UC Santa Barbara's Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management is a professional school aimed at training graduate students in rigorous interdisciplinary approaches to environmental problem solving. The Bren School offers the Master's of Environmental Science and Management (M.E.S.M.), a professional degree, and the Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Management, a research-oriented degree. The Bren School's mission is to play a leading role in researching environmental issues, training research scientists and environmental management professionals, and identifying and solving environmental problems.
In the past, the diverse disciplines addressing environmental issues have developed independently. Now, research and teaching have reached the point where significant progress requires weaving together elements of formerly disparate disciplines and blurring traditional boundaries. The School brings together a range of natural and social scientists to research important environmental questions. Moreover, because environmental issues arise in legal, political, and business contexts, the School's faculty also brings together law and business professors who provide perspectives from professional arenas. The Bren School continues to engage in a campaign of faculty recruitment and will appoint several new faculty members over the next couple of years.
A guiding principle of the School is that the analysis of environmental problems requires quantitative training in more than one discipline and an awareness of the physical, biological, social, political, and economic decisions that arise from scientific or technological decisions. The Bren School incorporates this new view of environmental science and management into its programs and equips students with the scientific knowledge and managerial skills necessary to meet growing environmental challenges. The Bren School strives to provide a truly interdisciplinary program that goes beyond mere coursework in several disciplines to form a coherently integrated program blending teaching, research, and real-world problems.
Built into the Bren School's program is resource-sharing with the College of Letters and Science and the College of Engineering. Moreover, the School fosters collaborative research and teaching among the University of California campuses. To facilitate the Bren School's intercampus endeavors, Dennis Aigner of the Graduate School of Management at UC Irvine was appointed the Bren School's Associate Dean for Business Management, and Jody Freeman of the UCLA School of Law was appointed Associate Dean for Law and Policy.
One outcome of the intercampus program is that the Bren School administers a new emphasis in Corporate Environmental Management available to UC MBA students at other UC campuses. Students and instructors involved in the program convene at UCSB for intensive courses. Master's and Ph.D. students in the Bren School also have access to these courses. There is a crucial need for effective interaction among natural and social scientists, policy makers, and members of the business community. Mixing students from these different academic cultures enriches the learning experience and provides an important mechanism for stimulating this interaction.
Dennis Aigner, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Professor (econometrics, corporate environmental management)
Antonio Bento, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Assistant Professor (environmental economics, public finance, microeconomic theory, applied general equilibrium and development economics)
Christopher Costello, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Assistant Professor (environmental and resource economics, dynamic optimization, quantitative ecology, stochastic modeling)
Frank Davis, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Professor (plant ecology, quantitative biogeography, vegetation remote sensing, ecological applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems, conservation planning, fire ecology)
Magali Delmas, Ph.D., HEC Graduate School of Management, Paris, Assistant Professor (corporate environmental mangement, impact of technological and regulatory uncertainties on industry choices)
Jeff Dozier, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Professor (snow hydrology, earth system science, remote sensing and information systems)
Tom Dunne, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Professor (drainage basin and hillslope evolution, hydrology and floodplain sedimentation, applications of hydrology and geomorphology in environmental management)
James Frew, Ph.D., UC Santa Barbara, Assistant Professor (applications of computing and information science to large-scale problems in environmental science, including algorithm and component development, information system specification and integration, data management, and digital libraries)
Trish Holden, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Assistant Professor (pathogens in the environment, microbial ecology of pollutant degradation, soil microbiology)
Arturo Keller, Ph.D., Stanford University, Associate Professor (fate and transport of pollutants, development of technologies for containment, remediation, and monitoring)
Bruce Kendall, Ph.D., University of Arizona, Assistant Professor (quantitative ecology with a focus on animal and plant population dynamics)
Charles Kolstad, Ph.D., Stanford University, Professor (industry organization and environmental/resource economics, environmental policy, structure of energy markets and environmental regulations)
Hunter Lenihan, Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Assistant Professor (community, conservation, and restoration ecology, fisheries oceanography, polar and deep-sea biology, adaptive management of marine resources)
Christopher Marwood, Ph.D. University of Guelph, Assistant Professor (aquatic toxicology)
Carol McAusland, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Assistant Professor (trade and environment)
