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Example: EVSC 101 - (3) (S)

EVSC 101- course mnemonic and number. Variations include GREE 101-102 where two semesters of a course must be completed to obtain credit toward a degree, or ENWR 103, 104 where credit may be obtained by taking either semester or both.
(3) - number of credits that will be earned upon successful completion of the course. Where courses are dually numbered (101-102 or 103, 104), the number of credits represents the number of credits for each section of the courses, e.g., three credits for 101 and three credits for 102.
(Y) - code for frequency with which the course is offered. Variations are:

• S - offered fall and spring semesters
• Y - offered at least once every academic year (fall or spring semester)
• O - offered once every other year
• IR - offered irregularly

  Course Descriptions

  Environmental Sciences

  EVSC 101 - (3) (S)
  Introduction to Environmental Sciences
  Introduces the principles and basic facts of the natural environment. Topics include earth materials, land forms, weather and climate, vegetation and soils, and the processes of environmental change and their implications to economic and human systems.

  EVSC 102 - (3) (S)
  Practical Concepts in Environmental Sciences
  Prerequisite/corequisite:EVSC 101.
  Practical concepts and problem solving in environmental sciences through demonstrations, hands-on activities, structured discussions, and problem sets beyond those of traditional lecture and discussion components offered in EVSC 101. Emphasizes experience and critical thinking in the four core areas: geology, hydrology, atmospheric sciences, and ecology.

  EVSC 120 - (3) (Y)
  Elements of Ecology
  Introduces the science of ecology and its application to current environmental issues. A number of topics relating to population growth and regulation, biodiversity, sustainability, and global change are used as a framework to investigate basic ecological principles. Emphasizes the application of basic science to the understanding and mitigation of current environmental problems.

  EVSC 140 - (3) (IR)
  Water on Earth
  Studies the natural history of the Earth's hydrosphere, including its origin, evolution, and importance in Earth processes. Introduces the hydrological cycle and the role of water in a variety of Earth processes. Discusses human influences on the hydrosphere and current topics in hydrological science and water resources, such as contamination and resource allocation, emphasizing the scientific basis for past, present, and future decisions.

  EVSC 145 - (3) (Y)
  Virginia's Environments
  A general survey of the basic foundation, concepts, and dynamics of the total Earth system with natural Virginia as the unifying concept. Understanding is built on the foundation of geological and geomorphological processes that form and modify the landscape of Virginia, including basic geology, processes of mountain building, flooding, and erosion. Also examined are various ecosystems in the state, especially the Chesapeake Bay, and the human impact of these varied landscapes, particularly through exploitation of mineral and water resources, waste disposal and pollution, and land use issues.

  EVSC 148 - (3) (Y)
  Resources and the Environment
  Explores the impact of people on the environment in the past and present with projections for the future. Addresses the phenomena and effects of food and energy production and industrial processes, including such topics as lead pollution, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and the disposal of radioactive waste. Demonstrates how the environment works in the absence of humans and discusses how human use of resources perturbs the environment.

  EVSC 201 - (3) (S)
  Materials That Shape Civilizations
  Reviews the structure, properties, methods of production, uses, and world supply of the materials on which present and past civilizations have been based; including materials used in heavy industry, construction, communications, medicine, as well as textiles and naturally occurring organic materials. Emphasizes the effects of environment on materials and energy relationships. Cross-listed as MSE 201.

  EVSC 210 - (3) (Y)
  Beaches, Coasts and Rivers
  Studies the geologic framework and biophysical processes of the coastal zone, and the role of the major river systems in modifying the coastal environment. Emphasizes human modifications, including case studies along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts.

  EVSC 215 - (3) (Y)
  Introduction to Oceanography
  Analyzes the principles that govern the world’s oceans and their integration into an understanding of the major marine environments. Topics include marine pollution, global climate, and marine policy.

  EVSC 222 - (3) (Y)
  Conservation Ecology—Biodiversity and Beyond
  Studies ecological science relevant to sustaining populations, species, ecosystems, and the global biosphere. Includes discussion of genetic inbreeding, critical population size, community structure and organization, maintenance of critical ecosystem function, and global biogeochemistry. Case studies from around the world demonstrate links between human-driven environmental change and the health of the biosphere, at all levels, from the organism to the planet.

