This program was formerly known as Specialist in Environmental Biology. Humans are considered to be the dominant force shaping nearly all of Earth’s biotic and abiotic patterns and processes, including those within the world’s atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Many scientists now suggest that anthropogenic impacts on the environment are so pervasive, that they have moved Earth into a novel geological epoch called “The Anthropocene”: a time in Earth’s 4.6 billion-year history where humans are the dominate force shaping the environment. In the Specialist program in Global Environmental Change students will gain a deep understanding of: 1) the fundamental environmental processes occurring within Earth’s spheres; 2) how humans are profoundly influencing these processes at local and global scales; and 3) how anthropogenic changes to Earth’s environment are both unfolding rapidly, and unique in the context of Earth’s history. The program entails learning these themes through a comprehensive mix of: 1) core and advanced scientific courses; 2) applied environmental skills courses; and 3) undergraduate environmental research opportunities.
Program Requirements
Total requirements: 14.5 credits
First Year (4.5 credits):
BIOA01H3 Life on Earth: Unifying Principles
BIOA02H3 Life on Earth: Form, Function and Interactions
CHMA10H3 Introductory Chemistry I: Structure and Bonding
CHMA11H3 Introductory Chemistry II: Reactions and Mechanisms
EESA01H3 Introduction to Environmental Science
EESA06H3 Introduction to Planet Earth
MATA30H3 Calculus I for Physical Sciences
[MATA35H3 Calculus II for Biological Sciences or MATA36H3 Calculus II for Physical Sciences or MATA37H3 Calculus II for Mathematical Sciences]*
[PHYA10H3 Physics I for the Physical Sciences or PHYA11H3 Physics I for the Life Sciences]
*Note: MATA35H3 cannot be used to fulfill the prerequisites for PHYB57H3
Second Year (5.0 credits):
[CSCA08H3 Introduction to Computer Science I or CSCA20H3 Introduction to Programming]
BIOB50H3 Ecology
BIOB51H3 Evolutionary Biology
CHMB55H3 Environmental Chemistry
EESB03H3 Principles of Climatology
EESB04H3 Principles of Hydrology
EESB05H3 Principles of Soil Science
ESTB01H3 Introduction to Environmental Studies
STAB22H3 Statistics I
and
0.5 credit from the following:
BIOB52H3 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory
EESB15H3 Earth History
EESB16H3 Feeding Humans - The Cost to the Planet
PSCB90H3 Physical Sciences Research Experience
Third and Fourth Years (5.0 credits):
3.5 credits as follows:
BIOC58H3 Biological Consequences of Global Change
BIOC63H3 Conservation Biology
EESC03H3 Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing
EESC04H3 Biodiversity and Biogeography
EESC30H3 Environmental Microbiology
EESC38H3H3/ESTC38H3 The Anthropocene
EESD06H3 Climate Change Impact Assessment
and
1.5 credits from the following, of which 0.5 credit must be at the D-level:
BIOC37H3 Plants: Life on the Edge
BIOC51H3 Tropical Biodiversity Field Course
BIOC52H3 Ecology Field Course
BIOD52H3 Biodiversity and Conservation
BIOD54H3 Applied Conservation Biology
EESC16H3 Field Camp I
EESC18H3 Limnology
EESC19H3 Oceanography
EESC20H3 Geochemistry
EESC24H3 Advanced Readings in Environmental Science
EESD02H3 Contaminant Hydrogeology
EESD09H3 Research Project in Environmental Science
EESD10Y3 Research Project in Environmental Sciences
EESD11H3 Advanced Watershed Hydrology
