Earth and Environmental Sciences - Sophomore

Course # HUSS 1051

Course Description

The course starts by interrogating the very idea of philosophy, exploring various approaches to it and distinguishing it from other disciplines such as science and theology. It discusses the broad global chronology of philosophical thought. The students use Logic to investigate the mode of systematic thinking, and examine Metaphysics and epistemology, two fundamental topics in philosophy. They also explore question of ethics, including meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics during the course. The course helps students to examine centrality of science in modern cultures and the issues it raises as well as the perils and potentials of new technological avenues such as artificial intelligence and the changing mode of human-nature interactions. The course ends by focusing on the question of “What does it mean to be an educated person?”  which will allow students to return to the meaning of reflection and an examined life.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Formulate sound arguments to work out logical fallacies in written and oral texts and discussions;  
• Review various sources of knowledge to engage with the problem of skepticism in their professional and personal contexts;
• Evaluate the relationship of individual with society and state, using concepts of political philosophy in terms of social justice and participation in governance;
• Examine ethical and human implications of increasingly criticized world by exploring its perils and possibilities;

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # HUSS 2072

TBA

Course # HUSS 2061

TBA

Course # EAES 2044

Course Description

This interdisciplinary course will prepare students to apply the principles of chemistry to explain major geological, hydrological, and biogeological processes on Earth. Students will also learn to apply geochemical tools to solve problems of hydrogeology, petrology, sedimentology and environmental science. By the end of the course, students will understand the practical applications of geochemistry to water quality, prospecting for ores, and remediation of waste storage sites.

Course learning outcomes

After taking this course, students will be able to:

• Discuss common geochemical processes in Earth science.
• Understand the geochemistry of lithosphere and hydrosphere.
• Use geochemical approach to locate resources such as metal ores, to remove pollutants from aquatic systems and to treat wastewater.
• Apply isotope geochemistry to solve geological problems.
• Discuss the influence of microorganisms on the transformation of elements and organic compounds in sediments, soils and water and how they can be used for wastewater treatment.
• Interpret geochemical data using the appropriate instrumentation and techniques such as pH meter and turbidity meter in the field work and laboratory work.
• Use appropriate laboratory and field equipment and techniques to safely collect samples, measure and analyze data related to pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, TDS and conductivity.
• Recognize appropriate methods to analyze data and evaluate the significance of experimental results

Course # EAES 2013

Course Description

This course provides an introduction into the study of general biology, starting from basic scientific concepts and processing to chemistry, physics and the natural laws that govern life. The course continues with studies of living creatures, from the tiny and simple through to the complexities of plants and animals, ending with a basic understanding of ecology and the study of biotechnology. Students will investigate biological concepts including the chemical basis of life, cell structure and function, metabolism, reproduction, genetics, evolution, biological diversity and classification, plant structure and function, animal structure and function and ecology. In this course, students will learn how to differentiate between inductive and deductive reasoning with respect to their use in scientific investigation.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Arrange the levels of biological organization from least complex to most complex.
• Explain how DNA accounts for both the diversity and unity of life on Earth.
• Relate the structure and function of living organisms to their chemical basis.
• Relate the role of enzymes in biochemical pathways and cellular metabolism.
• Explain how photosynthesis and cellular respiration contribute to the cycling of carbon atoms on Earth.
• Summarize how evolutionary adaptations have led to the anatomical and physiological differences between the major taxonomic groups of organisms.
• Relate the role of plant tissues and organs to plant development, growth, nutrition and reproduction.
• Relate the processes of energy flow and chemical cycling to ecosystem ecology.

Course Assignments and Grading

Course # HUSS 2102E

Course description

This course focuses on Civil defense as a system of measures aimed at the preparation and protection of the population and its material and cultural values from dangers arising during military operations as well as in natural and man-caused emergency situations. It discusses why Civil defense is one of the most important functions of the state and an integral part of defense construction and ensuring population security. Emergencies that pose a threat to people's lives and health, associated with natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, snowstorms and drifts, forest and peat fires are examined. It explains why all developed countries, including the Republic of Tajikistan, to effectively reduce the negative consequences of an emergency, and to protect the population and the national heritage of the country from the dangers of emergencies arising in peacetime and wartime, are constantly preparing for such situations.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the students will be able to:

• Discuss ways to protect themselves and others during the occurrence of dangerous and harmful environmental events.
• Assess the damage caused by accidents and catastrophes at industrial facilities and ways to prevent the amount of damage caused.
• Identify the main hazards of the human environment, assess the risk of their implementation, and choose methods of protection from hazards to ensure comfortable living conditions.
• Classify industrial objects according to their degree of danger to workers, employees and the population.
• Explain legislative and legal acts in the field of safety and environmental protection, and the safety requirements of technical regulations.
• Explain ways to predict and evaluate possible emergencies, and the measures that can be taken to ensure the stability of economic facilities in the country if they are affected by natural and man-made disasters, epidemics, and other threats to security.
• Explain ways to develop and implement timely measures to protect the population in emergencies, to provide first aid to victims, and to use personal protective equipment in emergencies.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course # HUSS 2101E

Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of life safety requirements and health in the workplace and field activities including definition of life safety, identification of dangerous factors and their influence on human, provision of safe working and living environment, fire and electricity safety and safe laboratory and field works. Students will get familiar with dangerous and harmful factors (chemical, physical and biological), emergencies classification and protection of humans and environment from the harmful and dangerous factors.

Course Learning Outcomes

• On completion of the course the students will be able to:
  Define life safety technical terms, measures and systems.
• Implement procedures to protect themselves and others in the workplace from harmful and dangerous factors.
• Apply requirements to specific workplace situations.
• Maintain life safety features.

Course Assignments and Grading