Earth Sciences
Note: the courses on this page reflect Summer Term 2008 offerings.
Please check back on December 15 for a list of courses available during Summer Term 2009.
College of Arts and Sciences
CAS ES 101 The Dynamic Earth
Plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanic hazards; mountain-building processes;
igneous, metamorphic, and surface processes; hydrogeology. 4 cr.
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CAS ES 105 Environmental Earth Sciences
Earth's natural influence on groundwater quantity and quality, resource supply
and recovery, landforms, climate, desertification, glaciation, and ocean circulation
patterns. 4 cr.
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Metropolitan College
MET ES 141 From Periwinkles to Pilot Whales: Investigation on Boston
Harbor and Massachusetts Bay
Examines the flora and fauna of the Boston Harbor and Massachusetts
Bay ecosystems on the beach, at the shore, in the Harbor Islands, and on the
waters of Boston Harbor and Mass Bay. With 50 miles of protected water, four
sheltered bays, seven river systems, dozens of islands, and a nine-foot average
tide, Boston Harbor is one of the most diverse urban ecosystems in America. Students
keep daily records of their experiences, record and analyze data for a research
paper, and learn to use GIS Datalayers, species maps, and field work guides.
4 cr.
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MET ES 241 Coastal Environments of Massachusetts
Focuses on
the geology and natural history of the Massachusetts North and South Shores,
including Cape Cod and the Islands. Many protected areas featuring
harbors and tidal flats, which contrast with the high-energy shorelines facing
the high swells of open Atlantic Ocean, serve as ideal natural laboratories
for studying this geologically young and ever-changing landscape. The course
explores major landforms produced by melting glaciers at the end of the Great
Ice Age and the role of severe storms, sea-level rise, and human impact
in shaping the region's coastline over the past 10,000 years. The lecture
series is complemented by two Saturday field trips to the North Shore
and South Shore/Cape Cod. 4 cr.
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Courses of Related Interest
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