  EVSC 230/ETP 230 - (3) (Y)
  Politics, Science, and Values: An Introduction to Environmental Policy
  Introduces a wide variety of domestic and international environmental policy issues. Explores how political processes, scientific
  Evidence, ideas, and values affect environmental policymaking. This class satisfies the social sciences area requirement and not the natural sciences/mathematics area requirement, since EVSC 230 is devoted to the subject of environmental policy.

  EVSC 250 - (3) (Y)
  Man’s Atmospheric Environment
  Long-term global climactic controls and short-term severe weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes are treated in terms of the physical laws governing the motions of the atmosphere and the energy driving the system. Discusses climactic and atmospheric events that severely impact human behavior. Explores responses by early and modern humans to perturbations in the weather and climate. Examines utilization of renewable energy residing in the sun, wind, and water; and advertent and inadvertent weather modification.

  EVSC 280 - (3) (S)
  Fundamentals of Geology
  Recommended: At least one semester of college chemistry with lab such as CHEM 141, 142.
  Studies the composition, structure, and internal processes of earth; the classification, origin, and distribution of earth materials; earth’s interior; and the interpretation of geological data for the solution of problems of the natural environment.

  EVSC 280L - (1) (S)
  Fundamentals of Geology Laboratory
  Corequisite: EVSC 280.
  Field and laboratory experimentation into the nature of earth materials and processes, especially as applied to use and human problems.

  EVSC 320 - (3) (S)
  Fundamentals of Ecology
  Prerequisite: One semester of calculus; recommended: at least one semester of college-level chemistry and biology with labs such as CHEM 141, 142, and BIOL 202.
  Studies energy flow, nutrient cycling and allocation in natural ecosystems, organization of species at the population and community levels, and interaction between people and the biosphere.

  EVSC 320L - (1) (S)
  Fundamentals of Ecology Laboratory
  Corequisite: EVSC 320.
  Field and laboratory experimentation illustrative of ecological systems, and their checks, balances, and cycles.

  EVSC 340 - (3) (S)
  Physical Hydrology
  Prerequisite: One semester of calculus.
  Studies the physical principles governing the flow of water on and beneath the earth’s surface, including fundamental concepts of fluid dynamics applied to the description of open channel hydraulics, ground water hydraulics, and dynamics of soil moisture. Introduces elements of surface water and ground water hydrology and explores humanity’s influence on its hydrological environment.

  EVSC 340L - (1) (S)
  Physical Hydrology Laboratory
  Corequisite: EVSC 340.
  Field and laboratory experimentation illustrative of the hydrological cycle, including energy and mass transfer in surface and ground water.

  EVSC 350 - (3) (S)
  Atmosphere and Weather
  Prerequisite: One semester of calculus; recommended: at least one semester of college physics with lab such as PHYS 231, 232.
  Introduces the physical laws governing atmospheric behavior and examines atmospheric variables and their role in the fluid environment of the earth.

  EVSC 350L - (1) (S)
  Atmosphere and Weather Laboratory
  Corequisite: EVSC 350.
  Studies the principles of measurements, instrumentation for measuring atmospheric parameters, and methods of observing and calculating atmospheric variables.

  EVSC 362 - (3) (S)
  GISMethods
  Prerequisite: The equivalent of the College natural science/mathematics and social science area requirements. Experience with word processing, file managers, and other computing skills is essential.
  Explores the theory of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their applications in a range of disciplines using various GISsoftware packages. Example applications are from physical and social sciences, often with a focus on the Charlottesville-Albemarle area. For students interested in immediate applications of GIS in their work.

  EVSC 376 - (3) (Y)
  Watersheds of Lewis and Clark
  Prerequisite: One course (including high school) in geology, Earth Sciences, or environmental sciences, or instructor permission.
  Explores geological and hydrological processes that form and modify the landscape of the American West. Following the route of Lewis and Clark, the processes of mountain building, glaciation, flooding, and erosion are studied. Also considered are the human impact on this landscape, particularly through exploitation of mineral and water resources.

