BSU Catalog Home | Graduate Environmental Studies Program | All-University Courses and Descriptions

Graduate Course Offerings
Environmental Studies (ENVR)

NOTE: Please see your advisor regarding course sequencing and any expected preparation.

5050 GEOCHEMISTRY (3 credits) Study of processes in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere; cycling of the elements; weathering; microbe-mineral interactions; nanoparticles; microscopic imaging. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5101 ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY I (3 credits) Intensive study of biogeochemical cycles of natural and man-made pollutants including transformations, transport, fate and persistence mechanisms. Environmental effects, long-term impacts, and methods of treatment/prevention are discussed. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5102 ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY II (3 credits) Study of processes affecting behavior and fate of anthroprogenic and natural compounds in the atmosphere, soils, and water. Colloidal and surface phenomena, nanoprocesses, redox reactions, speciation, solubility, and complexation. Prerequisite: ENVR 5101 or consent of instructor.

5200 WASTEWATER TREATMENT (3 credits) Introduction to the operation of the principal methods and treatment processes of municipal and industrial wastewaters, and for the disposal of treated effluent and sludges, and other solid materials. Integration of fundamental principles of science with different aspects of sanitary technology. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5210 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY (3 credits) Overview of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5220 SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS (4 credits) Methods of sampling and analysis of air, water, soil and other environmental compartments will be described in lecture and experienced in laboratory session. The focus is on regulations and prescribed protocols for environmental field and lab work. Prerequisite: ENVR 5210 or consent of instructor.

5230 AIR POLLUTION TECHNOLOGY (4 credits) In-depth overview of sources and types of air pollution, major environmental impacts, regulations, and technologies for control and cleanup. Prerequisites: ENVR 5210 and ENVR 5300 or consent of instructor.

5240 WASTE MANAGEMENT (4 credits) An overview of the solid and hazardous waste situation at the local, state, national, and international levels. The focus on management will include a systems approach to prevention, control, and remediation of wastes. Prerequisite: ENVR 5300 or consent of instructor.

5260 RISK ASSESSMENT AND AUDITING (3 credits) Overview of human/environmental risk assessment methods and environmental auditing techniques, with a focus on regulatory compliance and case studies. Prerequisites: ENVR 5210, ENVR 5240, and ENVR 5300 or consent of instructor.

5300 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY (3 credits) Helps students pursuing environmental studies to develop environmental management skills required in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing businesses. Safe handling, transport, and storage of hazardous materials with respect to their physical and chemical nature, and application of regulatory requirements relevant to specific business and hazardous materials involved. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5400 ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY (3 credits) Fundamental aspects of microbiology as related to land production, environmental pollution and water quality control processes. The role of major groups of microbes as pollutants, as purifying agents, and as agents of biochemical changes, and ecological functions and importance of each group in the environment. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5500 ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY (4 credits) An overview of major environmental pollutants, their transport, fate, and toxicology. Pollutant effects studied from practical and theoretical focus on stress at various levels of biological organization. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5600 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND SUSTAINABILITY (3 credits) The ethical and moral dimensions of environmental choices. The legal, philosophical, political, and economic underpinnings of various theories of justice. A major focus is the inequitable distribution of environmental risks and the implications of policies that attempt to combat these risks. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

5840/BIOL 5840 WETLANDS ECOLOGY (3 credits) Survey course develops a basic understanding of the terminology, classification, ecology, values, and conservation of wetlands. Covers wetland systems from around the world, with emphasis on wetlands in North America.

6010 RESEARCH IN NATURAL SCIENCE (3 credits) A comprehensive overview of the scientific method as it applies to the natural sciences, including formulation of hypotheses, hypothesis testing, experimental design and conduct, data analysis/interpretation, and scientific reporting. Critical review and comment of abstracts and manuscripts. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

6250 ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (3 credits) The social causes, ecological impacts, and human health effects of environmental degradation. Students provide in-depth analyses of environmental problems through laboratory research and field studies, library research, oral presentation, and written communication.

6300 ADVANCED PROJECT IN LITERATURE REVIEW (2 credits) A comprehensive literature search of a selected research project as it applies to the natural sciences, including the trends in research perspectives over time, finding the historical roots of current lines of research, and identifying obvious gaps in the research on the selected project, and ending with specific research questions, purposes, or hypotheses. Prerequisite: ENVR 6010 or consent of instructor.

6400 ADVANCED PROJECT IN METHODOLOGY (2 credits) Advanced learning in research methodology as it applies to qualitative and quantitative research, sampling and data collection methods, experimental vs. non-experimental procedures, and various statistical methods for data analysis. Prerequisite: ENVR 6010 or consent of instructor.

6890 GRANTS AND CONTRACTS (3 credits) A practical investigation of grantsmanship with emphases on funding sources, creative writing, effective conduct of project and reporting results. Gives students first-hand practice in all phases of grantsmanship. Review and critique both qualitative and quantitative model proposals. Prerequisite: ENVR 6010 or consent of instructor.

6920 DIRECTED GROUP STUDY (2 credits) When taken as Graduate Seminar the following description applies: Interdisciplinary study and detailed discussion of major areas of environmental controversy with emphasis on individual investigation of the available literature and effective oral presentation. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.