BU Hub Pathway: Environment & Society
One of the most pressing challenges we face as a species is ensuring a sustainable world in which to live and to pass on to future generations. The Hub Pathway in Environment & Society allows students to engage with themes of human-environment interactions; the relationship between climate change and society; environmental policy; sustainable energy and development; earth and environmental sciences; and environmental humanities, among others.
The Environment & Society Hub Pathway provides students with the opportunity to fulfill general education requirements by taking Hub courses across a variety of disciplines that seek to understand and ensure a sustainable environment and society that supports human activity on our planet, so that we might “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”*
Below are Hub courses in the Environment & Society Hub Pathway grouped by Hub area. To view a listing of all courses in this Hub Pathway, please visit the BU Course Search .
In addition to the below listed courses, there are also sections of the Cross-College Challenge (XCC) , sections of CAS Writing Program courses, and other topics-based courses offered throughout the University that regularly explore the themes of this Hub Pathway.
Philosophical Inquiry and Life’ s Meanings
CAS AN 211 Humans Among Animals
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Ethical Reasoning Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
Examines how humans understand (other) animals and their thought, feeling, and communication and the ways we humans in varied cultures and societies use animals for interaction and self-understanding. Interdisciplinary approach that considers language, aesthetics, ideology, practice, and regulation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills units in the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and 102, admission to BUMP or CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial- interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 509 Applied Environmental Statistics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Introductory statistics (CAS MA 115/116 or MA 213/124 or equivalent), Calculus I (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123 or equivalent), and First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120. - Survey of modern probability-based statistical methods in environmental science. Core concepts in likelihood and Bayesian approaches are used to address spatial, time-series, and latent variable models and non-Gaussian, non-linear, heterogeneous, and missing data. Project-based course focused on applications to data. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Writing-Intensive Course.
Aesthetic Exploration
CAS AH 507 Digital Curation: Towards National Parks: Art and Nature, Nature and Nation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression
Before national parks, wild locations attracted artists, photographers and poets. Their works made these areas known to tourist-viewers. Prepare a digital exhibition and map artist- advocates as they explored mountains, forests and waterfalls. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EN 394 Cultures of Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one previous literature course or junior or senior standing. - This course explores the shared cultures of the sciences and literature from the Enlightenment through the Victorian eras in Britain and Europe. We combine the history of science, the social history of literature and related arts, and sociology of knowledge. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry II.
CAS LJ 360 Haiku
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - The history and evolving forms of haiku in Japan and around the world. Students write and workshop their own haiku in English or Japanese, learning from great poets how to focus attention, observe nature, read closer, and write better. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation.
MET IS 350 Nature and the Divine in Myth, Literature, and Art
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Critical Thinking Writing-Intensive Course
Over time and throughout cultures, human understanding of a divine presence, of a god or gods, has been intimately connected to our relationship with nature. This course introduces students to some of the world's mythic traditions, applying them to the enduring cultural issues surrounding humanity's relationship to nature and our role as stewards of the environment. The course will cover the Bible and classical mythology through the writings of Emerson and modern works such as Ceremony by Pueblo author Leslie Marmon Silko, and will explore nature and religion in art from Europe and America. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
Historical Consciousness
CAS AN 285 Coping with Crisis in Contemporary Africa (area)
4 credits.
Explores the ways ordinary Africans are coping with problems of security, environmental degradation, forced migration, economic decline, and disease. Readings and lectures contrast outsiders' interpretations of these "crises" with the way they are experienced by those they affect. Staff. 4 cr. Either sem. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Use of advanced computer (GIS) techniques to address regional archaeological problems.This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 121 Chemistry in Culture & Society
4 credits.
The course is intended to provide scientific fluency in the basic concepts of chemistry, to understand basic, scientific principles and make informed decisions as an essential feature of an advanced society and culture. Contemporary topics including sustainable energy, nutrition, 3D printing, scientific ethics and many others will be explored. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 365 Economic Institutions in Historical Perspective
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEC 201 and CASEC 202. - Historical development of state finance since antiquity. Topics include the impact of geography and climate, the interaction of political and economic interests, income distribution, and ideological support for economic policies. Some comparisons will be made between developments in the East and West. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness , Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 201 World Regional Geography
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 250 The Fate of Nations: Climate, Resources, and Institutions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EE 522 The Development of Sustainable Environmental Responsibility
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Historical Consciousness The Individual in Community
In-depth look at environmental policy and decision-making: how society addresses environmental problems. Includes discussion of the environmental movement, law, science, technology, economics, and international relations. Examines new issues facing environmental professionals and approaches to creating a sustainable world. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Historical Consciousness, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS HI 316 American Urban History
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines cities in America, from colonial era forward, focusing on Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, and San Francisco in national and transnational context. Focus on social, political, and environmental change to understand present and past urban landscapes. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 460 Animals in America
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Historical Consciousness Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines the place of animals in North American culture and society from pre- colonial times to the twentieth century, to shed light on popular beliefs, social relationships, environmental change, and politics. From hunting to husbandry, pet keeping to popular entertainment, we will look at animals to understand larger trends in American history. Topics include pigs in New York City, Jumbo the Elephant, and Bambi. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
CAS LY 283 Arab Cultures Through Film (in English translation)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Teamwork/Collaboration
Explores Arab cultures with a focus on key historical and social issues through the lens of Arabic films, both as historical artifacts and artworks. Diverse cinematic works from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and beyond are discussed and analyzed. No prior knowledge of the Arab world or Arabic is required. Effective Spring 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC HC 301 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Global Challenges I
4 credits.
In this course, students will develop an understanding of global public health from interdisciplinary perspectives. Specifically, the course will foster students¿ ability to critically consider key contemporary issues in global public health with a lens on ethical considerations, and in turn make links to policy and practice implications. Students will take on a range of issues that go well beyond the study of public health itself, raising questions such as those around identity, childhood, mental health, historical legacies of colonialism, and contemporary inequalities. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
Scientific Inquiry I
CAS BI 260 Marine Biology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or consent of instructor. - Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 121 Chemistry in Culture & Society
4 credits.
The course is intended to provide scientific fluency in the basic concepts of chemistry, to understand basic, scientific principles and make informed decisions as an essential feature of an advanced society and culture. Contemporary topics including sustainable energy, nutrition, 3D printing, scientific ethics and many others will be explored. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 101 Natural Environments: The Atmosphere
4 credits.
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
After covering the origin of the universe, earth and life, the course examines two topics: natural hazards, including earthquakes and volcanoes; and human impacts on Earth, including climate change, ozone depletion, pollution, and increasing demands on mineral and energy resources. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Introduction to the Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 142 Introduction to Beach and Shoreline Processes
4 credits.
Coastal processes including tidal currents, wave action, longshore transport, and estuarine circulation; barrier island and spit formation; study of beaches, dunes, and marshes; effects of tectonics, glaciers, and rivers on beaches and coastal morphology. Cape Cod field trip. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 144 Introduction to Oceanography
4 credits.
