Course Listings
Institute of the Environment Course Listings
Lower Division Courses
M1A. Global Environment: Multidisciplinary Perspective I. (5)
(Same as GE Clusters M1A.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Course M1A is enforced requisite to M1B, which is enforced requisite to M1CW. Human effects on Earth's ecosystem and social and technological solutions to environmental pollution and overpopulation. History and ecology in lectures; laboratory exercises included in discussions. Letter grading.
M1B. Global Environment: Multidisciplinary Perspective II. (5)
(Same as GE Clusters M1B.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Enforced requisite: course M1A. Human effects on Earth's ecosystem and social and technological solutions to environmental pollution and overpopulation. History and ecology in lectures; laboratory exercises included in discussions. Letter grading.
M1CW. Global Environment: Special Topics. (5)
(Formerly numbered M1C.) (Same as GE Clusters M1CW.) Seminar, three hours. Enforced requisites: course M1B, and English Composition 3 or 3H. Not open for credit to students with credit for former course M1C. Examination of specialized environmental topics such as air and water, global warming, and feeding Earth's population. Satisfies Writing II requirement. Letter grading.
M10. Introduction to Environmental Science. (4)
(Formerly numbered 10.) (Same as Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences M10.) Lecture, three hours; laboratory, one hour. Limited to undergraduate students. Introduction to environmental science as discipline and as way of thinking. Discussion of critical environmental issues at local and global scales. Fundamentals of physical, chemical, and biological processes important to environmental science. Laboratory exercises to augment lectures. Letter grading.
14. Ocean Environment. (5)
(Formerly numbered Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 14.) Lecture, three hours. Introduction to scientific studies of oceans, with emphasis on ecosystems and environmental issues. P/NP or letter grading.
19. Fiat Lux Freshman Seminars. (1)
Seminar, one hour. Discussion of and critical thinking about topics of current intellectual importance, taught by faculty members in their areas of expertise and illuminating many paths of discovery at UCLA. P/NP grading.
89. Honors Seminars. (1)
Seminar, three hours. Limited to 20 students. Designed as adjunct to lower division lecture course. Exploration of topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities and led by lecture course instructor. May be applied toward honors credit for eligible students. Honors content noted on transcript. P/NP or letter grading.
89HC. Honors Contracts. (1)
Tutorial, three hours. Limited to students in College Honors Program. Designed as adjunct to lower division lecture course. Individual study with lecture course instructor to explore topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities. May be repeated for maximum of 4 units. Individual honors contract required. Honors content noted on transcript. Letter grading.
99. Student Research Program. (1 to 2)
Tutorial (supervised research or other scholarly work), three hours per week per unit. Entry-level research for lower division students under guidance of faculty mentor. Students must be in good academic standing and enrolled in minimum of 12 units (excluding this course). Individual contract required; consult Undergraduate Research Center. May be repeated. P/NP grading.
Upper Division Courses
M109. Human Impact on Biophysical Environment: What Science Has Learned. (4)
(Same as Geography M109.) Lecture, three hours; reading period, one hour. Designed for juniors/seniors. Examination of history, mechanisms, and consequences of interactions between humans and environment. Exploration in depth of three thematic topics (deforestation, desertification, and greenhouse gas increase and ozone depletion) and four major subjects (soil, biodiversity, water, and landforms). P/NP or letter grading.
M111. Earth and Its Environment. (4)
(Same as Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences M100.) Lecture, three hours. Overview of Earth as system of distinct, yet intimately related, physical and biological elements. Origins and characteristics of atmosphere, oceans, and land masses. Survey of history of Earth and of life on Earth, particularly in relation to evolution of physical world. Consideration of possibility of technological solutions to global environmental problems using knowledge gained during course. Letter grading.
113. Los Angeles Watershed. (4)
Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Overview of how varying scales of influence from atmosphere/climate, basin hydrology, runoff, sewage treatment, wetlands ecology and wetlands loss, coastal water circulation, and coastal biogeochemistry affect water resources in Los Angeles. Letter grading.
M114. Soil and Water Conservation . (4)
(Same as Geography M107.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Designed for juniors/seniors. Systematic study of processes of and hazards posed by erosion, sedimentation, and pollution and techniques needed to conserve soil and maintain environmental quality. Scope includes agriculture, forest engineering, mining, and other rural uses of land. P/NP or letter grading.
121. Conservation of Biodiversity. (4)
Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Examination of interrelation of natural biotic and human systems. Description of distribution of biodiversity and natural processes that maintain it. Critical analysis of various levels of threats and multidimensional challenges required for mitigating threats. Letter grading.
