Earth and Environmental Sciences - Junior

Course # EAES 3052

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: NA

Course Description

Environmental governance refers to how and why societies and governments manage the relationship between human beings and the natural world. To study environmental governance is to study the rationales, rhetoric and structures of environmental management systems, and to compare these systems to understand why certain environmental problems are managed as they are, what approaches to environmental management are more (or less) successful, and for whom and in what ways they are (or are not) successful. This course seeks to provide tools for describing, discussing and analyzing the issues that underpin environmental management problems.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Apply key concepts and theories of institutional analysis in relation to environmental issues.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of four major institutional forms (state, market, civil society, and global governance bodies) in addressing environmental problems.
• Analyze a particular environmental management problem through the lens of an applicable governance model in writing.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # EAES 3063

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: Introduction to Earth and Environmental Sciences- Geochemistry

Course Description

Geologic Materials and Resources discusses the physical and chemical properties and characteristics of minerals, rocks and sediments, including the techniques of measuring or determining their values in the laboratory and in the field. The relationships between rock types and plate tectonics, and the origins and characteristics of geological resources are discussed. Students will complete laboratory and field-based studies as part of this course. The course is structured in a way to start from basics of crystallography, with detailed studies on silicate and non-silicate minerals, magmatism and magmatic rocks, metamorphism and metamorphic rocks, sedimentation and sedimentary rocks and introduction to mineral resources (metallic and nonmetallic).

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Describe and identify hand specimens of common rock forming minerals and rock types, both in the laboratory and in the field.
• Relate mineral properties to composition, atomic structure, bonding, and the occurrence of those minerals in different rock types.
• Describe the processes of formation of common rock types, and use their textural, chemical and mineralogical features to classify them.
• Predict where certain rock types have formed at different periods of geological time and where they are forming today, using plate tectonics through geologic time.
• Apply knowledge of rock forming processes to interpret the geological history of an area based on samples and geological maps, with a particular focus on Central Asia. 
• Relate important economic minerals to their mineral deposit types, geological setting and deposit formation processes

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # EAES 4045

Credits 6

Course Description

Welcome to Sedimentary Geology and Stratigraphy. This course covers one of the most widespread type of rocks on the Earth’s surface – sedimentary rocks.  It includes classification of different types of sedimentary rocks, their composition, their structures and textures, sediment production, transport and deposition processes, sedimentary environments and systems, and stratigraphic patterns. The goal of this course is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge to distinguish sedimentary rocks in the field, to observe and document the lithological composition of sedimentary rocks, their macroscopic and microscopic textures and structures, and to interpret the origin of sedimentary rocks based on facial analysis of sedimentary deposits.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Document sedimentary rocks, their structure, texture and composition in field.
• Acquire and interpret data from sedimentary deposits to recreate the mechanisms responsible for their formation and evolution.
• Collect or use existing data at many scales (outcrop to grain) to construct and evaluate a hypothesis about the type and spatial distribution of sedimentary environments or facies.
• Interpret changes in a depositional environment across time (stratigraphic change) at many geographical and temporal scales, using data from sedimentary rocks and successions.
• Correlate between different sequences of sedimentary rocks across space and reconstruct sedimentary basins of the geological past and their environments

Course Assignments and Grading

Course # DMNS 2035

Credits 6

TBA

Course # EAES 4751E

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites:  Information Technology course

Course Description

Programming in Python is an introductory course that covers programming techniques and tools to manipulate, manage, and analyze relevant data. The course focuses on the Python programming language that students will use to solve statistical analysis and GIS problems, apply Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques, and create a website using Django framework. The tasks will be accomplished by identifying and using existing Python packages as well as appropriate open-source software extensions. The course introduces basic to advanced statistical functions, data visualization, and data manipulation techniques. The relevant functions in data science are explained. The main goal of this course is to give students an understanding of the breadth of different programming applications. In particular, students will be taught how to design and write effective code using Python to perform routine and specialized data manipulation, management, statistical analysis, GIS analysis, and web application development tasks.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, every student will be able to:

• Explain the theoretical concepts of different data types
• Conceptualize and create loops and if/else statements in Python
• Create specialized functions in Python to handle results
• Manipulate data for descriptive statistical analysis in Python
• Use Django framework for development of different types of websites, in particular, a highly customizable app, such as an internet magazine website
• Use special packages, such as panda, to create graphs and convert plain text to formatted text.
• Using the packages NumPy, Matplotlib, Pandas and Skikit-Learn for various mathematical calculations, data manipulation, graphing and creating machine learning algorithms.
• Course Assignments and Grading

Course # MDIA 4083E

Credits 6

Course pre-requisites and co-requisites: N/A (Recommended Science Communication)