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMR144)is required of all Marine Science majors registering for CAS EE 144. - Examines the physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes that govern that oceans with a focus on how the ocean is impacted by and also moderates the pace of global change. Dynamic nature of the oceans on both a short- and a long-term scale is emphasized. Marine Science majors are required to register for co-req CAS MR 144 as well. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 317 Introduction to Hydrology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; CASMA 121, 123, or 127, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 371 Introduction to Geochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; and CASCH 101 or CH 111 or CH171 or CH131; or equivalent - Chemical features of Earth and the solar system; geochemical cycles, reactions among solids, liquids, and gases; radioactivity and isotope fractionation; water chemistry; origins of ore deposits; applications of geochemistry to regional and global problems. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 512 Urban Climate
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one semester of physics (PY 211, 212 or 251) is required, one semester of calculus (MA 123 or 124, or 127, or 129) is recommended, prior coding experience is strongly encouraged, or consent of instructor - Introduction to urban microclimate within the context of global climate change. Basic climate processes in urban systems; urban heat islands; mixing and dispersion; modeling and observational techniques; anthropogenic emissions; climate change impacts on cities; mitigation and adaptation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
KHC BI 101 Climate Change Biology in Massachusetts: What Would Henry Say'
4 credits.
This course will place Thoreau and Walden within the context of modern climate change biology research. Students will read Walden concurrently with papers on climate change and recent books to appreciate how Thoreau anticipated many modern climate change issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
KHC BI 104 Conflict and Cooperation
4 credits.
What binds human and non-human societies together, and what pulls them apart, over the short (historical) and long (evolutionary) terms' This course draws on approaches from the natural and social sciences to address this question. Students will study the biology of social behavior and the puzzle of how cooperation can evolve even though most animals are selfish; employ game theory to predict when individuals, groups, and nations should cooperate and when they should not; and apply insights from sociology and psychology to contemporary social issues including partisanship and environmentalism. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
KHC CH 140 The Material World
4 credits.
Discussion of how matter (gas, liquid, solid) is cycled within the earth's systems in the context of human use of the earth's resources and contemporary concerns about sustainability e.g. ozone layer, rare-earth elements, hydrocarbon combustion, potable water, plastic recycling. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
MET IS 380 Landscape, Climate, and Humans
4 credits.
This course will provide students with an introduction to environmental science with a dual focus in physical geography and climatology. Students will learn to interpret major themes in Earth History and human affairs through interactive lessons that include online lectures, outside reading, and extensive online maps, diagrams, and animations. We will discuss the interactions of climate, physical geography, and human activities in the formation of a dynamic, living Earth. We end with biogeochemistry and a look at the origin of life. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
MET IS 450 Botany without Borders
4 credits.
Online offering. Introduces students to practical problems in botany with a dual emphasis on plant evolution and plants in human affairs. The course crosses borders in time and geography as we examine the broad sweep of plants and their role on Earth over the past 300 million years. Plant form and function, evolution of seed plants, plant ecology, ethnobotany (human uses of plants), endangered plant communities, and prospects for conserving plant biodiversity are highlighted in this interdisciplinary course designed for undergraduates. While its focus is rigorously scientific, the course incor Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I.
Scientific Inquiry II
CAS AN 595 Methods in Biological Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An exploration of field and laboratory methods used in biological anthropology, with students participating in hands-on exercises. Topics include health assessment, body composition, diet, energetics, morphological adaptations, reproductive status, habitat composition, spatial movements, and conservation. Professional skills are also developed. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190 or consent of instructor. - Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing. - Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 303 Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) ; CAS BI 206 and CAS MA121/123 recommended. - Investigation of ecological processes and patterns at the individual, population, and community level. An evolutionary approach is emphasized. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. One research paper and one daylong field trip required. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS BI 306 Biology of Global Change
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) Recommended: CASCH101 or CASCH171. - The ecological impacts of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, forest decline, eutrophication, acidification, loss of species diversity, and restoration of ecosystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 500 Shark Biology & Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 539 Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Marine Semester. - 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 EE 539.
CAS CC 212 Core Natural Science II: Science, Reality, and the Modern World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of "junk science." Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st- century context. Effective Fall 2018, this course carries a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 302 Remote Sensing of Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sensor systems, methodology of remote sensing, and basic concept of image analysis. Presents the ways in which remotely sensed data can be used in scientific investigations and resource management. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits.
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 365 An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MA 115 or EC 203 or equivalent. - 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. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and 102, admission to BUMP or CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial- interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 511 Introduction to the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 310, 2 semesters of calculus (CASMA 123 & 124, or 127, or 129), 1 semester of statistics (CASMA 213 or CASEE 270, or equivalent), 1 semester of physics (CASPY 211 or 251); or instructor consent. - Covers the basic dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), with a focus on the ABL processes and modeling. Introduces statistical descriptions of turbulent flows in the atmosphere and the connection between the ABL and other environment/climate system processes. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 539 Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Admission to BUMP - 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 BI 539. Effective Fall 2023 this course does not fulfill any HUB units.
CAS EE 540 Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 or CH 109 or CH 111 or CH 171; CASMA 123 or MA 127 or MA 129; CASEE 270 or equivalent statistics course. - 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. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 108 - 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.
CAS HI 351 Environmental History of Africa
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Focus on the African environment and ecological systems over the past 150 years. Topics include climate change, hydrography, agriculture, deforestation, soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and the role of colonialism and government policy in environmental change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits.
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS JS 385 Israel and the Environment
4 credits.
Natural, social, and political factors in Israeli environmental resource management, impact on vulnerable populations, and opportunities for post- conflict, cross-border cooperation, environmental justice, and equitable division of scarce resources. Considers possibilities for a new paradigm in Middle Eastern sustainable development. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning. Social Inquiry II.
CGS NS 202 Human Ecology/Global Ecology
4 credits.
What is the fate of the biosphere and our species' Can humans reconcile economic and technological growth with ecological sustainability' This course examines the impact of one species, Homo sapiens, on the ecosystems of the biosphere, seeking answers to these broad questions. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC PY 104 Energy and Society
4 credits.
"Energy powers the world." This seminar explores that pithy statement, beginning with basic concepts and definitions. Students examine the history of human uses of energy, how energy arises in different realms (physical, chemical, biological), the primary sources of energy, how to transmit and store energy, and the politics of energy, seeking to answer the ultimate question: "What should be the path forward to a sustainable, environmentally sound, equitable energy future'" Students will demonstrate their understanding through problem sets/short essays, a mid-term exam, and a final project. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
MET BI 303 Ecology (EBE)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METBI107) - Basic principles of ecology, population dynamics and behavior, interrelationships of plants and animals and their physical and chemical environment. Structure and function of ecosystems and community dynamics. Laboratory course. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
Social Inquiry I
CAS AN 285 Coping with Crisis in Contemporary Africa (area)
4 credits.
Explores the ways ordinary Africans are coping with problems of security, environmental degradation, forced migration, economic decline, and disease. Readings and lectures contrast outsiders' interpretations of these "crises" with the way they are experienced by those they affect. Staff. 4 cr. Either sem. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 290 Human Impacts on Ancient Environments
4 credits.
Examination of human-environmental interactions in the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EE 100 Environmental Change and Sustainability
4 credits.
Introduces the distinctive ways that environmental change and sustainability are studied across the environmental social sciences and humanities, focusing on the contested meanings as much as material realities and policy responses to global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 201 World Regional Geography
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 291 Politics of the American Environment
4 credits.
