DES Curriculum

DES Curriculum

ESP 200 - Environmental Planning: This course introduces the central concepts of environmental planning theory and practice, including components of rural, regional, and community planning. Concepts and issues studied include planning history, planning laws, spatial patterns and analysis, zoning techniques, growth management, and planning research. The course is a prerequisite for ESP 305 Community Planning Workshop. Cr. 3.

ESP 220J - Environmental Policy - Pollution: This class is an introductory environmental policy class with an emphasis on state and local air and water pollution and waste management. The course focuses on the development of a policy analysis framework for studying how environmental policy is formulated, developed, implemented, and analyzed. Topics include policy science models, problem framing, public choice theory, cost-benefit analysis, and ethics and values. Using the rational model, students will identify and analyze an environmental problem involving pollution, design a responsive environmental policy, and evaluate unintended consequences. Prerequisite: ESP 101 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.

ESP 250 - Soils and Land Use: Study and Description of soils as natural materials in the landscape. The course includes an examination of physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils as they affect soil-plant-water relations. Other topics include soil classification and suitability for agriculture, urban development, and contaminant remediation. Laboratory exercises include field examinations of soils and physical and chemical soil analyses. Prerequisites: ESP 101 and CHY 113-14 or permission. Cr 4.

ESP 260 - Soil and Water Conservation Engineering: A study of the utilization, improvement, and protection of two essential resourcesÖsoil and water. Primary focus is on applying scientific and engineering principles to the problem areas of soil erosion and flood control. Students will design practical solutions to remediate these problems. Cr 3.

ESP 280 - Research Methods for Environmental Sciences: A focus on analytical and research techniques for environmental science and policy. The course is centered on the use of instrumentation and investigative research to address a thematic environmental issue. Topics include defining research problems, experiment design, measurement, sampling, and analysis. Students will complete group research projects and participate in a service learning activity. This is the second course in a thematic sequence for DES majors. ESP 203, CHY 113-114

ESP 290 - Environmental Statistics: An introductory course addressing statistical concepts faced by environmental scientists, including location and dispersion estimation, data types and their distribution, and assumption and hypothesis testing. This is the third course in a thematic sequence. Students will analyze data from completed group research projects. ESP 280. Cr 3.

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