John Melack, Ph.D., Duke University, Professor (limnology, biogeochemistry, and remote sensing with active, long-term studies in tropical Brazil and alpine and saline lakes in California)
Catherine Ramus, Ph.D., Université de Lausanne, Assistant Professor (environmental management, organizational behavior, negotiation, public policy)
Oran Young, Ph.D., Yale University, Professor (environmental institutions, governance for sustainable development)
Peter Kareiva, Ph.D., Cornell University, Adjunct Professor (ecology and conservation biology)
Michael McGinnis, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, Adjunct Assistant Professor (biodiversity conservation policy, watershed management and planning, ocean and coastal policy, ecological restoration and planning)
Robert Deacon, Ph.D., University of Washington, Professor (natural resources economics and public finance)
David Siegel, Ph.D., University of Washington, Professor (physical oceanography,
numerical modeling and supercomputing, bio-optical oceanography, turbulence,
air-sea interaction and theoretical ecology)
Application materials are available from the Bren School and are normally accepted for Fall quarter only. The application deadline for primary consideration and for consideration of School-based financial support is February 1. All other applications will be accepted until March 1, space permitting. Ph.D. applicants who want to be considered for the campus-wide fellowship competition must apply no later than December 15. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education and have achieved at least a B average (3.0 on a 4-point scale) since their junior year. All applicants are required to submit verbal, quantitative, and analytical Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Applicants whose native language is not English must receive a score of at least 550 on the Test of English Language as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken within two years of their application to UCSB. Requests for exceptions to this requirement will be considered for those students who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English.
The Bren School welcomes applications to its professional master's program from prospective students from varied undergraduate majors who seek an intellectually challenging education designed to prepare them for leadership in a variety of careers in environmental problem solving. Applicants should be interested in obtaining broad and balanced training in natural and social science and management and participating in a program that emphasizes quantitative and analytical approaches to assessing and solving environmental problems.
Necessary background for the master's program includes one year of college-level mathematics, one year of college-level science, a course in microeconomics, and an introductory statistics course. Students lacking some of this preparation may be accepted for admission, but it is expected that deficiencies will be made up prior to entrance by means of formal course work or other arrangements agreed upon by the applicant and the School. A small number of deficiencies may be made up during the first year in residence, but these courses will not count toward the unit requirements for the MESM.
Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly competitive and dependent upon acceptance by a faculty sponsor with compatible research interests. To be considered for the Ph.D. program, applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution, have achieved a B average (3.0 on a 4-point scale) since their junior year, and submit verbal, quantitative, and analytical GRE scores. To be competitive, Ph.D. applicants must have a high upper-division/graduate GPA, excellent GRE scores, and strong undergraduate/graduate preparatory coursework and/or research. Each faculty sponsor's entrance criteria beyond these minimum requirements will depend upon his or her research focus. A Master's degree or equivalent is not required for admission.
The Master's of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) is a professional degree intended for students who will enter or re-enter the work force after graduation. It is not designed as an intermediate degree for the Ph.D., although MESM graduates will be well prepared for Ph.D. study. Students are trained to work in government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, and consulting firms. Bren MESM graduates have a suite of qualities, including clear and critical thinking, leadership skills, professionalism, and creativity, that allow them to be leaders in solving the environmental problems of the 21st century.
The coursework for the master's degree is multi-disciplinary, incorporating courses in natural sciences, social sciences, law, and business. The courses emphasize quantitative and analytic thinking, while they also train students to identify environmental problems, formulate the proper questions, and design and execute appropriate solutions, taking into account scientific knowledge (and its limits), legal constraints, and the particular business and social context of the problem. The School also brings in environmental professionals from government, business, and non-profit organizations to ensure that students' professional development reflects the integration of rigorous academic training with a sound understanding of real-world environmental problems and the needs of clients. The training not only teaches students to tackle current environmental problems, but also fosters their capacity for long-range thinking and prepares them to meet new challenges as they arise.
Degree Requirements
Each student in the MESM program must complete a minimum of 81 units distributed among three curricular components. In many cases, students take more courses than necessary to meet the 81-unit requirement either to make up for deficiencies in preparation, fulfill course prerequisites, or build greater depth in an area of study.