When have Americans addressed declining resources and ecological deterioration' Why did demands for environmental justice develop' We explore how the United States has distributed environmental risks and rewards from the country's beginning to the present. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community.
CAS HI 316 American Urban History
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines cities in America, from colonial era forward, focusing on Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, and San Francisco in national and transnational context. Focus on social, political, and environmental change to understand present and past urban landscapes. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 311 Climate Change and Development Policy
4 credits.
Explores global and regional policy responses to the twin challenges of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines existing policies and radical alternatives to these challenges at global, regional and national scales. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC BI 104 Conflict and Cooperation
4 credits.
What binds human and non-human societies together, and what pulls them apart, over the short (historical) and long (evolutionary) terms' This course draws on approaches from the natural and social sciences to address this question. Students will study the biology of social behavior and the puzzle of how cooperation can evolve even though most animals are selfish; employ game theory to predict when individuals, groups, and nations should cooperate and when they should not; and apply insights from sociology and psychology to contemporary social issues including partisanship and environmentalism. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
Social Inquiry II
CAS AN 362 Culture and Environment
4 credits.
Examines mutually transformative relations between human societies and their environments. Shows how social constructions of environment, nature, and culture vary cross-culturally. Topics include: political ecology, environmental conservation, agriculture, climate, bioprospecting, relations with other animals, pollution. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 363 Food and Water: Critical Perspectives on Global Crises
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Examines how people, past and present, have interacted with food and water. Explores multiple causes and consequences of global food and water inequities. Considers the cultural politics of food/water production, consumption, and distribution in different parts of the world. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Use of advanced computer (GIS) techniques to address regional archaeological problems.This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 516 Paleoethnobotany
4 credits.
Introduces the theory and method of the study of archaeological plant remains and basic botanical and ecological concepts. Highlights relationships between people and environments and the roles of plants in past societies. Laboratory sessions concentrate on quantitative analysis. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AR 518 Zooarchaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190. - Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human- animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 309 Intermediate Environmental Analysis and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 100 and CASEC 101. - Introduction and critical analysis of the economic and ecological foundations of sustainability. Applications to biodiversity, land use, energy, climate change, resource curse, ecological footprint, and planetary boundaries. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 347 Water Resources and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Examines global water resource systems, with emphasis on questions of culture, development, gender, social inequality, politics. Analyzes social relations and historical legacies that shape water infrastructure, distribution, and meaning. Cases from Africa, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, South America. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 524 Environmental Justice
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor; First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Exploration of the origins of and current trends in environmental justice activism and scholarship. Introduces empirical evidence of environmental (in)justice, links contemporary environmental problems to historical and broader political-economic processes, and explores a range of responses to environmental injustice. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 528 US Environmental Policy
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); CAS EE 100 or equivalent; EE 309 or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - 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. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 538 Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Students gain professional experience by working in teams on research projects that assist environmental and public health officials in achieving the missions of their agencies. Research areas may include solar energy, environmental justice, toxics, water quality, and lead poisoning. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, The Individual in Community.
CAS EE 545 Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 121 or MA 123 or MA 124, or equivalent; EC 101, or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - A rigorous introduction to the economic analysis of environmental policy, and to the implications of the special character of environmental problems for public decision making. Introduces the tools available to environmental policy makers, and develops quantitative frameworks for analyzing their effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance
4 credits.
Helps those who seek a future of participation in the reconstruction of systems and expectations for consumer, health, and environmental protection, that have been dismantled in recent years and can be restored to function better than before. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits.
Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EN 394 Cultures of Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one previous literature course or junior or senior standing. - This course explores the shared cultures of the sciences and literature from the Enlightenment through the Victorian eras in Britain and Europe. We combine the history of science, the social history of literature and related arts, and sociology of knowledge. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 480 Political Economy of Human Development
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Also offered as GRS IR 680 A1. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
Quantitative Reasoning I
CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190 or consent of instructor. - Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 518 Zooarchaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190. - Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human- animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EC 365 Economic Institutions in Historical Perspective
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEC 201 and CASEC 202. - Historical development of state finance since antiquity. Topics include the impact of geography and climate, the interaction of political and economic interests, income distribution, and ideological support for economic policies. Some comparisons will be made between developments in the East and West. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness , Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 101 Natural Environments: The Atmosphere
4 credits.
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
After covering the origin of the universe, earth and life, the course examines two topics: natural hazards, including earthquakes and volcanoes; and human impacts on Earth, including climate change, ozone depletion, pollution, and increasing demands on mineral and energy resources. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Introduction to the Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 270 Data, Models, and Analysis in Earth & Environment
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 107 or CASEE 100 (or equivalent), or consent of instructor. - 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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 317 Introduction to Hydrology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; CASMA 121, 123, or 127, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 365 An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MA 115 or EC 203 or equivalent. - 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. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry II.
KHC BI 101 Climate Change Biology in Massachusetts: What Would Henry Say'
4 credits.
This course will place Thoreau and Walden within the context of modern climate change biology research. Students will read Walden concurrently with papers on climate change and recent books to appreciate how Thoreau anticipated many modern climate change issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
Quantitative Reasoning II
CAS AN 595 Methods in Biological Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An exploration of field and laboratory methods used in biological anthropology, with students participating in hands-on exercises. Topics include health assessment, body composition, diet, energetics, morphological adaptations, reproductive status, habitat composition, spatial movements, and conservation. Professional skills are also developed. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 516 Paleoethnobotany
4 credits.
Introduces the theory and method of the study of archaeological plant remains and basic botanical and ecological concepts. Highlights relationships between people and environments and the roles of plants in past societies. Laboratory sessions concentrate on quantitative analysis. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 303 Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) ; CAS BI 206 and CAS MA121/123 recommended. - Investigation of ecological processes and patterns at the individual, population, and community level. An evolutionary approach is emphasized. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. One research paper and one daylong field trip required. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS CC 212 Core Natural Science II: Science, Reality, and the Modern World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of "junk science." Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st- century context. Effective Fall 2018, this course carries a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 375 Introduction to Quantitative Environmental Modeling
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EE 270 or MA 115 or MA 213; or equivalent. - 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. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II.
CAS EE 422 Aquatic Optics & Remote Sensing
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
An introduction to the use of optical measurements and remote sensing to study the biogeochemistry and water quality of aquatic environments. Covers fundamental concepts and measurements in optics/remote sensing and provides hands-on experience with real data. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 446 Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 302 and CASEE 310 or consent of instructor - Remote sensing has transformed the study of Earth's atmosphere. Learn the principles of retrieving meteorological parameters (humidity, temperature, precipitation) and key atmospheric constituents (clouds, greenhouse gases, aerosol) from satellite observations. Explore applications to climate change, disaster monitoring, and public health. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II.