  EVSC 384 - (4) (Y)
  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
  Prerequisite: EVSC 280 or instructor permission.
  Examines erosional processes and their role in creating landforms. Explores the influence of processes and landforms on land use and the human environment, including hazards from floods and landslides.

  EVSC 385 - (3) (O)
  Geodynamics
  Prerequisite: EVSC 280, calculus, and physics. Studies the basic principles of continuum mechanics and their application to problems in the geological sciences, including the behavior of the Earth’s lithosphere, rock mechanics, and flow of water.

  EVSC 386 - (3) (IR)
  Introduction to Geochemistry
  Prerequisite: CHEM 141, 142 and EVSC 280.
  Studies the principles that govern the distribution and abundance of the elements in the Earth’s lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.

  EVSC 413 - (3) (Y)
  Population Ecology and Conservation
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 and one course in calculus.
  Studies ecological, evolutionary, and behavioral processes that occur within and between populations in natural communities. Emphasizes the mathematics of population dynamics and species interactions and uses models to demonstrate the diversity of life histories in plants and animals. Discusses the application of population ecology to current issues in conversation biology.

  EVSC 415 - (3) (IR)
  Topics in Oceanography
  Prerequisite: One year college-level science.
  Introduces oceanography together with a survey of marine resources and the scientific bases for their management.

  EVSC 420 - (3) (O)
  The Ecology of Coastal Wetlands
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 or equivalent.
  Investigates the ecology of coastal interface ecosystems, including sea grass, mangrove, and salt marsh emphasizing biogeochemisty, succession, and dynamic processes related to the development and maintenance of these systems. Explores the differences between tropical and temperate coastal systems.

  EVSC 423 - (3) (O)
  Marine Environments and Organisms
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 or equivalent.
  Surveys the major habitats of marine and estuarine areas and the organisms which have adapted to life in these environments. Emphasizes the organisms and communities which have evolved in response to stress and competition in the sea, and the systematics and natural history of marine organisms.

  EVSC 425 - (3) (Y)
  Ecosystem Ecology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 and one semester of chemistry or instructor permission.
  Study of the flows of energy and the cycling of elements in ecosystems and how these concepts connect the various components of the Earth system.

  EVSC 427 - (4) (O)
  Soil Science
  Prerequisite: EVSC 280 and 320; one year college chemistry or instructor permission.
  Introduces the study of soils as a natural system. Topics include the fundamentals of soil chemistry, hydrology, and biology with respect to genesis, classification and utilization.

  EVSC 430 - (3) (Y)
  Management of Forest Ecosystems
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320, 340 or 350 recommended.
  Studies processes in forest ecosystems which effect management decisions. Emphasizes the interactions between the physiological processes of plants and system-level functions such as the cycling of nutrients and the flow of energy and water. Examples of current and projected uses of forest systems are discussed throughout, including harvesting for fiber and energy, and the preservation of forests as water purification and air pollution control systems.

  EVSC 431 - (3) (IR)
  Methods in Aquatic Ecology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 or equivalent.
  Trains students in field and laboratory techniques used in aquatic ecological research. Two weekend field trips to the Eastern Shore of Virginia serve as the foundation. Laboratory exercises include the data and samples gathered in the barrier island lagoons and in the Chesapeake Bay. Analyzes water quality and patterns of primary and secondary production in aquatic ecosystems.

  EVSC 432 - (3) (IR)
  Aquatic Plant Ecology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 320 or equivalent.
  Studies the physiology and ecology of aquatic plants from tropical, temperate, and polar waters. Emphasizes comparisons among major plant groups (phytoplankton, macroalgae, vascular) of fundamental physiological processes, including photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, resource allocation, and growth. Discusses iterations between plant physiology an ecosystem function and the structure of plant communities for both marine and freshwater environments. Examples of human impacts on aquatic environments, including eutrophication and global climate change, are considered in the context of plant physiology and ecology.

  EVSC 444 - (4) (IR)
  Applied Hydrology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 340.
  Introduces hydrology as applied to environmental problems including water resources, systems analysis, and the effects of urbanization and land use on the hydrological cycle. Three hours lecture, two hours laboratory.

