Dedman College
(2010 Undergraduate Catalog)
Environmental Science
www.smu.edu/esp
Associate Professor Bonnie Jacobs,
Director
Coordinating Committee: Associate Professor and Director: Bonnie Jacobs (Earth Sciences).
Professors: Michael Lattman (Chemistry), Larry Ruben (Biological Sciences), Robert Gregory (Earth Sciences).
Chemistry: Professors: Edward Biehl, John Buynak, Michael Lattman, John Maguire, Mark Schell, Patty Wisian-Neilson.
Associate Professors: Werner Horsthemke, David Son, Brent Sumerlin.
Earth Sciences: Professors: David Blackwell, Robert Gregory, Eugene Herrin, Louis Jacobs, James Quick, Brian Stump, John Walther, Crayton Yapp.
Associate Professors: Bonnie Jacobs, Neil J. Tabor.
Biological Sciences: Professors: Christine Buchanan, Richard Jones, William Orr, Larry Ruben, John Ubelaker, Steven Vik.
Associate Professors: Robert Harrod, Pia Vogel.
Assistant Professor: James Waddle.
The natural systems that constitute Earth’s environment are in continuous mutual interaction. These interactions occur on spatial scales that range from microscopic to global and on temporal scales that range from fractions of a second to millions of years. Scientific efforts to understand how the activities of humans affect the workings of such a complex arrangement must properly involve the identification and study of the fundamental processes operating at present in Earth’s environment. Furthermore, to apply such knowledge with skill, insight and perspective, information must also be acquired on the extent to which ancient environmental conditions on Earth may have differed from those observed today and how such changes affected life on the planet. An intellectual and practical scientific problem of such vast scope must be approached in an interdisciplinary manner. This interdisciplinary requirement is important not only for students who will become professional environmental scientists, but also for those who want a solid scientific foundation for post-graduate training in environmental law, public policy, business and other fields.
The program includes a set of core courses that provide the student with the necessary background in chemistry, earth science, physics, biology and mathematics to move into an earth science, chemistry or biology emphasis in the upper division courses. All environmental science majors will come together their senior year in a multidisciplinary seminar in environmental science. Juniors and seniors may do an internship (e.g., with an environmental lawyer, an assessment and remediation company or a nonprofit agency) for course credit and by special arrangement.
Requirements for the B.S. Degree. The environmental science major requires 68 total hours, consisting of 50 hours of core classes and 18 hours of electives taken with an emphasis in chemistry, earth science or biology.
Biology (7 credits):
BIOL 1402 Introductory Biology II
BIOL 3307 (GEOL 3307) Ecology
Chemistry (15 or 16 credits):
CHEM 1303 General Chemistry I
CHEM 1113 General Chemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 1304 General Chemistry II
CHEM 1114 General Chemistry II Laboratory
CHEM 3371 Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 3117 Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
and either
CHEM 3372 and 3118 Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
or
CHEM 3351 Quantitative Analysis
Earth Sciences (11 credits):
GEOL 1301 Earth Systems
or
GEOL 1315 Introduction to Environmental Sciences
GEOL 3451 Earth Materials I
GEOL 3452 Earth Materials II
Environmental Science (3 credits):
GEOL 3363 Environmental Geology Seminar
Mathematics (6 credits):
MATH 1337 Calculus With Analytic Geometry I
MATH 1338 Calculus With Analytic Geometry II
Physics (8 credits):
PHYS 1303 Introductory Mechanics
and
PHYS 1105 General Physics Laboratory I
or
PHYS 1307 General Physics I
and
PHYS 1105 General Physics Laboratory I
and
PHYS 1304 Introductory Electricity
and Magnetism
and
PHYS 1106 General Physics Laboratory II
or
PHYS 1308 General Physics II
and
PHYS 1106 General Physics Laboratory II
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Required (9 or 10 credits):
CHEM 3372 and 3118 Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
or
CHEM 3351 Quantitative Analysis
CHEM 5381 Physical Chemistry
or 5383 Physical Chemistry I
Electives (choose 9 or more credits):
CHEM 4397 Research
CHEM 5390 Environmental Chemistry
GEOL 3366 Environmental Geology
and Geochemical Cycles
GEOL 5384 Hydrogeology
GEOL 5386 Geochemistry
GEOL 3353 Modern
and Ancient Climates
ME 5317 Groundwater Hydrology
and Contamination
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CEE 3341 Introduction to Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
CHEM 3351 Quantitative Analysis
CHEM 3372 and 3118 Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
CHEM 5381 or 5383 Physical Chemistry
or Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 5390 Environmental Chemistry
GEOL 3353 Modern and Ancient Climates
GEOL 3360 Process Geomorphology
GEOL 3366 Environmental Geology and Geochemical Cycles
GEOL 3369 Paleobiology
GEOL 3454 Structural Geology
GEOL 3472 Principles of Sedimentation
GEOL 4296 and/or 4298 Senior Thesis Research Project (up to 4 credits)
or GEOL 4321 Internship in Geoscience
GEOL 4390 Introduction to Geophysical Prospecting
GEOL 5368 Paleoecology
GEOL 5384 Hydrogeology
GEOL 5386 Geochemistry
ME 2342 Fluid Mechanics
STAT 2331 or 4340 Introduction to Statistical Methods
or Statistical Methods for Engineers and Applied Scientists
Biology Emphasis
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Required (4 credits)
BIOL 1401 Introductory Biology I
Electives (choose 14 or more credits)
BIOL 3303 Evolution
BIOL 3304 Genetics
BIOL 3306 Physiology
BIOL 3311 Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development (SMU-in-Costa Rica)
BIOL 3312 Wildlife Ecology (SMU-in-Kenya)
BIOL 3342 Plant Kingdom
BIOL 3343 Field Botany (Taos)
BIOL 3347 Systematic Botany (Taos)
GEOL 3353 Modern and Ancient Climates
BIOL 3354 Parasitology
BIOL 3357 Biology of the Invertebrates
BIOL 3403 Microbiology
BIOL 5166 Vertebrate Anatomy Lab (
Corequisite: BIOL 5366)
BIOL 5366 Vertebrate Anatomy and Origins (
Corequisite: BIOL 5166)
BIOL 5110 Biological Chemistry Lab (
Co- or Prerequisite: BIOL 5310)
BIOL 5311 Biological Chemistry: Metabolism
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3100, 3200, 3300. Special Topics Abroad. Courses offered in SMU-approved international programs. Prior departmental approval is required. May be repeated for credit under different subtitle. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be applied toward the B.S. degree in environmental science.
3311. Principles of Resource Management. Class will introduce practical tools used in addressing complex environmental problems, including coastal zone planning, guidelines for ecologically sustainable development, environmental impact assessment, fisheries management, and protected area planning and management. (SMU-in-Costa Rica only)
3312. Directed Research. Scientific writing, oral, graphic and tabular presentation of results derived from experimental design, field techniques, basic descriptive statistics, and parametric and nonparametric quantitative analysis. (SMU-in-Costa Rica only)
3313. Techniques in Wildlife Management. Class will focus on the introduction of laboratory techniques for monitoring ungulate populations and optimizing management practices, while studying behavioral, physiological and social responses of animals to a changing environment. (SMU-in-Kenya only)
3316. Directed Research. Scientific writing, oral, graphic and tabular presentation of results derived from experimental design, field techniques, basic descriptive statistics, and parametric and nonparametric quantitative analysis. (SMU-in-Kenya only)
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3322. Internship in Environmental Science. Students experience work in a business or organization concerned with environmental issues. Opportunities may be found in environmental law, assessment and remediation companies, or among nonprofit or government agencies.
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