CAS EE 508 Data Science for Conservation Decisions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EE 270 or other intro to statistics; EE 375 or other intro to prog ramming. Recommended: EE 365, EE 505, or other intro to geospatial dat a. - Application of quantitative methods to support conservation decisions. Ecosystem value mapping, systematic conservation planning, policy instrument design, rigorous impact evaluation, decision theory, data visualization. Implementations in state-of-the-art open-source software. Real-life case studies from the U.S. and abroad. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 511 Introduction to the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 310, 2 semesters of calculus (CASMA 123 & 124, or 127, or 129), 1 semester of statistics (CASMA 213 or CASEE 270, or equivalent), 1 semester of physics (CASPY 211 or 251); or instructor consent. - Covers the basic dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), with a focus on the ABL processes and modeling. Introduces statistical descriptions of turbulent flows in the atmosphere and the connection between the ABL and other environment/climate system processes. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 533 Quantitative Geomorphology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123 OR CASMA127 OR CASMA129) - Quantitative analyses of surface processes that lead to landform evolution and landscape change. Emphasizes study of analytical techniques in understanding specific depositional and erosional processes; models of global landscape change; tectonic and climatic geomorphology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 540 Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 or CH 109 or CH 111 or CH 171; CASMA 123 or MA 127 or MA 129; CASEE 270 or equivalent statistics course. - 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. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 545 Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 121 or MA 123 or MA 124, or equivalent; EC 101, or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - A rigorous introduction to the economic analysis of environmental policy, and to the implications of the special character of environmental problems for public decision making. Introduces the tools available to environmental policy makers, and develops quantitative frameworks for analyzing their effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 480 Political Economy of Human Development
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Also offered as GRS IR 680 A1. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
MET BI 303 Ecology (EBE)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METBI107) - Basic principles of ecology, population dynamics and behavior, interrelationships of plants and animals and their physical and chemical environment. Structure and function of ecosystems and community dynamics. Laboratory course. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
The Individual in Community
CAS EE 522 The Development of Sustainable Environmental Responsibility
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Historical Consciousness The Individual in Community
In-depth look at environmental policy and decision-making: how society addresses environmental problems. Includes discussion of the environmental movement, law, science, technology, economics, and international relations. Examines new issues facing environmental professionals and approaches to creating a sustainable world. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Historical Consciousness, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 524 Environmental Justice
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor; First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Exploration of the origins of and current trends in environmental justice activism and scholarship. Introduces empirical evidence of environmental (in)justice, links contemporary environmental problems to historical and broader political-economic processes, and explores a range of responses to environmental injustice. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 538 Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Students gain professional experience by working in teams on research projects that assist environmental and public health officials in achieving the missions of their agencies. Research areas may include solar energy, environmental justice, toxics, water quality, and lead poisoning. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, The Individual in Community.
CAS EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance
4 credits.
Helps those who seek a future of participation in the reconstruction of systems and expectations for consumer, health, and environmental protection, that have been dismantled in recent years and can be restored to function better than before. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS HI 291 Politics of the American Environment
4 credits.
When have Americans addressed declining resources and ecological deterioration' Why did demands for environmental justice develop' We explore how the United States has distributed environmental risks and rewards from the country's beginning to the present. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community.
CAS PO 523 Infrastructure and Land Use Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120 or 150) - An introduction to infrastructure and land use politics in relation to federal, state, and local policy in the U.S. We explore topics such as transportation, housing, sustainability, and other infrastructure. Culminates in a research-based paper and an oral presentation of research findings. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
CFA ME 374 Arts Engagement: Cultivating a Deeper Relationship with the Natural Environment to Foster Sustain
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Ethical Reasoning The Individual in Community
In this course, you will explore the arts to contemplate nature, identify unsustainable practices, propose viable alternatives, and share your results with the community via a multimedia arts exhibit. This course is open to juniors/seniors of any major and ability. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Ethical Reasoning, Creativity/Innovation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
KHC AN 104 Wildlife Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression The Individual in Community
Through team-based approaches, students learn about threats to wildlife and natural habitats, identifying community-based root causes. They apply their own disciplinary expertise and passions to develop creative solutions to these problems, culminating in the production of a final conservation video. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
CAS AN 363 Food and Water: Critical Perspectives on Global Crises
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Examines how people, past and present, have interacted with food and water. Explores multiple causes and consequences of global food and water inequities. Considers the cultural politics of food/water production, consumption, and distribution in different parts of the world. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 290 Human Impacts on Ancient Environments
4 credits.
Examination of human-environmental interactions in the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AR 507 Low Impact Field Methods in Archaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR 100 OR CASAR 190) and CASAR 307; or consent of instructor. - Hands-on introduction to "low-impact" analytical methodologies employed in archaeology. Integrates field learning with conceptual and case-study readings, classroom instruction, and computer-based data manipulation and analyses. Introductions to GIS, field survey, UAV-based aerial photogrammetry, aerial imagery, subsurface prospection methods, dendroarchaeological sampling. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EC 371 Environmental Economics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Role of economics in environmental planning. Economic analysis of the causes of pollution and its control through taxes, the use of property rights, and standards. Application of cost-benefit models as an aid in policy decisions affecting the environment. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 250 The Fate of Nations: Climate, Resources, and Institutions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EE 347 Water Resources and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Examines global water resource systems, with emphasis on questions of culture, development, gender, social inequality, politics. Analyzes social relations and historical legacies that shape water infrastructure, distribution, and meaning. Cases from Africa, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, South America. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 512 Urban Climate
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one semester of physics (PY 211, 212 or 251) is required, one semester of calculus (MA 123 or 124, or 127, or 129) is recommended, prior coding experience is strongly encouraged, or consent of instructor - Introduction to urban microclimate within the context of global climate change. Basic climate processes in urban systems; urban heat islands; mixing and dispersion; modeling and observational techniques; anthropogenic emissions; climate change impacts on cities; mitigation and adaptation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 351 Environmental History of Africa
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Focus on the African environment and ecological systems over the past 150 years. Topics include climate change, hydrography, agriculture, deforestation, soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and the role of colonialism and government policy in environmental change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS LY 283 Arab Cultures Through Film (in English translation)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Teamwork/Collaboration
Explores Arab cultures with a focus on key historical and social issues through the lens of Arabic films, both as historical artifacts and artworks. Diverse cinematic works from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and beyond are discussed and analyzed. No prior knowledge of the Arab world or Arabic is required. Effective Spring 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration.
Ethical Reasoning
CAS AN 211 Humans Among Animals
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Ethical Reasoning Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
Examines how humans understand (other) animals and their thought, feeling, and communication and the ways we humans in varied cultures and societies use animals for interaction and self-understanding. Interdisciplinary approach that considers language, aesthetics, ideology, practice, and regulation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills units in the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 362 Culture and Environment
4 credits.
Examines mutually transformative relations between human societies and their environments. Shows how social constructions of environment, nature, and culture vary cross-culturally. Topics include: political ecology, environmental conservation, agriculture, climate, bioprospecting, relations with other animals, pollution. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 306 Biology of Global Change
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) Recommended: CASCH101 or CASCH171. - The ecological impacts of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, forest decline, eutrophication, acidification, loss of species diversity, and restoration of ecosystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 448 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI303 OR CASBI306) or consent of instructor. - The study of biological diversity and modern methods to protect endangered plant and animal species. The environment, population, and genetic and human factors that affect the survival of species are examined for temperate and tropical communities, as well as terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS EC 371 Environmental Economics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Role of economics in environmental planning. Economic analysis of the causes of pollution and its control through taxes, the use of property rights, and standards. Application of cost-benefit models as an aid in policy decisions affecting the environment. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 100 Environmental Change and Sustainability
4 credits.