Core Courses: All students in the Master's program take a set of core courses to build an essential broad background. These are normally taken during the first year and currently include the following: Ecological Principles, Environmental Biogeochemistry, Earth System Science, Economics of Environmental Management, Data Analysis for Environmental Science & Management, Environmental Law & Policy, Organizational Theory & Behavior, Financial Management, and Strategic Management. A grade of B or higher is required in these courses.
Specialization: The broad understanding provided by the core classes is complemented by an in-depth specialization in an area of environmental science and management. Students choose one of the following specializations: Coastal Marine Resources Management, Conservation Planning, Corporate Environmental Management, Environmental Information Management, Pollution Prevention & Remediation, Public Environmental Management, and Water Resources Management. With guidance from their faculty advisors, students design an individual program of study (POS) that is appropriate for the chosen specialization and their particular backgrounds and goals. Students are encouraged to include courses from other departments in their POS as appropriate.
Master's Group Project: All students pursuing the Master's of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) must successfully complete a three-quarter capstone Group Project that serves as the master's thesis. Students obtain 12 units for their Group Project by enrolling in ESM 401 A, B, C, and D. Students begin the sequence in spring quarter of their first year. Students work as a team in groups of 4-5 to conduct a comprehensive analysis of an environmental problem that contains both scientific and management challenges to produce a tangible and useful product. Written and oral quarterly progress reports and participation in training workshops are required. At the end of the final quarter, each group must submit a final report and give a formal, public presentation on their project. Projects involving partnerships or links with the public sector, business community, or non-profit organizations are particularly desirable.
Doctor of Philosophy--Environmental Science and Management
The Bren School's Ph.D. program furthers the School's mission of educating high-caliber future research professors while simultaneously meeting the urgent need for innovative researchers and problem-solvers in the public and private sectors. The cornerstone of the doctoral degree is an original work of high-quality research that focuses on the diagnosis, assessment, mitigation, management, remediation, and/or prevention of environmental problems of today and the future. The program is designed to accommodate a wide range of research interests, from those highly focused in a particular discipline to those that are strongly multi-disciplinary.
The Bren School offers a unique environment, where students and faculty in many branches of environmental science and management are able to interact and create new approaches to environmental problem solving. All faculty engage in research that crosses traditional boundaries, and students are encouraged to do so as well. While crossing of boundaries is encouraged, the traditional requirement that the dissertation be of exceptional quality is upheld, which requires that students become experts in their fields (whether their fields have a multi-disciplinary or disciplinary focus). Students who wish to obtain a stronger multi-disciplinary background before focusing on one research area should enroll in our MESM program, and apply to the Ph.D. program in the second year.
The Ph.D. program at the Bren School is a mentoring program. Students should choose the Bren School because their research interests are complementary to those of a specific faculty member or group of faculty.
Degree Requirements
The Ph.D. program requirements are highly individualized. There are no universally required courses for students in the Ph.D. program and no specific unit requirement for the Ph.D. The Ph.D. is not a unit-count degree, but a research degree awarded upon demonstration of academic excellence and performance of original research.
Ph.D. students must form a Ph.D. Committee by the beginning of fall quarter of their second year of study. The committee must include at least two members from the Bren School faculty; at last one member must have greater then 0% appointment. The committee chair must be a member of the Bren School faculty. The Bren School faculty as a whole approve the composition of the Ph.D. committee and review each Ph.D. student's progress during each Fall quarter.
Ph.D. students complete an individual program of study determined in consultation with their Ph.D. Committee. Normally, at the end of the second year, but no later than the end of the third year, the Ph.D. Committee prepares a written examination that tests the student's knowledge of his/her specialization in the context of environmental science and management as well as research skills, problem solving skills, and ability to do academic work. After passing the written exams, the student prepares a written dissertation proposal, and the Ph.D. Committee conducts an oral examination. The oral examination is based on the dissertation proposal, readiness to do the required research, and preparation and aptitude for completion of the Ph.D. program. Upon successful completion of the oral examination, the student advances to candidacy. This normally occurs in the third year but must occur no later than the end of the fourth year in the program.
