University of Missouri, Kansas City
AC-1: Academic Courses

Classes listed are for undergraduate level, however, many classes can be upgraded to a graduate level course upon request and are cross listed with a "5" in front of the digit such as a 496 class would list as a 5496. ENV-SCI 496 Environmental Sustainability Internship-3 credit hours. Students obtain practical experience working for local engineering, sustainability and environmental firms, or governmental agencies. Specific duties and application requirements will vary depending on the funding organization's needs. Junior or senior standing required for undergraduates. ENV-SCI 406 This course will examine the current rates of global environmental change and potential causes in the context of Earth's natural climate variability. The course will follow a seminar format. Students will read and discuss published articles on current and emerging theories of forcing mechanisms in the Earth's systems. ENV-SCI 449, Global Water Sustainability This course examines the physical characteristics of water and its role in Earth systems. The challenges Global Environmental Change facing societies in as era of rapidly changing climate are explored. Cross-listed with Geography 446. GEOG 319, Descriptive and Synoptic Meteorology Synoptic weather observations, air mass analysis, analysis of frontal systems, weather disturbances, preparation of weather charts and diagrams used in synoptic meteorology and forecasting. Prerequisites: ENV-SCI 110R or GEOLOGY 215 Offered: On demand GEOG 360, Principles of Bio-geography This course is an introduction to biogeography that explores the patterns of plant and animal distributions from both ecological and historical perspectives. We examine past geologic and climatic conditions, as well as interactions between organisms and their environment to explain modern distributions of flora and fauna. Human interactions with plants and animals have increasingly profound consequences on distributions of flora and fauna from destruction to management. We explore the increasing importance of issues and strategies in conservation. The laboratory portion of the course builds on core ecological concepts and provides experiences of field observation, data collecting and data analysis. Prerequisite: ENV-SCI 110R or permission of instructor. Offered: On demand. GEOG 430/GEOLOGY 430, Energy Resources. This course covers the distribution, origin, and utilization of all types of energy. Topics include exploration, production, storage, transportation and conservation of carbon-based fuels, hydrologic, nuclear energy, and alternate energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydrogen. Prerequisite: ENV-SCI 110R or GEOLOGY 220. Offered: Fall. ENV-SCI 332CZ Environmental Sustainability This course will introduce the concept of sustainability and review how sustainability might work at the individual, neighborhood, state, nation and global scales. Students will participate in some form of community engagement on sustainability as well as reflect upon how their own practices impact the environment. HISTORY 364R Nature & Culture: American Environmental History This course is an introduction to various interpretations of nature with a focus on American culture and society. We will consider ideas about nature from diverse perspectivesincluding history, literature, philosophy and religion-in order to understand how human perceptions and uses shape relations with the natural world. Specific themes include such diverse topics as the aesthetic tradition, environmental thought, and environmental justice. PHILOS 370 Environmental Ethics. Various philosophical approaches to issues such as the value of nature, human obligations to non-human animals, species, ecosystems and future generations; environmental justice; restoration; resource use; environmental politics; and the relation between environmental issues, policy and ethics will be discussed critically. Prerequisite: None Offered: Annually Restrictions: None, POL-SCI 380 Environmental Justice. Offered as a special course in the individual faculty member's area of research specialization. The course may be repeated for credit when the topic varies. The topic and instructor will be announced in advance. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor or advanced standing. GEOG 333 Geographic Elements of Urban Planning.Analysis of the changing form and structure of urban places from a planning viewpoint. The focus will be on land-use trends on both the intraurban and interurban levels. Covered will be such topics as planning for urban transportation, new towns, land-use planning, urban renewal, and environmental planning. Offered: On demand. PUB-ADM 497 Urban Environmental Policy. Study and research in areas of special interest under individual faculty direction. UPD 340 Neighborhood And Community Development. Course provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of community development and neighborhood planning. The development of theoretical models that explain neighborhood change and history in the U.S. will serve as the basis. Issues explored include: community organizing, social