Introduces the distinctive ways that environmental change and sustainability are studied across the environmental social sciences and humanities, focusing on the contested meanings as much as material realities and policy responses to global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 142 Introduction to Beach and Shoreline Processes
4 credits.
Coastal processes including tidal currents, wave action, longshore transport, and estuarine circulation; barrier island and spit formation; study of beaches, dunes, and marshes; effects of tectonics, glaciers, and rivers on beaches and coastal morphology. Cape Cod field trip. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 144 Introduction to Oceanography
4 credits.
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMR144)is required of all Marine Science majors registering for CAS EE 144. - Examines the physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes that govern that oceans with a focus on how the ocean is impacted by and also moderates the pace of global change. Dynamic nature of the oceans on both a short- and a long-term scale is emphasized. Marine Science majors are required to register for co-req CAS MR 144 as well. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS EE 585 Ecological Forecasting and Informatics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Oral and/or Signed Communication Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 303 or BI 306; CASMA 121 or MA 123; CASMA 115 or MA 213 or CASEE 375; or consent of instructor. - The statistics and informatics of model-data fusion and forecasting: data management, workflows, Bayesian statistics, uncertainty analysis, fusing multiple data sources, assessing model performance, scenario development, decision analysis, and data assimilation. Case studies highlight ecological forecasting across a range of subdisciplines. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 460 Animals in America
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Historical Consciousness Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines the place of animals in North American culture and society from pre- colonial times to the twentieth century, to shed light on popular beliefs, social relationships, environmental change, and politics. From hunting to husbandry, pet keeping to popular entertainment, we will look at animals to understand larger trends in American history. Topics include pigs in New York City, Jumbo the Elephant, and Bambi. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
CAS IR 311 Climate Change and Development Policy
4 credits.
Explores global and regional policy responses to the twin challenges of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines existing policies and radical alternatives to these challenges at global, regional and national scales. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS JS 385 Israel and the Environment
4 credits.
Natural, social, and political factors in Israeli environmental resource management, impact on vulnerable populations, and opportunities for post- conflict, cross-border cooperation, environmental justice, and equitable division of scarce resources. Considers possibilities for a new paradigm in Middle Eastern sustainable development. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning. Social Inquiry II.
CFA ME 374 Arts Engagement: Cultivating a Deeper Relationship with the Natural Environment to Foster Sustain
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Ethical Reasoning The Individual in Community
In this course, you will explore the arts to contemplate nature, identify unsustainable practices, propose viable alternatives, and share your results with the community via a multimedia arts exhibit. This course is open to juniors/seniors of any major and ability. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Ethical Reasoning, Creativity/Innovation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
KHC CH 140 The Material World
4 credits.
Discussion of how matter (gas, liquid, solid) is cycled within the earth's systems in the context of human use of the earth's resources and contemporary concerns about sustainability e.g. ozone layer, rare-earth elements, hydrocarbon combustion, potable water, plastic recycling. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC HC 301 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Global Challenges I
4 credits.
In this course, students will develop an understanding of global public health from interdisciplinary perspectives. Specifically, the course will foster students¿ ability to critically consider key contemporary issues in global public health with a lens on ethical considerations, and in turn make links to policy and practice implications. Students will take on a range of issues that go well beyond the study of public health itself, raising questions such as those around identity, childhood, mental health, historical legacies of colonialism, and contemporary inequalities. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC PY 104 Energy and Society
4 credits.
"Energy powers the world." This seminar explores that pithy statement, beginning with basic concepts and definitions. Students examine the history of human uses of energy, how energy arises in different realms (physical, chemical, biological), the primary sources of energy, how to transmit and store energy, and the politics of energy, seeking to answer the ultimate question: "What should be the path forward to a sustainable, environmentally sound, equitable energy future'" Students will demonstrate their understanding through problem sets/short essays, a mid-term exam, and a final project. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
Writing-Intensive Course
CAS AR 594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing. - Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 509 Applied Environmental Statistics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Introductory statistics (CAS MA 115/116 or MA 213/124 or equivalent), Calculus I (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123 or equivalent), and First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120. - Survey of modern probability-based statistical methods in environmental science. Core concepts in likelihood and Bayesian approaches are used to address spatial, time-series, and latent variable models and non-Gaussian, non-linear, heterogeneous, and missing data. Project-based course focused on applications to data. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS EE 524 Environmental Justice
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor; First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Exploration of the origins of and current trends in environmental justice activism and scholarship. Introduces empirical evidence of environmental (in)justice, links contemporary environmental problems to historical and broader political-economic processes, and explores a range of responses to environmental injustice. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 528 US Environmental Policy
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); CAS EE 100 or equivalent; EE 309 or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - 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. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 316 American Urban History
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines cities in America, from colonial era forward, focusing on Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, and San Francisco in national and transnational context. Focus on social, political, and environmental change to understand present and past urban landscapes. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 460 Animals in America
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Historical Consciousness Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines the place of animals in North American culture and society from pre- colonial times to the twentieth century, to shed light on popular beliefs, social relationships, environmental change, and politics. From hunting to husbandry, pet keeping to popular entertainment, we will look at animals to understand larger trends in American history. Topics include pigs in New York City, Jumbo the Elephant, and Bambi. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
CAS LJ 360 Haiku
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - The history and evolving forms of haiku in Japan and around the world. Students write and workshop their own haiku in English or Japanese, learning from great poets how to focus attention, observe nature, read closer, and write better. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS PO 523 Infrastructure and Land Use Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120 or 150) - An introduction to infrastructure and land use politics in relation to federal, state, and local policy in the U.S. We explore topics such as transportation, housing, sustainability, and other infrastructure. Culminates in a research-based paper and an oral presentation of research findings. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
MET IS 350 Nature and the Divine in Myth, Literature, and Art
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Critical Thinking Writing-Intensive Course
Over time and throughout cultures, human understanding of a divine presence, of a god or gods, has been intimately connected to our relationship with nature. This course introduces students to some of the world's mythic traditions, applying them to the enduring cultural issues surrounding humanity's relationship to nature and our role as stewards of the environment. The course will cover the Bible and classical mythology through the writings of Emerson and modern works such as Ceremony by Pueblo author Leslie Marmon Silko, and will explore nature and religion in art from Europe and America. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
Oral and/or Signed Communication
CAS AR 594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing. - Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 448 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI303 OR CASBI306) or consent of instructor. - The study of biological diversity and modern methods to protect endangered plant and animal species. The environment, population, and genetic and human factors that affect the survival of species are examined for temperate and tropical communities, as well as terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS BI 500 Shark Biology & Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 541 Coral Reef Resilience and Restoration
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the BU Marine Semester and junior or senior standing. - Caribbean coral reefs have fallen into ruin. Students develop methods to restore reef health by applying genomics, life history theory, landscape ecology and climatology. This course includes field work in Belize.
CAS BI 578 Marine Geographic Information Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 260 and CASEE 144; CASMA 213 is recommended - Introduction to marine geographic information systems and spatial analysis for conservation, management, and marine landscape ecology. Comparative examples from Gulf of Maine and tropics. Solve problems in coastal zoning and marine park design, whale and coral reef conservation.
CAS BI 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108) or consent of the instructor, and admission to the Marine Semester. - 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.