For the Ph.D. degree, students must present a dissertation, demonstrating the ability to contribute significantly and independently, the results of original research in their major field. Upon completion of the dissertation to the satisfaction of the student's Ph.D. Committee, a public lecture on the research must be presented, followed by a closed-door defense before the Ph.D. Committee.
The Economics and Environmental Science (EES) Training Program
The Environmental Economics and Science (EES) training program is a NSF-funded
training program that provides up to five years of fellowship support for students
interested in environmental or natural resource economics that want to broaden
their education to be truly multidisciplinary. The EES program is a joint undertaking
of the Department of Economics and the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science
and Management. Students supported by the EES program are rigorously trained
in economics, as they would in any good doctoral economics program, but they
also receive graduate level training in one of four areas of natural science:
climate, hydrology, applied ecology, or marine science. Students awarded EES
fellowships must satisfy the requirements of the training program to ensure
continued funding. This includes completion of the full core Ph.D. sequence
in the Economics Department and passing the Department's preliminary examinations
in microeconomics and quantitative methods.
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200. Case Studies in Interdisciplinary Environmental Problem Solving
(.5) Staff
Examination of case studies illustrating that understanding, solving, and preventing
environmental problems requires pooling expertise from multiple disciplines
and constructive dialogue between diverse groups.
201. Ecological Principles
(4) Kendall, Davis
Principles of individual ecology, population ecology, community ecology, and
ecosystem ecology. Emphasis on applications (conservation, resource management,
ecological effects of pollution and habitat fragmentation, etc.).
202. Environmental Biogeochemistry
(4) Keller, Melack
Prerequisites: Chemistry 1A-B-C or equivalent.
Biogeochemical processes as applied to the earth's atmosphere, oceans, land
and inland waters, and applications to environmental issues such as eutrophication,
toxic pollution, carbon sequestration and acidification.
203. Earth System Science
(4) Dunne, Dozier
Prerequisite: Geography 3 or equivalent.
Energy and mass transport as applied to the atmosphere, oceans, and land and
models of the Earth's climate and hydrology.
204. Economics of Environmental Management
(4) Kolstad, Costello
Prerequisite: ESM 251 or equivalent.
Environmental regulation (incentives and command control), asymmetric information
(cost revelation and auditing), regulatory incidence, dynamics and discounting,
exhaustible and renewable resources, valuation, environmental macroeconomics,
trade and the environment, comparative regulatory analysis.
206. Data Analysis for Environmental Science and Management
(4) Costello, Kendall
Prerequisite: ESM 250 or Geography 210 or equivalent.
Develop skills and conceptual framework to effectively use data to solve practical
problems. Topics include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, experimental
design, exploratory data analysis, probability and uncertainty, time series
analysis, and spatial stats. Emphasis on case studies from environmental problems.
207. Environmental Law and Policy
(4) Staff
Basic elements of the legal system as it specifically relates to environmental
issues. Study of the different stages and different institutions involved in
environmental policy making.
208. Organizational Theory and Behavior
(4) Ramus
Individuals play an important role in leading organizations toward environmental
sustainability. Participants learn about their own behaviors which can effectively
influence the environmental decision-making of groups, organizations, and society.
Course explores both theory and practice.
209. Financial Management
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: ESM 208.
An introduction to corporate financial management and reporting. Topics include
the function of stock markets, discounted cash flows, investment appraisal,
valuation of bonds and stocks, the capital structure decision, the accounting
model, financial reporting to stockholders, and financial statement analysis.
210. Strategic Management
(4) Delmas
Prerequisites: ESM 208 and 209.
Strategic management requires understanding environmental forces, identifying
business opportunities and developing and implementing sustainable strategies.
Students analyze competitive forces as well as non-market forces. They study
strategy formulation and implementation including innovation strategies, internalization
and strategic alliances.
211. Applied Population Ecology
(4) Kendall
Prerequisite: ESM 201 or equivalent.
Examination of the application of population ecology to conservation of rare
species and management of harvested populations. Topics include population regulation,
population viability analysis, fisheries management, metapopulation dynamics,
and population monitoring.
