In this course, students examine the Earth as a system of integrated biogeochemical cycles (such as water, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur). Students come to understand these cycles by integrating relevant aspects of biology, geology, chemistry, and physics. Students learn how human activities can affect these natural biogeochemical cycles and inquire into potential system reactions to such impacts. This course also introduces students to the ways in which science is integrated into the interdisciplinary process of environmental studies.

This course provides a foundation for upper-level policy electives in the Environmental Policy and Decision-Making Program by focusing on institutions and participation in environmental policy. Students examine both domestic and international arenas, with particular attention to the ways in which citizens engage with environmental issues in both familiar and unfamiliar places. Students in the course also learn tools and strategies for understanding environmental issues in diverse contexts, including discussion of different values and perspectives as well as changes in policies over time.

This course surveys the wide range of modern energy sources, and considers the prospects for their future supply and availability. Each energy source is explored from a wide range of perspectives, including: its origin, geographic distribution, energy density, energy "type" (gravity, chemical, radioactive, solar), processing, refining, or transformation from one form of mass or energy to another, transport (both pre- and post- processing/transformation), environmental costs (upstream and downstream- lifecycle considerations), and economic costs (cost/unit of energy produced). As ongoing events dictate, energy topics in the news are also considered, including economic, political, and environmental issues of the day.

This course is designed to provide a general overview of natural history museum uses and practices. Natural history museums were the primary locus for biological research in the 18th and 19th centuries. They represent invaluable archives of Earth's biodiversity; their vast collections of specimens provide a temporal and geographic record of life unmatched by written or illustrated accounts. They document variation -- the foundation of evolution -- in time and space and allow biologists to make comparisons that are difficult or impossible to observe in the field. Natural history museums are an incredible resource for researchers with interests in evolution, ecology, zoology, botany and environmental change. They are phenomenal venues for teaching and engaging students ranging from young children to senior citizens. And they are sources of inspiration for scientists and artists. In this course students learn the history of natural history collections, engage in the practices of natural history museums, learn the myriad ways that natural specimens have been used in research, and do an independent project.