CAS EE 310 Climate and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Oral and/or Signed Communication
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASMA 122 or MA 124 and PY 211; or consent of instructor. - Understanding physical processes of the atmosphere, ranging in scale from tornadoes to global winds. Emphasis on providing physical explanations of atmospheric phenomena and impact of weather on humanity. Satellite and weather modification technology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 371 Introduction to Geochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; and CASCH 101 or CH 111 or CH171 or CH131; or equivalent - Chemical features of Earth and the solar system; geochemical cycles, reactions among solids, liquids, and gases; radioactivity and isotope fractionation; water chemistry; origins of ore deposits; applications of geochemistry to regional and global problems. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 422 Aquatic Optics & Remote Sensing
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
An introduction to the use of optical measurements and remote sensing to study the biogeochemistry and water quality of aquatic environments. Covers fundamental concepts and measurements in optics/remote sensing and provides hands-on experience with real data. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and 102, admission to BUMP or CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial- interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 533 Quantitative Geomorphology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123 OR CASMA127 OR CASMA129) - Quantitative analyses of surface processes that lead to landform evolution and landscape change. Emphasizes study of analytical techniques in understanding specific depositional and erosional processes; models of global landscape change; tectonic and climatic geomorphology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 578 Marine Geographic Information Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 260 and CASEE 144; CASMA 213 is recommended - Introduction to marine geographic information systems and spatial analysis for conservation, management, and marine landscape ecology. Comparative examples from Gulf of Maine and tropics. Solve problems in coastal zoning and marine park design, whale and coral reef conservation.
CAS EE 585 Ecological Forecasting and Informatics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Oral and/or Signed Communication Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 303 or BI 306; CASMA 121 or MA 123; CASMA 115 or MA 213 or CASEE 375; or consent of instructor. - The statistics and informatics of model-data fusion and forecasting: data management, workflows, Bayesian statistics, uncertainty analysis, fusing multiple data sources, assessing model performance, scenario development, decision analysis, and data assimilation. Case studies highlight ecological forecasting across a range of subdisciplines. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 108 - 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.
CAS MR 529 Tropical Marine Fisheries
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI260) and admission to the Marine Semester. - Examines ecology and management of commercially valuable fishes and shellfishes in the Belizean Barrier Reef with emphasis on human impacts on species diversity and abundance. Topics include population dynamics, essential fish habitat, bioeconomics, sustainable harvesting and management institutions.
Digital/Multimedia Expression
CAS AH 507 Digital Curation: Towards National Parks: Art and Nature, Nature and Nation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression
Before national parks, wild locations attracted artists, photographers and poets. Their works made these areas known to tourist-viewers. Prepare a digital exhibition and map artist- advocates as they explored mountains, forests and waterfalls. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 303 Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) ; CAS BI 206 and CAS MA121/123 recommended. - Investigation of ecological processes and patterns at the individual, population, and community level. An evolutionary approach is emphasized. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. One research paper and one daylong field trip required. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS EE 302 Remote Sensing of Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sensor systems, methodology of remote sensing, and basic concept of image analysis. Presents the ways in which remotely sensed data can be used in scientific investigations and resource management. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 310 Climate and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Oral and/or Signed Communication
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASMA 122 or MA 124 and PY 211; or consent of instructor. - Understanding physical processes of the atmosphere, ranging in scale from tornadoes to global winds. Emphasis on providing physical explanations of atmospheric phenomena and impact of weather on humanity. Satellite and weather modification technology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 375 Introduction to Quantitative Environmental Modeling
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EE 270 or MA 115 or MA 213; or equivalent. - 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. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II.
CAS EE 508 Data Science for Conservation Decisions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EE 270 or other intro to statistics; EE 375 or other intro to prog ramming. Recommended: EE 365, EE 505, or other intro to geospatial dat a. - Application of quantitative methods to support conservation decisions. Ecosystem value mapping, systematic conservation planning, policy instrument design, rigorous impact evaluation, decision theory, data visualization. Implementations in state-of-the-art open-source software. Real-life case studies from the U.S. and abroad. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
KHC AN 104 Wildlife Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression The Individual in Community
Through team-based approaches, students learn about threats to wildlife and natural habitats, identifying community-based root causes. They apply their own disciplinary expertise and passions to develop creative solutions to these problems, culminating in the production of a final conservation video. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
MET BI 303 Ecology (EBE)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METBI107) - Basic principles of ecology, population dynamics and behavior, interrelationships of plants and animals and their physical and chemical environment. Structure and function of ecosystems and community dynamics. Laboratory course. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
QST SI 453 Strategies in Environmental Sustainability
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST SM131, or QST SI250, or QST SI480, or COM FT591, or SHA HF307; Jun ior standing - With the growing global call for climate action, firms are recognizing business imperatives for climate resiliency. This course broadens our vision of corporate strategy to incorporate environmental initiatives as a way to create value. If you are a student who embraces the power of the private sector to lead climate imperatives, you will find this course particularly applicable. You will leave this course with a clear and actionable framework for implementing sustainability initiatives at all levels of the firm. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
Critical Thinking
CAS AN 211 Humans Among Animals
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Ethical Reasoning Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
Examines how humans understand (other) animals and their thought, feeling, and communication and the ways we humans in varied cultures and societies use animals for interaction and self-understanding. Interdisciplinary approach that considers language, aesthetics, ideology, practice, and regulation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills units in the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, and Critical Thinking.
CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190 or consent of instructor. - Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 516 Paleoethnobotany
4 credits.
Introduces the theory and method of the study of archaeological plant remains and basic botanical and ecological concepts. Highlights relationships between people and environments and the roles of plants in past societies. Laboratory sessions concentrate on quantitative analysis. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 260 Marine Biology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or consent of instructor. - Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CC 212 Core Natural Science II: Science, Reality, and the Modern World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of "junk science." Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st- century context. Effective Fall 2018, this course carries a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 121 Chemistry in Culture & Society
4 credits.
The course is intended to provide scientific fluency in the basic concepts of chemistry, to understand basic, scientific principles and make informed decisions as an essential feature of an advanced society and culture. Contemporary topics including sustainable energy, nutrition, 3D printing, scientific ethics and many others will be explored. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 142 Introduction to Beach and Shoreline Processes
4 credits.
Coastal processes including tidal currents, wave action, longshore transport, and estuarine circulation; barrier island and spit formation; study of beaches, dunes, and marshes; effects of tectonics, glaciers, and rivers on beaches and coastal morphology. Cape Cod field trip. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 347 Water Resources and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Examines global water resource systems, with emphasis on questions of culture, development, gender, social inequality, politics. Analyzes social relations and historical legacies that shape water infrastructure, distribution, and meaning. Cases from Africa, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, South America. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance
4 credits.
Helps those who seek a future of participation in the reconstruction of systems and expectations for consumer, health, and environmental protection, that have been dismantled in recent years and can be restored to function better than before. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits.
Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 311 Climate Change and Development Policy
4 credits.
Explores global and regional policy responses to the twin challenges of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines existing policies and radical alternatives to these challenges at global, regional and national scales. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 480 Political Economy of Human Development
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Also offered as GRS IR 680 A1. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
KHC BI 101 Climate Change Biology in Massachusetts: What Would Henry Say'
4 credits.