122. International Integrated Coastal Management. (4)
Lecture, three hours. The coast is one of most complex and interesting environments because of interactions among several ecosystems. The coast is often densely populated, with high economic and population growth, therefore socioeconomic conflicts are common. Sewage and industrial pollution, overfishing, and poorly planned development often threaten health of environment. Integrated coastal management (ICM) offers framework for resolving conflicts in manner that allows sustainable development. Focus on how ICM is being used in the U.S. and around the world to solve pressing ecological and socioeconomic problems. Letter grading.
M127. Soils and Environment. (5)
(Same as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology M127 and Geography M127.) Lecture, five hours; discussion, one hour; field trips. Requisites: Chemistry 14A, 14B, and 14BL, or 20A, 20B, 20L, and 30AL. General treatment of soils and environmental implications: soil development, morphology, and worldwide distribution of soil orders; physical, chemical, hydrologic, and biological properties; water use, erosion, and pollution; management of soils as related to plant growth and distribution. Letter grading.
M131SL. Gender and Sustainability: Local-Global Connections. (5)
(Same as Women's Studies M131SL.) Lecture, three hours; service learning, two hours. Introduction to gender and development (GAD) theories, analytical approaches, and applied case studies in context of local-global sustainability and environmental issues, with focus on knowledge, roles, relationships, needs, practices, and strategies of women vis-à-vis men. Investigation of gender and sustainability dimensions of food system, including agri-business, community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets and cooperatives, fair trade and certification, genetically engineered foods, food supplements, food safety, and nutrition, permaculture, and related student-advocated issues. Integration of variety of student-centered learning modes. Volunteering with community/community service organization required. P/NP or letter grading.
M132. Environmentalism: Past, Present, and Future. (4 to 6)
(Same as Geography M115 and Urban Planning CM165.) Lecture, three hours; optional field study, five to 10 hours. Exploration of history, politics, and theories of environmental movements, dynamics of race, class, and gender in relation to environmental agendas, and potential role of environmentalism in reshaping our society. Letter grading.
M133. Environmental Sociology. (4)
(Same as Sociology M115.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Relationship between society and environment. Analysis in detail of interrelations between social factors (such as class, race, gender, and religion) and environmental factors (such as pollution, waste disposal, sustainability, and global warming). P/NP or letter grading.
M134. Environmental Economics (4)
(Same as Economics M134A.) Lecture, three hours. Requisites: Economics 41 or Statistics 12 or 13, and Economics 101 (may be waived with consent of instructor). Introduction to major ideas in natural resources and environmental economics, with emphasis on designing incentives to protect environment. Highlights important role of using empirical data to test hypotheses about pollution's causes and consequences. P/NP or letter grading.
M135. California Sustainable Development: Economic Perspective (4)
(Same as Public Policy M149 and Urban Planning M163.) Lecture, three hours. Examination of specific environmental challenges that California faces. Microeconomic perspective used, with special emphasis on incentives of polluters to reduce their pollution and incentives of local, federal, and state government to address these issues. Focus on measurement and empirical hypothesis testing. P/NP or letter grading.
M137. Historical Geography of American Environment. (4)
(Same as Geography M137.) Lecture, three hours. Designed for juniors/seniors. Study of systematic changes of natural environment in the U.S. during historical time, with emphasis on interplay between and among natural factors of climate, soils, vegetation, and landforms, and human factors of settlement, economic activity, technology, and cultural traits. P/NP or letter grading.
138. Effective Methods of Social Change (4)
(Formerly numbered 188.) Lecture, four hours. Introduction to most effective methods of social change. Examination of social entrepreneurs, innovators, and visionaries. Review of traditional methods of activism and new theories of nonviolent social change. Case studies of success in restoring environment, resolving conflicts, curing diseases, overcoming poverty, and addressing other problems of social injustice as well as reviewing actual strategies and methods for social change in the 21st century. Challenges that nonprofit advocates and community activists face today, including strategic planning, time management, networking, negotiation, and fund-raising. P/NP or letter grading.
M153. Introduction to Sustainable Architecture and Community Planning. (4)
(Same as Architecture and Urban Design CM153.) Lecture, three hours. Relationship of built environment to natural environment through whole systems approach, with focus on sustainable design of buildings and planning of communities. Emphasis on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and appropriate use of resources, including materials, water, and land. Letter grading.