Course Description

This course improves students’ communication skills by engaging in environmental discourses that connects the local with the global.  Students study a range of visual and written texts to learn how environmental communication is used by different actors in society. The role of communication is studied at the intersections of other key issues such as biodiversity, sustainable development, and climate change.  By evaluating and creating different media texts students gain an understanding of how media in various contexts shape environmental communication discourses in the public sphere. Using holistic and systems thinking students conduct research, identify target audience and design effective messages that place community concerns at the centre.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Examine the ways in which different political, cultural, economic and geographical contexts shape environmental communication discourses in the public sphere.
• Evaluate a range of texts and assess their effectiveness on the intended audience.
• Examine how visual texts act as cultural prism that shape our understanding of nature.
• Discuss the role of media in reporting key environmental issues in different societies while connecting the local with the global.
• Design communication responses to engage a variety of audiences about environmental issues.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # DMNS 2012E

Credits 3

Course Description

Linear Algebra is a foundational course at UCA. It can be applied in business, economics, sociology, ecology, demography, engineering and other areas.

In this course, students will study mathematics that deals with the system of linear equations and their applications, operations with matrices, applications of Markov chains, applications of determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors and their applications. 

Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon the completion of this course, students should be able to:
Set up and solve a system of equations to fit a polynomial function to a set of data points.
Use matrices and Gaussian and Gauss – Jordan eliminations to solve a system of linear equations.
Do operations with matrices.
Find the inverse of a matrix.
Use a stochastic matrix to find the n^th  state matrix of a Markov chain.
Find steady state matrices of absorbing Markov chain.
Use matrix algebra to analyze an economic system (Leontief input- output model).
Find the least square regressions line for a set of data.
Use Cramer’s rules to solve a system of n linear equations in n variables.
Model population growth using an age transition matrix and an age distribution vector.
Solve Linear Algebra problems wit the application of R studio.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # MDIA 2113E

Credits 3

Course Description

Creative Writing involves the development of intellectual, imaginative and skills of embodied self-expression. It also involves reading. In this craft-base course, students engage in a series of lectures and workshops, learning a range of creative writing skills in a variety of genres, methods and approaches and, in turn, are encouraged to be experimental and adventurous in their writing. Seminars address different creative writing topics and readings so that students can learn about various approaches from poetry to film dialogue-writing. The workshops are interactive; they aim to increase understanding of the process of creative writing and, most importantly, the process of script development, editing and presentation. All creative work in its original form can be written in a language of the student’s choosing but must be translated into English for assignment submission.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify and write in a range of genres including original fiction, non-fiction and poetry using literary techniques.
• Identify and demonstrate - in literature and in their own work - classic language forms and features, and elements of plot development, characters, landscape and setting, and achieve creative writing and reading skills in relation to concepts, topics, craft, technique and voice.
• Understand and demonstrate the creative processes of revision and editing.

Course # EAES 2130E

Credits 3

TBA

Course # EAES 3761E

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: Introduction to Atmospheric and Climate Science.

Course Description

The dynamic nature of the atmosphere, with its constantly shifting patterns of natural events, weather fluctuations, and changing climate, is an inevitable part of our lives. Meteorology is a scientific discipline that focuses on studying these processes within the lowest layer of the atmosphere. This introductory meteorology course is designed to provide an overview of the fundamental meteorological concepts including atmospheric structure, weather maps, and the role of meteorological variables such as temperature, humidity, pressure and wind. The course also covers precipitation and clouds, air masses, fronts and cyclones, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, aspects of forecasting, climate, air pollution, and atmospheric optics. Students are expected to gain a fundamental understanding of weather and atmospheric phenomena at various scales and to actively engage in practical exercises and field trips.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:
Describe the role of meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind to quantify the atmospheric state.
Describe formation of precipitation and precipitation types.
Identify different types of clouds and their formation mechanisms.
Explain the fundamental atmospheric phenomena including air masses, fronts, cyclones, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Describe basic tools and techniques to gather and interpret atmospheric data.
Discuss climate and changing nature of climate including various influences.
Describe the issue of air pollution and the role of meteorological parameters in distribution of air pollutants.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # EAES 3762E

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: None

Course Description

Environmental Chemistry is an application of chemical principles to the study of the environment. It includes natural processes and pollution problems related to air, water, and soil. This course will cover some of the effects of pollutants on humans, other animals, plants and the nonliving parts of the earth. This course is divided into 5 major points (1) General concepts (2)Atmospheric chemistry and air pollution;3) Soil and agricultural environmental chemistry; (4) Water chemistry and water pollution; and (5) Metals and waste disposal.