This course will place Thoreau and Walden within the context of modern climate change biology research. Students will read Walden concurrently with papers on climate change and recent books to appreciate how Thoreau anticipated many modern climate change issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
KHC CH 140 The Material World
4 credits.
Discussion of how matter (gas, liquid, solid) is cycled within the earth's systems in the context of human use of the earth's resources and contemporary concerns about sustainability e.g. ozone layer, rare-earth elements, hydrocarbon combustion, potable water, plastic recycling. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC HC 301 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Global Challenges I
4 credits.
In this course, students will develop an understanding of global public health from interdisciplinary perspectives. Specifically, the course will foster students¿ ability to critically consider key contemporary issues in global public health with a lens on ethical considerations, and in turn make links to policy and practice implications. Students will take on a range of issues that go well beyond the study of public health itself, raising questions such as those around identity, childhood, mental health, historical legacies of colonialism, and contemporary inequalities. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC PY 104 Energy and Society
4 credits.
"Energy powers the world." This seminar explores that pithy statement, beginning with basic concepts and definitions. Students examine the history of human uses of energy, how energy arises in different realms (physical, chemical, biological), the primary sources of energy, how to transmit and store energy, and the politics of energy, seeking to answer the ultimate question: "What should be the path forward to a sustainable, environmentally sound, equitable energy future'" Students will demonstrate their understanding through problem sets/short essays, a mid-term exam, and a final project. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
MET IS 350 Nature and the Divine in Myth, Literature, and Art
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Critical Thinking Writing-Intensive Course
Over time and throughout cultures, human understanding of a divine presence, of a god or gods, has been intimately connected to our relationship with nature. This course introduces students to some of the world's mythic traditions, applying them to the enduring cultural issues surrounding humanity's relationship to nature and our role as stewards of the environment. The course will cover the Bible and classical mythology through the writings of Emerson and modern works such as Ceremony by Pueblo author Leslie Marmon Silko, and will explore nature and religion in art from Europe and America. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
Research and Information Literacy
CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190 or consent of instructor. - Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Use of advanced computer (GIS) techniques to address regional archaeological problems.This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 260 Marine Biology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or consent of instructor. - Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 306 Biology of Global Change
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) Recommended: CASCH101 or CASCH171. - The ecological impacts of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, forest decline, eutrophication, acidification, loss of species diversity, and restoration of ecosystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 500 Shark Biology & Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 541 Coral Reef Resilience and Restoration
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the BU Marine Semester and junior or senior standing. - Caribbean coral reefs have fallen into ruin. Students develop methods to restore reef health by applying genomics, life history theory, landscape ecology and climatology. This course includes field work in Belize.
CAS BI 578 Marine Geographic Information Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 260 and CASEE 144; CASMA 213 is recommended - Introduction to marine geographic information systems and spatial analysis for conservation, management, and marine landscape ecology. Comparative examples from Gulf of Maine and tropics. Solve problems in coastal zoning and marine park design, whale and coral reef conservation.
CAS BI 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108) or consent of the instructor, and admission to the Marine Semester. - 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.
CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
After covering the origin of the universe, earth and life, the course examines two topics: natural hazards, including earthquakes and volcanoes; and human impacts on Earth, including climate change, ozone depletion, pollution, and increasing demands on mineral and energy resources. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Introduction to the Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 201 World Regional Geography
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 270 Data, Models, and Analysis in Earth & Environment
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 107 or CASEE 100 (or equivalent), or consent of instructor. - 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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits.
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 309 Intermediate Environmental Analysis and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 100 and CASEC 101. - Introduction and critical analysis of the economic and ecological foundations of sustainability. Applications to biodiversity, land use, energy, climate change, resource curse, ecological footprint, and planetary boundaries. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 371 Introduction to Geochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; and CASCH 101 or CH 111 or CH171 or CH131; or equivalent - Chemical features of Earth and the solar system; geochemical cycles, reactions among solids, liquids, and gases; radioactivity and isotope fractionation; water chemistry; origins of ore deposits; applications of geochemistry to regional and global problems. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 422 Aquatic Optics & Remote Sensing
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
An introduction to the use of optical measurements and remote sensing to study the biogeochemistry and water quality of aquatic environments. Covers fundamental concepts and measurements in optics/remote sensing and provides hands-on experience with real data. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and 102, admission to BUMP or CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial- interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 508 Data Science for Conservation Decisions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EE 270 or other intro to statistics; EE 375 or other intro to prog ramming. Recommended: EE 365, EE 505, or other intro to geospatial dat a. - Application of quantitative methods to support conservation decisions. Ecosystem value mapping, systematic conservation planning, policy instrument design, rigorous impact evaluation, decision theory, data visualization. Implementations in state-of-the-art open-source software. Real-life case studies from the U.S. and abroad. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 511 Introduction to the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 310, 2 semesters of calculus (CASMA 123 & 124, or 127, or 129), 1 semester of statistics (CASMA 213 or CASEE 270, or equivalent), 1 semester of physics (CASPY 211 or 251); or instructor consent. - Covers the basic dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), with a focus on the ABL processes and modeling. Introduces statistical descriptions of turbulent flows in the atmosphere and the connection between the ABL and other environment/climate system processes. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 512 Urban Climate
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one semester of physics (PY 211, 212 or 251) is required, one semester of calculus (MA 123 or 124, or 127, or 129) is recommended, prior coding experience is strongly encouraged, or consent of instructor - Introduction to urban microclimate within the context of global climate change. Basic climate processes in urban systems; urban heat islands; mixing and dispersion; modeling and observational techniques; anthropogenic emissions; climate change impacts on cities; mitigation and adaptation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 528 US Environmental Policy
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); CAS EE 100 or equivalent; EE 309 or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - 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. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 545 Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 121 or MA 123 or MA 124, or equivalent; EC 101, or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - A rigorous introduction to the economic analysis of environmental policy, and to the implications of the special character of environmental problems for public decision making. Introduces the tools available to environmental policy makers, and develops quantitative frameworks for analyzing their effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 578 Marine Geographic Information Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 260 and CASEE 144; CASMA 213 is recommended - Introduction to marine geographic information systems and spatial analysis for conservation, management, and marine landscape ecology. Comparative examples from Gulf of Maine and tropics. Solve problems in coastal zoning and marine park design, whale and coral reef conservation.
CAS EE 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 108 - 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.
CAS HI 351 Environmental History of Africa
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Focus on the African environment and ecological systems over the past 150 years. Topics include climate change, hydrography, agriculture, deforestation, soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and the role of colonialism and government policy in environmental change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits.
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS MR 529 Tropical Marine Fisheries
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI260) and admission to the Marine Semester. - Examines ecology and management of commercially valuable fishes and shellfishes in the Belizean Barrier Reef with emphasis on human impacts on species diversity and abundance. Topics include population dynamics, essential fish habitat, bioeconomics, sustainable harvesting and management institutions.