212. Biological Community Survey and Analysis
(4) Davis
Prerequisite: ESM 201.
Design and execution of field sampling campaigns to characterize, map and inventory
plant and animal communities. Includes review of basic sampling theory, measurements
for terrestrial vegetation, vertebrate and invertebrate survey methods, multivariate
analysis of community data, vegetation and species habitat mapping and modeling.
213. Ecological Effects of Pollutants
(4) Marwood
Prerequisites: ESM 201 and 202.
Case study-oriented course examining the effects of pollutants in natural and
human-dominated ecosystems. Topics include identification and quantification
methods, contaminant sources and effects, predictive methods and restoration.
214. Bioremediation
(4) Holden
Concepts and approaches to correct and alleviate the effects of environmental
pollution using biological processes. Biochemical, ecological and physicochemical
aspects of remediation and mitigation. Assessing and monitoring applicability/efficacy
of biological treatment. Natural and engineered methods for adversely affected
biological resources.
215. Landscape Ecology
(4) Davis
Prerequisite: ESM 201.
Relationships between spatial patterns in landscape structure (physical, biological,
and cultural) and ecological processes. Role of ecosystem pattern in mass and
energy transfers, disturbance regimes, and species' persistence, and applications
of remote sensing and GIS for landscape characterization and modeling.
217. Restoration Ecology
(4) Lenihan
Prerequisite: ESM 201 or equivalent.
Is restoration possible? What degraded ecosystems are good candidates for restoration?
Use of ecology to design and implement restorations and the criteria to evaluate
their success. Field labs provide students with practical tools to approach
these issues.
219. Microbial Processes in the Environment
(4) Holden
Prerequisite: ESM 202 or equivalent.
Microbes are the most abundant organisms on earth and are responsible for most
biogeochemical cycling. Who and where are they, what do they do, and how? This
course provides an integrated understanding applicable to managing the environment
and natural resources.
220. Ecological Risk Assessment
(4) Marwood
Prerequisite: ESM 213.
The process of risk assessment and skills required to conduct an ecological
risk assessment primarily based on the U.S. EPA guidelines. Focuses on biological
aspects and analysis and characterization phases of risk assessment rather than
the management of risk.
221. Management of Air Quality
(4) Staff
Interdisciplinary course looking at air quality from the political, economic,
engineering, and scientific perspective. Processes involved in the generation,
transport, and degradation of air pollutants. Economic analysis of regulation
tools. Political ramifications of urban air quality regulation.
222. Fate and Transport of Pollutants in the Environment
(4) Keller
Prerequisite: ESM 202.
Transport and biogeochemical transformation of pollutants in the environment.
Review of pollutant properties and media characteristics that affect transport,
accumulation, and degradation of pollutants. Basic tools for managing pollutants
in the environment, including prevention, detection, and remediation.
223. Management of Soil and Water Quality
(4) Keller
Prerequisite: ESM 222.
Characterization of contaminated sites. Detection and sampling techniques. Risk
assessment. Remediation and site management strategies: monitoring, containment,
in-situ remediation, ex-situ treatment. Commercial software is used to evaluate
sites and determine probable course of action based on risk analysis.
223L. Laboratory in Management of Soil and Water Quality
(1) Keller
Prerequisites: ESM 223 ( may be taken concurrently); and, ESM 222.
A hands-on approach to learning how to sample and treat contaminated soil and
water. The series of lab modules covers field sampling, analysis, unit treatment
processes and a remediation design project. Students are presented with state-of-the-art
technologies for dealing with contamination.
232. Environmental Modeling
(4) Costello
Prerequisites: ESM 250; graduate standing in ESM.
No previous computer experience required.
Introduction to the development, evaluation, interpretation and presentation
of models as applied to environmental problems. Course consists of theory and
many practical examples building and interpreting models using computers.
234. River Systems
(4) Dunne
Prerequisite: ESM 203.
Hydrologic and geomorphic basis of environmental management problems concerning
large river systems. Analysis of the processes of flooding, sedimentation, and
morphological change in channels, floodplains, deltas, and alluvial fans. Effects
of climate, land use, and engineering.
235. Watershed Analysis
(4) Dunne
Prerequisite: ESM 203.
