and exploring identity.
• CAS FY 102: First Year Career Development (Internships, Majors, and Your Career Direction)
  FY102 will help first year students get started on utilizing the Career Development Cycle to maximize their time at BU. During this course students will create a plan of action towards choosing a major, creating a resume, finding an internship, and preparing for a career.
• CAS FY 103: First Year Experience Topics
  Focuses on the individual student's connection to the University through the exploration of a specific topic area.
• CAS GE 100: Environmental Change and Sustainability
  Introduces natural and social science concepts that underlie global environmental change and sustainability. Topics include climate change, biodiversity, energy, water, pollution, deforestation, agriculture, population growth. Sustainable development illustrated with ecological footprint based on student's lifestyle. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
• CAS GE 101: Natural Environments: The Atmosphere
  An introduction to weather and climate. Topics include the controls of weather and climate, day-to-day variations in weather, severe storms, climates of the world, urban climate and air pollution, past climates and climatic change, and the impact of climatic variations on society. 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, their historical evolution and implications for the future. 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 270: Data, Models, and Analysis in Earth & Environment
  Introduces key questions, types and sources of data, and analytical methods in earth and environment, and introduces students to an array of quantitative methods from both the natural- and social-science disciplines.
• 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.

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