CAS PO 523 Infrastructure and Land Use Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120 or 150) - An introduction to infrastructure and land use politics in relation to federal, state, and local policy in the U.S. We explore topics such as transportation, housing, sustainability, and other infrastructure. Culminates in a research-based paper and an oral presentation of research findings. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
Teamwork/Collaboration
CAS AN 363 Food and Water: Critical Perspectives on Global Crises
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Examines how people, past and present, have interacted with food and water. Explores multiple causes and consequences of global food and water inequities. Considers the cultural politics of food/water production, consumption, and distribution in different parts of the world. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 595 Methods in Biological Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An exploration of field and laboratory methods used in biological anthropology, with students participating in hands-on exercises. Topics include health assessment, body composition, diet, energetics, morphological adaptations, reproductive status, habitat composition, spatial movements, and conservation. Professional skills are also developed. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 507 Low Impact Field Methods in Archaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR 100 OR CASAR 190) and CASAR 307; or consent of instructor. - Hands-on introduction to "low-impact" analytical methodologies employed in archaeology. Integrates field learning with conceptual and case-study readings, classroom instruction, and computer-based data manipulation and analyses. Introductions to GIS, field survey, UAV-based aerial photogrammetry, aerial imagery, subsurface prospection methods, dendroarchaeological sampling. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 523 Marine Urban Ecology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the BU Marine Semester. - Marine Urban Ecology is an emerging, interdisciplinary field that aims to understand how human and ecological processes can coexist in human-dominated systems. Covers ecosystems, and organisms associated with urbanization in the Greater Boston area.
CAS EC 371 Environmental Economics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Role of economics in environmental planning. Economic analysis of the causes of pollution and its control through taxes, the use of property rights, and standards. Application of cost-benefit models as an aid in policy decisions affecting the environment. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 302 Remote Sensing of Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sensor systems, methodology of remote sensing, and basic concept of image analysis. Presents the ways in which remotely sensed data can be used in scientific investigations and resource management. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 317 Introduction to Hydrology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; CASMA 121, 123, or 127, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 523 Marine Urban Ecology
4 credits.
Marine Urban Ecology is an emerging, interdisciplinary field that aims to understand how human and ecological processes can coexist in human-dominated systems. Topics, ecosystems, and organisms associated with urbanization in the Greater Boston area.
CAS EE 538 Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Students gain professional experience by working in teams on research projects that assist environmental and public health officials in achieving the missions of their agencies. Research areas may include solar energy, environmental justice, toxics, water quality, and lead poisoning. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, The Individual in Community.
CAS EE 542 Coastal Ecosystems: Adaptation and Resilience to Environmental Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Marine Semester. - Focuses on saltmarsh, seagrass, and intertidal mudflats. Topics include: biology, ecology and geology; key flora/fauna; ecological/economic importance; natural/anthropogenic threats; and strategies to protect, restore, enhance, and assess resilience. Offered as part of the Marine Semester.
CAS EE 585 Ecological Forecasting and Informatics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Oral and/or Signed Communication Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 303 or BI 306; CASMA 121 or MA 123; CASMA 115 or MA 213 or CASEE 375; or consent of instructor. - The statistics and informatics of model-data fusion and forecasting: data management, workflows, Bayesian statistics, uncertainty analysis, fusing multiple data sources, assessing model performance, scenario development, decision analysis, and data assimilation. Case studies highlight ecological forecasting across a range of subdisciplines. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LY 283 Arab Cultures Through Film (in English translation)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Teamwork/Collaboration
Explores Arab cultures with a focus on key historical and social issues through the lens of Arabic films, both as historical artifacts and artworks. Diverse cinematic works from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and beyond are discussed and analyzed. No prior knowledge of the Arab world or Arabic is required. Effective Spring 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CGS NS 202 Human Ecology/Global Ecology
4 credits.
What is the fate of the biosphere and our species' Can humans reconcile economic and technological growth with ecological sustainability' This course examines the impact of one species, Homo sapiens, on the ecosystems of the biosphere, seeking answers to these broad questions. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
QST SI 453 Strategies in Environmental Sustainability
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST SM131, or QST SI250, or QST SI480, or COM FT591, or SHA HF307; Jun ior standing - With the growing global call for climate action, firms are recognizing business imperatives for climate resiliency. This course broadens our vision of corporate strategy to incorporate environmental initiatives as a way to create value. If you are a student who embraces the power of the private sector to lead climate imperatives, you will find this course particularly applicable. You will leave this course with a clear and actionable framework for implementing sustainability initiatives at all levels of the firm. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
Creativity/Innovation
CAS AH 507 Digital Curation: Towards National Parks: Art and Nature, Nature and Nation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression
Before national parks, wild locations attracted artists, photographers and poets. Their works made these areas known to tourist-viewers. Prepare a digital exhibition and map artist- advocates as they explored mountains, forests and waterfalls. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 539 Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Marine Semester. - 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 EE 539.
CAS BI 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108) or consent of the instructor, and admission to the Marine Semester. - 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.
CAS EE 310 Climate and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Oral and/or Signed Communication
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASMA 122 or MA 124 and PY 211; or consent of instructor. - Understanding physical processes of the atmosphere, ranging in scale from tornadoes to global winds. Emphasis on providing physical explanations of atmospheric phenomena and impact of weather on humanity. Satellite and weather modification technology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 522 The Development of Sustainable Environmental Responsibility
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Historical Consciousness The Individual in Community
In-depth look at environmental policy and decision-making: how society addresses environmental problems. Includes discussion of the environmental movement, law, science, technology, economics, and international relations. Examines new issues facing environmental professionals and approaches to creating a sustainable world. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Historical Consciousness, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 533 Quantitative Geomorphology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Quantitative Reasoning II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123 OR CASMA127 OR CASMA129) - Quantitative analyses of surface processes that lead to landform evolution and landscape change. Emphasizes study of analytical techniques in understanding specific depositional and erosional processes; models of global landscape change; tectonic and climatic geomorphology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 539 Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Admission to BUMP - 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 BI 539. Effective Fall 2023 this course does not fulfill any HUB units.
CAS EE 593 Marine Physiology and Climate Change
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 108 - 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.
CAS LJ 360 Haiku
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - The history and evolving forms of haiku in Japan and around the world. Students write and workshop their own haiku in English or Japanese, learning from great poets how to focus attention, observe nature, read closer, and write better. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation.
CFA ME 374 Arts Engagement: Cultivating a Deeper Relationship with the Natural Environment to Foster Sustain
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Ethical Reasoning The Individual in Community
In this course, you will explore the arts to contemplate nature, identify unsustainable practices, propose viable alternatives, and share your results with the community via a multimedia arts exhibit. This course is open to juniors/seniors of any major and ability. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Ethical Reasoning, Creativity/Innovation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
KHC AN 104 Wildlife Conservation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression The Individual in Community
Through team-based approaches, students learn about threats to wildlife and natural habitats, identifying community-based root causes. They apply their own disciplinary expertise and passions to develop creative solutions to these problems, culminating in the production of a final conservation video. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
MET IS 380 Landscape, Climate, and Humans
4 credits.
This course will provide students with an introduction to environmental science with a dual focus in physical geography and climatology. Students will learn to interpret major themes in Earth History and human affairs through interactive lessons that include online lectures, outside reading, and extensive online maps, diagrams, and animations. We will discuss the interactions of climate, physical geography, and human activities in the formation of a dynamic, living Earth. We end with biogeochemistry and a look at the origin of life. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
*United Nations “Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development,” 1987