Hydrologic and geomorphic basis of environmental management problems concerning
land surfaces and channels in small drainage basins, including the effects of
land use and engineering. Emphasis placed on the use of theory and field methods.
236. The Mountain Snowpack
(3) Dozier
Prerequisites: ESM 203, intermediate skiing ability, and consent of instructor.
Intensive field, laboratory and classroom study of physical processes in the
mountain snow pack. Snow accumulation and ablation, metamorphism, physical and
chemical properties, and remote sensing. Role of snow in watershed hydrology,
water resources and recreation. Normally offered spring break.
241. Environmental Politics and Policymaking
(4) Staff
The politics of environmental policymaking from agenda formation to the stage
of implementation, assessment, and reforms. Emphasis on national and state level
policymaking in the U.S. coupled with a consideration of interactions across
levels of social organization and comparisons across socio-political systems.
242. Natural Resource Economics and Policy
(4) Costello
Prerequisite: ESM 204 or equivalent.
Economic principles and policy issues of the use of exhaustible and renewable
resources including fossil fuels, water, minerals, fisheries, forests, and biodiversity.
Management of resource markets on regional and international scale.
243. Environmental Policy Analysis
(4) Staff
Analysis of major approaches to framing policy options, assessing their relative
merits, and evaluating results. Particular attention to utilitarian procedures
(e.g., benefit/cost analysis), rights-based procedures (e.g., rights to trumps),
and the devolution of authority from central governments to other decision-making
mechanisms (e.g., markets).
244. Valuing Environmental Quality
(4) Bento
Prerequisite: ESM 204.
Methods for valuing a variety of types of environmental goods, including pollution
and natural environments. Approaches covered include hedonic prices, averting/defensive
expenditure methods, travel cost, contingent valuation, and experimental markets.
245. Cost-Benefit Analysis
(4) Bento
Prerequisite: ESM 204.
Complement to ESM 244 by comparing values for environmental costs and benefits
of projects and policies. Case studies of ecosystem protection, pollution control,
and other topics are used to illustrate analytical tools and address distributional
aspects, discounting, uncertainty and other issues.
246. International Environmental Economics
(4) McAusland
Prerequisite: ESM 204 (may be taken concurrently).
Efficiency of government policies aimed at trans-jurisdictional environmental
problems; links between environmental quality and patterns of international
trade and investment; arguments for and against international harmonization
of environmental policy: limitations placed on local environmental policy by
World Trade Organization rules.
247. Governance for Sustainable Development
(4) Staff
Examination of the demand for governance in conjunction with efforts to achieve
environmental, economic, and social goals. Special attention to alternative
approaches to the supply of governance at the global level as well as to interaction
between governance systems addressing distinct issues.
248. Environmental Institutions: Rights, Rules, and Decision-Making Systems
(4) Young
Comparative study of management systems or regimes addressing natural resources
and environmental concerns and operating at scales ranging from local to global.
Topics include characterization of individual regimes and factors affecting
the formation, evolution, and effectiveness of these institutional arrangements.
249. Alternative Approaches to Environmental Policy
(4) Staff
Alternative regulatory policies according to their cost effectiveness and fairness,
demands on government, assurance of meeting goals, potential for pollution prevention
and technological innovation, adaptability to change, and differential impact
upon groups within society.
250. Analytical Methods
(4) Holden
Introduction to analytical methods used to solve environmental problems. Topics
include calculus and differential equations. Emphasis on proper documentation
of problem statements and solutions.
251. Microeconomics Principles for Environmental Management
(2) Bento
Instructs students how to think like economists and to formulate policy questions
using simple economic tools. Topics include: The market forces of supply and
demand, efficiency of private markets, the costs of taxation, externalities
and public goods.
253. Ecology of Lakes and Wetlands
(4) Melack
Prerequisite: ESM 202.
An examination of ecological aspects of lakes, wetlands, and their catchments
integrating biogeochemical processes, biological-physical coupling, and population
and community ecology. Applications of remote sensing and ecological models;
human-caused impacts and their management.
254. Coastal Marine Ecosystem Processes
(4) Lenihan
Prerequisites: ESM 201, 202 and 203.