  EVSC 446 - (3) (O)
  Hydrological Field Methods and Data Analysis
  Prerequisite: EVSC 340.
  Hydrological instruments are introduced; students employ the instruments to make field measurements and perform a range of data analysis exercises.

  EVSC 447 - (3) (IR)
  Introduction to Climatological Analysis
  Prerequisite: One semester of calculus; recommended: EVSC 350.
  Discusses the general circulation of the atmosphere, followed by quantitative analysis of climactic fluctuations and their impact upon ecologic and economic systems.

  EVSC 455 - (3) (IR)
  Synoptic Climatology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 350 or equivalent, or instructor permission.
  Studies the formation, movements, and meteorological and climatological attributes of synoptic-scale weather systems and the impact on the environment. Explores the relationship of these systems to air quality, atmospheric transport, climate change, and evaporation and precipitation regimes.

  EVSC 457 - (3) (O)
  Microclimatology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 350 or instructor permission.
  Analyzes the principles governing atmospheric processes occurring at small temporal and spatial scales near the Earth’s surface, including energy, mass, and momentum transfer. Includes features of the atmospheric environment affecting plants and feedback mechanisms between plants and their local microclimates, trace gas exchange between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere, energy budgets, evapotranspiration, and motions near the surface.

  EVSC 465 - (3) (Y)
  Environmental Policymaking in the United States
  Prerequisite: Completion of Natural Sciences/Mathematics area requirement and third- or fourth-year standing, or instructor permission.
  Exploration of the possibilities for, and constraints on, domestic environmental policymaking. Examination of the roles of Congress, the executive branch, and the courts in environmental policymaking. Critical analysis of the analytical principles and values commonly employed in environmental policymaking.

  EVSC 466 - (3) (IR)
  GIS and Arc/Info
  Prerequisite: The equivalent of the College natural science/mathematics and social science area requirements. Experience with word processing, file managers, and other computing skills is essential.
  Explores the theory of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the use of Arc/Info software for research and other applications in a range of disciplines. Example applications are from physical and social sciences, often with a focus on the Charlottesville-Albemarle area. For students interested in research and longer term applications of GIS.

  EVSC 468 - (3) (Y)
  Advanced GIS
  Prerequisite: An introductory GIS course.
  Explores advanced Geographic Information Systems concepts through use of Arc/Info, Erdas Imagine, and other GIS software in individual and group projects. Topics include data management, raster modeling, image manipulation, and 3-D visualization.

  EVSC 470 - (3) (IR)
  Instrumental Methods for Analysis of Environmental Samples
  Prerequisite: CHEM 142 or equivalent.
  Studies instrumental methods of chemical analysis in an overall context of sampling and evaluating sources of pollution. Analyzes contaminants in air, water, soil, or plant materials.

  EVSC 478 - (3) (O)
  Groundwater Geology
  Prerequisite: EVSC 280, 340.
  Study of the mechanics of groundwater flow, with attendant heat and mass transport; regional geological controls on groundwater occurrence and movement; and the role of groundwater in geological processes.

  EVSC 486 - (3) (O)
  Geology of Virginia
  Prerequisite: EVSC 280 or equivalent (including high school) in geology, Earth sciences, or environmental sciences, or instructor permission.
  The course examines the geological evolution of the state and mid-Atlantic region in the context of plate tectonics, including stratigraphy, mountain building, metamorphism and deformation, and geomorphic processes. The human impact on this landscape through the exploitation of mineral resources is examined. Field trips to the various provinces of the state will help provide fundamental understanding of the state's foundation.

  EVSC 487 - (3) (Y)
  Global Biogeochem Cycles
  Prerequisite: One semester of college chemistry and one or two of the EVSC core classes.
  Studies the processes that regulate the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus within and between oceans, continents, and atmosphere.

  EVSC 488 - (3) (Y)
  Planetary Geology
  Prerequisite: Introductory course in geosciences or astronomy.
  Studies the origin and evolution of the solar system, emphasizing the geology of the planets and satellites of the inner solar system and the satellites of the gaseous planets. Compares and contrasts the Earth with Venus and Mars.

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  Environmental Sciences Department 291 McCormick Rd Charlottesville, Virginia (434) 924-7761

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  Maintained by wsc4j@virginia.edu and hee2b@virginia.edu.