movements, federal and state policies, and the role of planning organizations and community development corporations in neighborhood revitalization. UPD 430 Planning for Historic Preservation. The course provides a survey of major issues in the field of historic preservation and heritage studies from a planning perspective. Will focus primarily on the built environment of the United States, as well as world heritage sites and international perspectives. The course will include the urban planning techniques used for preserving historic buildings, neighborhood and districts, as well as some of the landmark legal decisions and legislation that have shaped heritage preservation practice in the U.S. Prerequisite: UPD 260 recommended. CIV-ENGR 401C, Green Building and Sustainable Infrastructure. History of the development of the green building through development of the LEED certification from the USGBC. ENV-DSN 413, Environmental Systems in Architecture. Instruction in bioclimatic and ecological design principles as a basis for architectural and landscape design: emphasis on passive solar heating and cooling and daylighting. Offered: Winter semester. GEOG 335/GEOLOGY 335, Intro to Waste Management. Overview of issues in waste management. Nature and classification of waste. Municipal solid waste: disposal methods, design, construction and maintenance of sanitary landfills. Nature and sources of hazardous waste, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. Types and sources of nuclear waste; disposal of high level and low level nuclear wastes. Sources, nature, handling and disposal of biologic waste. Pollution prevention, recycling and resource conservation. Prerequisites: ENV-SCI 110R; GEOLOGY 150, GEOLOGY 220 or instructor's permission. Offered: On demand. PUB-ADM 497, Managing for Sustainability in an Urban Environment. Study and research in areas of special interest under individual faculty direction. UPD 432, Urban Environmental Planning and Design. The built environment does not exist in a vacuum. Cities operate within broad ecological processes. Effective environmental planning can protect important natural resources while providing for a higher quality of life for urban residents. As a survey course in a subfield of urban planning, this course introduces students to environment planning approaches and techniques. Prerequisites: UPD Urban Planning Theory and Practice recommended. Offered: Spring ECON 420, Environment, Resources, and Economic Growth. This course focuses on the theory and policy issues involved in resource reaction and depletion; environmental destruction, preservation and recreation; and the interrelation of these problems of and prospects for economic growth. GEOG 401, Advanced Geographic Information Science. This course is designed for the students knowledgeable in the fundamentals of geographic information systems, who wish to gain expertise in advanced topics and applications in geographic information systems, remote sensing, and related environmental informatics. Classes are organized to encourage active learning. Students are encouraged and guided to develop their research projects by integrating related techniques of geographic information science. Prerequisite: GEOG 203 Offered: On demand. GEOG 450, GIS Fundamentals for Research Applications. This course will address the needs of upper level undergraduate and graduate students who desire to learn and apply fundamental Geographic Information Systems concepts and techniques for their research projects. This course will draw on the content of the Introductory GIS course offered by the department but will also be flexible such that the individual needs or interest of students can be met through guided reading and/or tailored laboratory sessions. The Department of Geosciences GIS computer laboratory, with a variety of GIS and Remote Sensing software, will be available for this course. Prerequisite: Permission by instructor Offered: Winter Restrictions: Only for upper level undergraduate and graduate students. GEOG 444/GEOLOGY 444, Spatial Data Analysis. Quantitative techniques and applications of spatial data analysis. The course will cover basic geospatial analysis techniques including hypothesis testing, kriging, variagram analysis, multivariate analysis and reliability analysis. Emphasis is on practical applications rather than theories. Intended for Geology, Geography, Environmental Studies, and relevant fields. Three hours lecture and computer lab per week.Prerequisites: Elementary statistics or permission of instructorOffered: On demand. UPD 420, Transportation Planning. The course provides fundamental theories, methods, and contemporary issues in transportation planning. The topics covered in this course include the transportation planning process, transportation systems, travel demand analysis, and policy issues such as the linkage between land use and transportation, urban transportation finance, social and environmental justice, transportation and environmental impacts , and traffic congestion.

A group of interdisciplinary faculty lead by Dr. Caroline Davies developed the sustainability courses and program.