Examination of physical, chemical, and geological processes in coastal ecosystems,
including estuaries, that are influenced by human activities. Focus centers
on dynamical processes that control biological communities and resources, and
the relationship of the science to marine resource management and policy.
257. Marine Management and Planning
(4) Staff
Focuses on specific marine-related management organizations, federal, and state
laws and programs, and their effects on local, regional, and national policy
arenas. An overview of conceptual approaches and analytical tools used in marine
management are also introduced.
259. Integrated Coastal Management
(4) Staff
Describes the major ecological processes and management regimes that are associated
with coastal and nearshore ecosystems. Includes a review of local, state, and
federal laws, programs and policy initiatives that are devoted to coastal management
and planning issues.
260. Applied Marine Ecology
(4) Lenihan
Prerequisites: ESM 201 and 206.
The application of ecological principles and methods to environmental problems
in marine ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on design and execution of field sampling
and experiments to access biological impacts of antheopogenic disturbances and
restoration activities. Concepts illustrated with case studies.
261. Management of Scientific Data
(4) Frew
Theory, techniques, and tools for managing heterogenous scientific information.
Database architectures and data models. Metadata standards and data characterization.
Design and use of relational databases. Aspects of the science data life cycle:
collection, storage, search, retrieval, analysis, presentation.
262. Distributed Scientific Information Systems
(4) Frew
Impacts of computer networks, both local and global, on scientific information.
Architecture and implications of the World Wide Web. Electronic publishing and
digital libraries. Theory, techniques, and tools for networked information.
263. Geographic Information Systems
(4) Frew
Advanced introduction to geographic information system (GIS) theory and technology,
emphasizing spatial analysis and cartographic presentation. Typical algorithms
and data structures. Role of GIS in environmental information management. Integration
of GIS with other analytical tools.
266. Remote Sensing of the Environment
(4) Dozier
Prerequisites: ESM 203.
Advanced introduction to remote sensing theory, technology, and applications
in environmental science and management. Survey of principles and analytical
methods throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Integration of remote sensing
with other tools.
270. Conservation Planning and Priority Setting
(4) Kareiva
Prerequisite: ESM 201.
Analytical approaches that can be used to direct energy and resources toward
conservation that yields the greatest return on investment. Case studies of
how government agencies, international multilateral institution and non-governmental
agencies identify where to invest their conservation efforts.
275. Principles and Practice of Environmental Planning
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: ESM 207.
Recommended preparation: ESM 201.
Principles, concepts, and techniques of environmental planning at the state,
regional, and local government levels, with emphasis on emerging trends in addressing
environmental problems. Green plans, sustainable communities, coastal planning,
agricultural land preservation, smart development, new urbanism, and mitigation
monitoring.
281. Corporate Environmental Management
(4) Delmas
Prerequisite: ESM 210.
This course prepares students to use creatively conceptual tools and management
strategies to improve the environmental performances of firms. Corporate, societal,
and political barriers to implementing these innovative strategies will be analyzed
and methods for overcoming these constraints discussed.
282. Industrial Ecology
(4) Staff
Methods for evaluating the environmental performance of businesses, products,
and processes are examined through case studies, including analyses of industrial
material flows, energy flows, environmental performance metrics, life cycle
assessments and design for environmental methodologies.
283. Environmental Negotiation
(4) Ramus
Strategic negotiations take place daily. Their successful outcome depends on
the competence of the negotiators. Using environmental case studies and negotiation
exercises, course participants gain a hands-on understanding of the negotiation
process and how they can influence it.
284. Environmental Accounting and Financial Management
(3) Staff
Prerequisite: ESM 209.
Introduction to environmental accounting and its role in corporate financial
management. Extensive use of case studies allows consideration of environmental
accounting's role in corporate financial reporting, the management and control
of enterprises, and environmental accounting in long-term investment decisions.
286. Environmental Risk: Assessment, Valuation, and Management
(4) Staff
Fundamentals of statistical and organizational risk assessment, risk valuation,
and risk management with a focus on environmental risk. Equips business managers
with the tools required to bridge the gap between environmental compliance and
environment as a strategic business issue.
