DES Curriculum

DES Curriculum

ESP 413 - Forest Ecology: This course provides students with an understanding of what constitutes a healthy forest ecosystem and a sustainable forest environment. Special emphasis is placed on the function, spatial variability, evolution of forest ecosystems, and the need for forest ecology as the foundation of forest management. The laboratory session is field intensive. Pre-requisite: BIO 107. Cr 4.

ESP 417 - Site Planning and Assessment: An introduction to environmental planning and assessment concepts and skills associated with the development of sites for human use. Emphasis is given to the development of particular tracts or parcels of land in Maine. Prerequisites: ESP/GEO 108 or GEO 308, and ESP 301 or GEO 209, or permission of instructor. Cr 3.

ESP 419 - Natural Resource Economics - description forthcoming

ESP 421W- Natural Resource Policy: Examination of natural resource policies and evaluation procedures used by natural resource decision makers. Case studies focus on topics such as forest health protection, the Endangered Species Act, the Maine Environmental Priorities Project, transboundary ecosystems, and estuarine areas. Emphasis on natural resource policy processes, conflict resolution through consensus building, comparative risk assessment as it pertains to policy. Prerequisite: ESP 101 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.

ESP 450 - Research Practicum: Organized research experiences in ongoing faculty research projects or a mutually arranged special topic involving substantial field and laboratory skills development. Research will be conducted under the direct supervision of the faculty member. Permission of instructor required in semester prior to registration. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Cr 1-3.

ESP 475 - ESP 475 Senior Seminar in ESP: The senior seminar in Environmental Science and Policy serves a capstone course in the Department of Environmental Science. This course serves to polish written and oral communication skills. Students study the principles of effective scientific communication and, using a selected thematic problem, present their study through a variety of channels including an oral and poster presentation at a university-wide research symposium, a press release, and a brochure for public consumption (i.e., the Conclusion). The expected outcome is a research portfolio demonstrating the ability to effectively communicate environmental problems to a variety of audiences ranging from colleagues to the general public.

ESP 495 - Internship: The internship provides professional experience related to a student's chosen option within the major. The emphasis is on understanding the host organization's structure and function within the environmental arena. In addition to satisfactory work experience, an oral presentation and written report are required. Offered as pass/fail only. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or higher, faculty approval of host organization, work plan, and completed internship application form. Cr 3.

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