Undergraduate Courses

Rutgers Undergraduate Courses Related to Climate and Environmental Change

11:670:101 INTRODUCTION TO METEOROLOGY (3)
Overview of current weather maps; structure of the atmosphere and the role of moisture in the development of dew, clouds, and precipitation; air masses, fronts, cyclones, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Elements of weather forecasting, instrumentation and communication.

11:670:102 INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE SCIENCE (3)
Major climatic controls; climatic classifications and comparisons of major climatic types; an overview of current climate issues such as global warming and El Nino; overview of the global climate.

11:670:111-112 WEATHER, CLIMATE, AND TELEVISION I, II (1.5 each)
Pre- or Corequisite: 11:670:201 (for 111), Prerequisite: 11:670:111 (for 112)
Provides a theoretical foundation of television broadcasting and meteorology to supplement the hands-on television experience gained from the WeatherWatcher Living-Learning Community. By examining the history and characteristics of television, critical analyses of news and weather-related programming, and special topics pertaining to meteorology, students will gain a rounded understanding of the medium and its impact on the field of meteorology and broadcasting. This WeatherWatcher Living-Learning Community academic course is required of all first-year residents.

11:670:211 METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS
Pre- or Corequisite: 11:670:201
Surface observation codes. Preparation of surface, upper air, and sounding charts. Forecast guidance, weather map interpretation, and preparation of weather forecasts. Map discussions.

11:670:212 COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR METEOROLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: 11:670:211 or permission of instructor
Introduction to the basic concepts of programming and computation for meteorology and earth science students. Elements of compiled and interpreted languages. Development of skills necessary for the reading, analyzing, and plotting of meteorological and climatic data.

11:670:323 THERMODYANMICS OF THE ATMOSPHERE (3)
Prerequisites: 01:640:152; 11:750:194 or 11:750:204
Thermodynamics of the atmosphere; energy conservation; ideal gas law; water and its transformations; moist air; aerosols; hydrostatic stability and convection; vertical motion; cloud formation; precipitation.

11:670:324 DYNAMICS OF THE ATMOSPHERE (3)
Prerequisite: 01:640:251; 11:670:323
Hydrodynamics of the atmosphere; equations of motion on rotating earth; vorticity, potential vorticity, and divergence; boundary layer dynamics.

11:670:334 SEVERE WEATHER FORECASTING FIELD TRIP (3)
Prerequisites: (11:670:210 or 11:670:211) and permission of instructor.
Techniques for the forecasting and safe observation of severe convection; case study analysis of observed events. Two-week field trip required.

11:670:414 HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES (3)
Prerequisites: 01:640:151; 01:750:194 or equivalent
Physical processes governing the occurrence and movement of water through the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Techniques for collecting and analyzing hydrologic data and predicting the hydrologic states of particular systems.

11:670:431 PHYSICAL METEOROLOGY (3)
Atmospheric optics; atmospheric radiation and applications to climate; atmospheric convection; cloud and precipitation formation; turbulence and boundary layer processes; atmospheric electricity.

11:670:433 WEATHER ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING I: SYNOPTIC METEROLOGY (4)
Prerequisites: 11:670:210 or 11:670:211; 11:670:324
Dynamics and thermodynamics of the atmosphere applied to current weather situations and case studies. Cyclone and frontal theory, jet streams, and quasi-geostrophic diagnostics. Weather discussions, map analysis, and forecast preparation. Lecture and Laboratory.

11:670:434 II: WEATHER ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING II: MESOSCALE METEROLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: 11:670:433
Real-time analysis and nowcasting of mesoscale atmospheric phenomena, including heavy snow, cold-air damming, severe weather, and flash floods. Case studies and weather discussions. Laboratory.

11:670:444 TROPICAL METEOROLOGY (3)
The dynamics and thermodynamics of the tropics, including regional and large-scale tropical circulations and their role in the global general circulation, tropical wave dynamics, convection and convective systems, synoptic, intraseasonal, and seasonal variability; monsoons, the El Nino/Southern Oscillation, tropical cyclones and hurricanes.

11:670:451 REMOTE SENSING OF OCEANS AND ATMOSPHERE (3)
Methods, instruments, and their application to observations of ocean and atmosphere. Sensing of oceanic parameters such as temperature, salinity, currents, sea state, turbidity and pollutants.

11:670:453 AIR QUALITY MONITORING
Prerequisites: : 01:640:251 and (01:160:160 or 01:160:162 or ((01:160:159 or 01:160:161) and 11:670:212))
A theoretical foundation to understand the principles and governing equations regarding chemical transformation and transport of atmospheric pollution; introduction to and practice in computer programming and numerical techniques as used in approaches to study the atmosphere.

11:670:461 CLIMATE DYNAMICS (3)
The climate system and how it is changing due to natural and human causes, including past climate variations, El Nino, global warming, climate modeling, nuclear winter, mitigation options, and geoengineering.