Course learning outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Define chemical and biochemical principles of fundamental environmental processes in air, water, and soil.
• Recognize different types of toxic substances and analyze toxicological information.
• Apply basic chemical concepts to analyze chemical processes involved in different environmental problems (air, water & soil).
• Describe water purification and waste treatment processes and the practical chemistry involved.
• Describe causes and effects of environmental pollution by energy industry and discuss some mitigation strategies.
• Explain the nature and composition of soil and soil pollutants
• Discuss local and global environmental issues based on the knowledge gained throughout the course.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # ECON 1001

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: high school mathematics and pre-calculus

Course Description

Introduction to Microeconomics deals with the interactions between individual households and business. The course helps in explaining the mechanism behind determination of prices of different commodities. It also explains about the prices of the factors of production. It helps in understanding the working of the free-market economy and it introduces students to some of the basic concepts used in economics. The course introduces the students to the various basic concepts necessary to understand economic policies and their effect on society and shows which policies can enhance productive efficiency that may result in greater social welfare. In brief, the course will introduce some explanation about the working of a capitalist economy.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completing this course, students should be able to:
Explain the three main building blocks of supply and demand analysis – demand curves, supply curves, and the concept of market equilibrium.
Apply utility functions in the analysis of preferences with a single and multiple goods.
Calculate expected utility as a way to evaluate risky outcomes.
Derive the equation of an isoquant from the equation of the production function.
Describe the conditions that characterize different types of market structure.
Explain why some kinds of games can lead players to cooperate, while other kinds do not.
Explain why externalities and public goods are a source of market failure.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # ECON 3006

Credits 6

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: Principles of Microeconomics or an equivalent course.  Exceptionally strong and motivated students from other majors will be permitted to take the course as long as they take responsibility for the material taught in the prerequisite course.

Course Description 

Natural Resource Economics applies microeconomic concepts and tools to issues arising from the growth, use, depletion, and degradation of natural systems and their components, including land, energy, air, water, and biodiversity. The course explores how economic objectives can align with sustainability and environmental goals, and how markets can be harnessed to improve environmental quality and preserve natural resources. We begin with a review of microeconomic concepts related to market function and failure, then examine market-based, regulatory, and community-based approaches to achieving economic efficiency and sustainability. A significant focus is placed on the economics of climate change, covering both mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation approaches to cope with climate impacts. Students will learn to apply economic analysis to evaluate real-world environmental policy problems, particularly those relevant to mountainous regions of Central Asia. The course also addresses the limitations of economic analysis in providing policy guidance on natural resource issues, especially in the context of long-term, global challenges like climate change. Throughout, we evaluate approaches in terms of efficient allocation, sustainable scale, and just distribution.

Course Learning Outcomes 

• Describe the economic aspects of natural resource issues, including those relate to climate change
• Apply analytical tools (rhetorical, graphical, and mathematical) to describe the extent to which these issues constitute the failure of market systems
• Explain the difficulties arising in using economic analysis in natural resource and climate policy design
• Recognize a number of real-world environmental policy problems, particularly those in the context of mountainous regions of Central Asia and evaluate in depth solutions to such problem using economic analysis.

Course Assessment and Grading 

Course # ECON  3113E

Credits 3

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites: None

Course Description

The focus of the course is gender differences in the labor market and will cover both theoretical and empirical studies. Students will delve into these topics to understand the many ways that gender is relevant in the economy. Students will obtain an evidence-based understanding of two key aspects: 1) the potential mechanisms behind gender inequality, and 2) the policies and evidence of their effects on advancing gender equality. Specifically, this course analyzes the economic aspects of issues related to gender, such as gender wage gaps, labor force discrimination, family-friendly policies in the workplace, the valuation of unpaid household work, and the differential impact of public policies. During the course, students will become familiar with the methodology of gender analysis in the economic sciences and research gender analysis indicators to support skills development for relevant research and analysis.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:
Define gender inequality.
Explain how gender wage gaps are measured and why they might exist
Describe global best practices in family policy
Determine models and data appropriate for gender analysis
Relate evidence-based empirical analysis to economic and sociological theory in gender issues 

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # ECON 4131E

Credits 3

TBA

Course # HUSS 2116E

Credits 6

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to social and cultural anthropology, emphasizing the intricate relationships between society, culture and ecology. Students will explore how human societies are not only diverse in their cultural practices but also share common experiences that transcend geographical boundaries. The course delves into the ways different communities interpret their environments, sustain livelihoods, and organize social, political, and religious structures. A key focus will be the interplay between culture and ecology, examining how traditional societies are shaped by and, in turn, shape their environments. Students will apply basic ethnographic research methods in practical research projects that investigate the cultural and environmental dynamics within their own communities. By the end of the course, students will have a nuanced understanding of how anthropological theories can be applied to contemporary issues, offering insights into the sustainable interaction between human societies, their culture and environments.

Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:
Analyze and discuss the core concepts and principles of anthropology
Apply concepts of cultural variation and the diversity of perspectives, practices, and beliefs found within each culture and across cultures
Critically examine traditional and modern economic systems, focusing on how cultural patterns influence consumption and economic structures
Apply anthropological research methods such as participant observation, thick description, fieldwork and interviewing.

Course Assessments and Grading