287. Sustainable Marketing
(4) Staff
Ecosystems increasingly impose limits on productive as well as consumptive activities.
Sustainable marketing investigates how, and to what extent, long term ecological
and economic factors can be reconciled in building product development, pricing,
promotion, and distribution systems.
288. Environmental Technology Management
(4) Staff
How to make decisions about which environmental technologies to develop, the
sourcing of technology, competitive timing, alliances, and competencies to be
developed, and how to successfully bring environmental technology to the market.
290. Theoretical Hydrology
(4) Dunne
Prerequisite: Ph.D. standing in ESM.
A review of the main theoretical principles that describe the current understanding
of the hydrologic cycle.
291. Fluvial Geomorphology
(4) Dunne
Prerequisite: Ph.D. standing in ESM.
Review of theoretical and empirical studies of landscape evolution by stream
erosion and deposition. Hydraulic, sedimentological, and morphological characteristics
of streams and valley floors.
292. Hillslope Geomorphology
(4) Dunne
Prerequisite: Ph.D. standing in ESM .
Review of theoretical and empirical studies of hillslope evolution. Hydrologic
and geotechnical aspects of hillslope erosion.
295. Business Management and Policy
(4) staff
Prerequisite: open only to Graduate Program in Management Practice (GPMP)
participants.
Management theory and practice as both a science and an art. The role of managers
in the current world of rapid change and increased competitive forces and increased
expectations for the successful performance of employees and organizations.
296. Advanced Topics in Environmental Management
(2-4) Staff
Covers advanced topics in environmental management.
297. Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Policy
(2-4) Staff
Advanced topics in environmental policy.
298. Contemporary Environmental Issues: Science and Business Perspective
(4) Davis
Introduces MBA students to selected current environmental issues, the science
behind them, and possible solutions. The format consists of three extended weekend
sessions, each focusing on a different topical area of environmental science
and management.
299. Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Science
(2-4) Staff
Advanced topics in environmental science.
401A-B-C-D. Group Project in Environmental Science and Management
(3-4-4-1) Staff
In-progress course with grades awarded for all four courses upon completion
of ESM 401D.
Group study of environmental problems with scientific and management challenges.
410. Internship Practicum
(1) Staff
Prerequisite: completion of a summer internship.
Students complete a summer internship, prepare a short paper and present internship
experiences to the Bren School community through an informal presentation.
420. Colloquium in Environmental Science and Management
(.5) Staff
On-going colloquium on issues, case studies, and professions in environmental
science and management.
430. Workshop in Environmental Science and Management
(.5-1.0) Staff
Workshops to develop professional skills for careers in environmental science
and management.
595AA-ZZ. Group Studies
(2-4) Staff
May be repeated for credit provided letter designations are different.
A. Hydrology/Geomorphology
B. Snow Science
C. Environmental Biogeochemistry
D. Watershed Quality Management
E. Environmental ProblemsScience and Solutions
F. Advances in Pollution Prevention
G. Advances in Applied Ecology
H. Human Dominated Ecosystems
I. Coastal Marine Science and Management
J. Environmental Microbiology
K. Environmental Information
L. Ecological Risk Assessment
AA. Hydrology/Geomophology (PhD Level)
BB. Snow Science (PhD Level)
DD. Watershed Quality Management (PhD Level)
EE. Aquatic Ecology (PhD level)
GG. Applied Ecology (PhD Level)
II. Institutions and Environment (PhD Level)
JJ. Environmental Microbiology (PhD Level)
MM. Environmental Management (PhD Level)
PP. Research Presentations (PhD Level)
596. Directed Readings and Research
(2-12) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Individualized reading and research. A written proposal for each tutorial must
be approved by the school.
597. Individual Study for Ph.D. Examinations
(1-12) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of instructor and graduate advisor.
No unit credit allowed toward advanced degree.
Individual study for Ph.D. examinations. Instructor should be student's major
professor or chair of the doctoral committee.
599. Ph.D. Dissertation Research and Preparation
(1-12) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of instructor and graduate advisor.
No credit allowed toward advanced degrees.
Research toward and writing of dissertation. Instructor should be chair of student's
doctoral committee.
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