Department of Environmental Sciences

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11:375:322 ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT (3)

The purpose of this course is to critically examine the technology of energy systems that will be acceptable in a world faced with global warming, environmental pollution, and declining supplies of oil. The course examines traditional (oil, natural gas, coal), renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass), and other non-carbon emitting sources (nuclear) and reduced carbon sources (co-generation, fuel cells). Both devices as well as overall systems will be analyzed.

11:375:346 INTRODUCTION TO ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY (3)

Principles of atmospheric chemistry. Issues include the Antarctic ozone hole, ozone smog, acid rain, air toxics, greenhouse gases, and aerosols. Environmental implications of changing atmospheric composition.

Department of Marine & Coastal Sciences

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11:628:204 THE WATER PLANET (3)
Characteristics of water: hydrologic cycle; runoff and erosion; river systems; past and present climates. Environmental impact; resources of water; political and economic aspects of water.

11:628:221 HUMAN INTERACTIONS WITH COASTAL OCEAN (3)
This course is designed to identify the ways that scientific knowledge can be used to resolve environmental problems. The contemporary problem of loss of marine resources and difficulties of restoring and conserving them is placed in a human and environmental context to obtain a broad perspective on the application of science to societal goals. Topics will be multidisciplinary to document the complexity of environmental problems and their potential solutions. Topics will be related to effects of global climate change, pollution, loss of natural environments, management of threatened and endangered species, extraction of living and non-living resources, and mitigation of natural hazards.

11:628:342 MARINE CONSERVATION (3)
Prerequisites: 11:628:320 or 11:704:351
This course focuses on coastal zones as ecosystems of global significance. They are heterogeneous, complex, and biologically diverse. Increasingly, this is where human populations are concentrated. Conservation issues are urgent and not easily addressed because of fragmented jurisdictions and competing uses. The course attempts to draw students into thinking about conservation issues and conservation tools and the linkages between science and policy. Following a series of lectures and discussions on issues, conservation tools, and the properties of coastal ecosystems, the course follows the text in using case studies to exemplify those issues and the steps already taken to address them. As part of the evaluation of student performance, students prepare their own case studies.

11:628:451 PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY (4)
Prerequisite: 2 terms of calculus

Physical and chemical properties of sea water. Sound and radiation in the oceans. Heat, water, and momentum exchange at air-sea interface. Tides, waves, and currents.

11:628:497,498 SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN MARINE & COASTAL SCIENCES (3)
Practical field/laboratory experience with faculty in the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences.

Department of Ecology Evolution and Natural Resources

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Department of Human Ecology

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11:374:102 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE (3)
Scientific and policy dimensions of international environmental affairs; problems, response mechanisms, regional and national activities, and alternative strategies.

1:374:115 WATER AND SOCIETY (3)
This course introduces students to fundamentals of water resources issues in the United States and the world, and how they affect the development, design, evolution and sustainability of societies and economic viability. Included will be discussion of case examples where conflicts over water allocations, drought limitations, water quality problems and catastrophic floods are damaging societies and international relations. Students will be exposed to and discuss current and developing methods for reducing such problems in support of more sustainable societies.

1:374:299 INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY (3)
You see the word Sustainability attached to so many things, but what does it really mean? Are bamboo socks really important? Will electric cars save the world from climate change? What makes development sustainable? How do you measure success in sustainability? Given the long term risk of climate change, what management actions provide the most benefit and why aren’t we already doing them?
In this class, you will learn: Perspectives on sustainability: environmental, economic and social as well as the metrics for measuring components of sustainability.

1:374:315 INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (3)
The creation of international institutions to deal with shared and global environmental problems, such as ocean use and population. Assessment of the effectiveness of existing/proposed regimes, using decision-making simulations.

11:374:325 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION (3)

Effective communication can be as important to achieving environmental goals as good science. Because corporations, government agencies, and advocacy groups realize this, there are increasing numbers of jobs that require these skills; public information and communication positions are available in a variety of settings. These positions require not only effective oral and written communication skills, they also require an understanding of how to develop effective outreach plans.

11:374:335 COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE (3)
Analysis of people's responses to environmental stresses or disturbances and the ways in which response patterns change. Second term is individual or group field research.

11:374:426 CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY (3)

This course is an advanced seminar that examines topics in social, cultural and political aspects of climate change policy. We will look at the science of climate change and why it has been so contested in some quarters; the existing and predicted physical, cultural and societal impacts of climate change and how policies are developed to avoid or adapt to these; how vulnerability to climate change is measured and whether societies will be able to adapt to forecasted changes; multiscale policies from local levels to international levels to mitigate or adapt to climate impacts; and the ethical and social justice dimensions of policies for climate change.

