Courses
Search for courses listed in this bulletin. To find a semester course schedule (including instructors, meeting times and locations), go to mynmu.nmu.edu.
- Offered: Contact department for information
- Prerequisites: Instructor's permission.
- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: EN 211 and sophomore standing.
Regional focus determined by demand and faculty availability.
Notes: May be repeated if topic differs.- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 205 and junior standing.
The course provides an opportunity for EEGS majors to gather up, review, polish and collate their EEGS skills and abilities sets to help them prepare for the successful transition from EEGS major to environmental careers or post-baccalaureate education opportunities.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Contact department for information
- Prerequisites: EN 211 and sophomore standing.
- Offered: Fall
- Prerequisites: GC 164 or GC 220, and GC 205.
Urban Geography introduces students to concepts pertinent to the city, its origins, contemporary form, and urban challenges. Students will examine the city and urban phenomena in both the American context and international setting, and will be able to explain social, economic, demographic, and political forces that alter urban environments. Students will explore sustainability initiatives introduced by cities to address environmental challenges. Students will also apply methods and tools geographers use in research and practice.
Notes:Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.
- Offered: Contact the department for information
- Prerequisites: GC 164 and GC 205 or instructor's permission.
Understand the historical development of tourism, its importance to local and national economies and the impact that tourists have on the environment, economy and local cultures.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Contact department for information
- Prerequisites: GC 205 or EN 211 or instructor's permission.
Examines the different forces acting upon commodity flows from producer to consumer. Particular attention is given to the transition from agriculture to food manufacturing, globalization and food production and the environmental impact of food manufacturing.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Fall Summer
- Prerequisites: GC 100 or GC 101 or junior standing.
Examination of the history and status of environmental laws in the United States at the national and state levels. Included is an introduction to the policy-making process in the U.S. as related to the human and natural environment.
- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 205.
- Offered: Fall Winter Summer
- Prerequisites: GC 225 required or junior standing or instructor permission.
This course introduces students and professionals to foundational ideas underpinning the growing field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students will examine fundamental concepts related to the creation, management, analysis, and visualization of geographic information. Students will then apply these concepts using industry-standard software to assemble and analyze data, and develop visualizations to communicate, solve problems, and make decisions. These skills will prepare students for work in a variety of job sectors.
- Offered: Fall
- Prerequisites: GC 335 or instructor permission.
This course explores the art and science of representing a geographical area on a map. With GIS software, students analyze and visualize spatial data using traditional and cutting-edge techniques. Students apply principles of cartographic design to further their technical expertise in spatial science by creating web maps, thematic maps, cartographic figures for reports, and topographic maps using GIS data from various sources. Students develop portfolios of maps that are aesthetically appealing, practical, and effective.
- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 330.
- Offered: Contact department
- Prerequisites: Completion of MA 100 or above (or placement into MA 109 or above).
An examination of our energy system, its development, and its future. Topics include: the foundational science concepts of energy and power; the use of energy in modern society; the technologies, resource availability, and environmental and social impacts of fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and renewable energy sources; the policy and economics surrounding energy use; and options for a sustainable energy system.
- Offered: Fall
- Prerequisites: Admission to the methods phase of teacher education.
Strategies, methods, materials and media that can be used to improve the teaching-learning process of geography in grades seven through 12.
Notes: May not be applied toward a non-teaching major or any minor in the Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department. Can be applied to the secondary education geography minor if required.- Offered: Winter
- Prerequisites: EN 211 and sophomore standing.
Population Geography enables students to explain issues and themes related to the patterns, processes, and consequences of the spatial distribution of people on Planet Earth. Students will analyze challenges associated with the geographic distribution of populations at the global, national, regional, and local scales, and they will learn the fundamental components of population change, fertility, mortality, and migration. Students will also apply methods and tools geographers use in their research and practice.
- Offered: Contact department
- Prerequisites: GC 101 or BI 210 or GC 100 and GC 225.
Acquire practical knowledge of wetland ecosystems from around the world by examining their biogeochemical and societal properties. Wetlands is designed to provide students with professional skills and an applied understanding of wetland hydrology, soils, vegetation, management, restoration, and regulation.
- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 255.
Examination of the techniques used by geologists in interpreting earth history. Particular attention is given to the physiographic provinces of the United States with emphasis on the Canadian Shield and interior plains and plateaus.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 225; and GC 100 or GC 255 or instructor's permission.
The study of earth surface processes and landforms. Surface features created by streams, glaciers, shorelines, groundwater and wind will be studied. Topographic maps, aerial photographs, the Atlas of Landforms and satellite imagery will be used in labs. Field trips are part of the course.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Contact department for information.
- Prerequisites: GC 225 and GC 255.
Students will travel to many sites of geologic importance to collect samples and data, and interpret the geologic history through their observations. Techniques for collection and interpretation of geologic information, and the presentation of that information in the form of geologic maps and reports, are included.
Notes: Formerly GC 260. Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Fall
- Prerequisites: GC 100, MA 111 or higher, or instructor's permission.
Advanced examination of atmospheric processes including energy transfer and exchange, global atmospheric circulation, precipitation processes and forms, weather disturbances and upper-level processes. Also explores global climatic systems, climate change and paleoclimatology, and the impact of human activities on climate.
- Offered: Contact department for information
- Offered: Fall, Odd Years
- Prerequisites: GC 100, BI 111 or BI 112, and junior standing.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of biogeography. Biogeographers are primarily interested in answering questions like “why do organisms live where they do?” and “what are the spatial patterns by which organisms are distributed?” Students will be able to explain, analyze, and interpret vegetation–environment relationships, vegetation dynamics, disturbance ecology, human impacts on plants and animals, dispersal, extinction, and conservation through discussions and readings and then apply their knowledge in field-based lab exercises.
Field work is required during scheduled lab time.
- Offered: Winter
Students will examine and explain foundations of relational databases, familiarity with and fundamentals of Structured Query Language (SQL) databases, and general database operations, and apply their skills using industry-standard software. Students will develop proficiency developing and managing both spatial databases and non-spatial databases.
- Offered: Contact department for information.
The course examines how race, class, and gender have influenced environmental decision-making, and explores how groups of people that have been disproportionately affected by environmental problems have organized to address those issues. We examine how laws and policies contributed to environmental injustice, and how have they been used to achieve environmental and social equality. Students develop deeper understandings of the history of the environmental justice movement, contemporary environmental justice issues, and directions forward for the field.
Notes: Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.- Offered: Winter
- Prerequisites: GC 225, BI 412 or DATA 109 or GC 235, and junior standing.
This course introduces fundamental remote sensing topics essential for monitoring the Earth’s resources and characterizing environmental problems. We examine the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, and the platforms used to observe the Earth system. Students will be able to explain and apply digital image processing techniques and their theoretical underpinnings in the context of aerial images, satellite images, LIDAR, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ground-penetrating radar and make appropriate interpretations.
Notes:Field work may be required. Contact instructor for more information.