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

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01:460:102 INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY II (3)
Principles and concepts of plate tectonics and reconstructing past geography and environments; the history of Earth's climate, environments, biogeochemical cycles, and life through time. Designed for majors and minors.

01:460:110 SEA CHANGE: THE RISE AND FALL OF SEA LEVEL AND THE JERSEY SHORE (3)
History of climate and sea-level change over the past billion years.

01:460:202 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY (3)
Analyses of issues and case studies related to cleaning of the environment, finding and using resources, predicting and mitigating natural disasters, and understanding global change.

01:460:203 BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A HABITABLE PLANET (3)
Understanding human-caused environmental changes in the context of Earth’s 4.6 billion year history. Geological and human timescales; planetary habitability; planetary, biological, and civilization flows of energy and entropy; feedbacks between life, the carbon cycle, and climate; the evolution of complex life; human alterations of the Earth system; intelligent life in the Universe.

01:460:208 THE LAST 11,000 YEARS (3)
Geologic events since the last ice age. Sea-level changes, volcanism, earthquakes, climatic change, erosional and depositional effects. Ancient record of events, myths

01:460:212 EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME (3)
Relationships between the development of Earth and its continents and oceans, atmosphere and climate, and the evolution of life through time. Designed for non-majors.

01:460:418 GEOLOGICAL MODELING (3)
Pre- or corequisites: 01:460:301,307,340, and 341
Computer techniques for collection, processing, interpretation, and presentation of geological and geophysical data. Computer-based modeling exercises in geologic and geophysical exploration and environment assessment.

01:460:434 THE QUATERNARY PERIOD (3)
Glaciology and glacial geology; study of erosion and deposition by glaciers; creation of landforms; effect of the glacial period on flora and fauna.

01:460:476 HISTORY OF THE EARTH SYSTEM (3)
Integration of atmospheric, oceanographic, geological and biological concepts with an historical perspective to introduce the major processes that have shaped Earth's environment; climatic processes on geological time scales; the evolution of organisms; the cycling of elements; the feedbacks between these processes.

Department of Geography

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01:450:101 EARTH SYSTEMS (3)
Systematic introduction to physical processes on earth; including earth-sun relations, weather and climate, the hydrologic cycle, earth materials, and landforms. Emphasis on interrelationships among these phenomena.

01:450:101:90 (ONLINE) EARTH SYSTEMS (3)
This course will help you understand and apply basic principles and concepts in the physical or biological sciences as well as identify and critically assess ethical and societal issues in science.

01:450:102 TRANSFORMING THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT (3)
Introduction to the role of humans as modifiers and transformers of the physical environment. Emphasis on current changes and contemporary public issues.

01:450:140 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT (3)
Physical and chemical bases of the "greenhouse effect" and its global impact; biological, climatic, economic, and political. Reducing the emission of "greenhouse" gases; nuclear energy and other alternative energy sources. Lec. 2 hrs., lab. 1.5 hrs. For nonscience majors; not for major credit in science and engineering.

01:450:213 THE GLOBAL CLIMATE SYSTEM (3)
This course will explore the climate system from a geographic perspective. The Earth's energy budget, hydrologic cycle, and atmospheric circulation will be examined at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Toward the end of the course, aspects of climate change will also be covered, including human impacts.

01:450:213 THE GLOBAL CLIMATE SYSTEM (3)
Exploring the climate system from a geographic perspective. The Earth's energy budget, hydrologic cycle, and atmospheric circulation examined at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Natural and human-associated aspects of climate variability and change investigated.

01:450:311 NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS (3)
Human dimensions of selected types of extreme natural events (e.g., windstorms, earthquakes, floods, and droughts) in developed and developing countries.

01:450:313 CLIMATE CHANGE (3)
Climate variability and change of the past, present and future are explored. Natural and anthropogenic dimensions of change across continents, ice sheets and oceans are studied using a systems approach.

01:450:370 GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE (3)
Physical aspects and societal implications of climate change. Means of predicting and detecting change. Impacts on physical and human systems. Climate in the political arena; planning for the future.

01:450:403,404 ADVANCED PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY (3)
Problems in the geography of landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation analyzed from the viewpoints of both pure and applied sciences.

01:450:413 CLIMATE SYSTEM AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE (3)
Exploring the climate system and climate change from a geographic perspective. The earth's energy budget, hydrologic cycle, and atmospheric circulation will be examined at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Present climate events and aspects of climate change will also be covered, including anthropogenic impacts resulting from deforestation, atmospheric pollution, urbanization, etc.

01:450:417 COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY (3)
Processes of erosion and deposition in coastal environments. Process-response models and problem-solving methods in coastal research.

01:450:491 GEOGRAPHICAL PROBLEMS (The World in 2050) (3)
How will population increase, climate change, and resource needs change the world by 2050? Chances are you will be around to find out. If you were born in 1990, you will be 60 years old in 2050.

Department of Physics