160. Topics in Environmental Economics and Policy. (4)
Seminar, three hours. Requisite: Statistics 12 or 13. Examination of intersection of environmental economics and policy, with focus on testing policy-relevant environmental hypotheses using economics research approach. Invited scholars present research aimed at yielding policy-relevant results on various topics such as climate change, pollution, and transportation. P/NP or letter grading.
M161. Global Environment and World Politics. (4)
(Same as Political Science M122B.) Lecture, three or four hours; discussion, one hour (when scheduled). Recommended requisite: Political Science 20. Politics and policy of major global environmental issues such as climate change, integrating law, policy, and political science perspectives. P/NP or letter grading.
M162. Land Use and Development. (4)
(Same as Urban Planning M162.) Lecture, four hours. Examination of institutional and historical evolution of land use in the U.S. Comparison and contrasting of how cities have evolved in different parts of the U.S. and some recent trends in urbanization. Relationship of state-level land-use policies and politics and ways in which localities plan. Environmental, social, and equity aspects of different patterns of urbanization and likely trends into future. Letter grading.
163. Business and Natural Environment.(4)
(Formerly Environment 188A.) Lecture, three hours. Examination of role of business in mitigating environmental degradation and incentives to be more environmentally responsive. Emphasis on corporate strategies that deliver value to shareholders while responding to environmental concerns. P/NP or letter grading.
M164. Environmental Politics and Governance. (4)
(Same as Urban Planning CM160.) Lecture, three hours. Environmental planning is more than simply finding problems and fixing them. Each policy must be negotiated and implemented within multiple, complex systems of governance. Institutions and politics matter deeply. Overview of how environmental governance works in practice and how it might be improved. Letter grading.
M165. Nuclear Weapons: Critical Decisions. (4)
(Same as Honors Collegium M119, Public Policy M116, and Political Science M139B.) Lecture, three hours. Examination of critical decisions regarding nuclear weapons, starting with President Roosevelt's decision to build atomic bomb and ending with current policies on containing nuclear proliferation and on avoiding nuclear catastrophe. Letter grading.
170. Environmental Science Colloquium (1)
Seminar, 90 minutes; one field trip. Limited to undergraduate students. Study of current topics in environmental science, including participation in weekly colloquium series and field trips. May be repeated for credit. P/NP grading.
180A. Practicum in Environmental Science (4)
Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Limited to junior/senior Environmental Science majors. Examination of case studies and presentation of tools and methodologies in environmental science, building on what students have been exposed to in other courses. Letter grading.
180B. Practicum in Environmental Science (5)
Laboratory, three hours. Enforced requisite: course 180A. Course 180B is enforced requisite to 180C. Limited to junior/senior Environmental Science majors. Investigation of various aspects of one environmental case study representing actual multidisciplinary issue. Particular emphasis on developing skills required for working as professionals in this field. Work may involve site investigations, original data collection and analysis, mapping and geographic information systems, and environmental policy and law issues. Case study to be defined and conducted with collaboration of local agency or nonprofit institution. Letter grading.
180C. Practicum in Environmental Science (5)
Laboratory, three hours. Enforced requisite: course 180B. Limited to junior/senior Environmental Science majors. Investigation of various aspects of one environmental case study representing actual multidisciplinary issue. Particular emphasis on developing skills required for working as professionals in this field. Work may involve site investigations, original data collection and analysis, mapping and geographic information systems, and environmental policy and law issues. Case study to be defined and conducted with collaboration of local agency or nonprofit institution. Letter grading.
184. Basics of Satellite Oceanography. (4)
(Formerly numbered 198.) Lecture, two hours; discussion, one hour; computer laboratory, three hours. Remotely sensed data collected since late 1970s provide oceanographers with large volume of information on state of surface of world ocean, including sea surface temperature measured by infrared sensors, anomalies of sea winds measured by scatterometers, and water color properties measured by optical sensors. Multidiscipline information enables comprehensive monitoring of both physical and biological properties of ecosystems in different ocean regions. P/NP or letter grading.
185. Speaker Series: Environment. (1)
Lecture, two hours. Series of lectures by world-renowned authors, environmentalists, and progressive thinkers, with required student response papers. Analysis of principles of sustainability. Collaboration between students, faculty, staff, and administrators at UCLA and UCSB through ongoing communication, discussions, and optional retreat. P/NP grading.
188SA. Individual Studies for USIE Facilitators. (2)
Tutorial, to be arranged. Enforced corequisite: Honors Collegium 101E. Limited to junior/senior USIE facilitators. Individual study in regularly scheduled meetings with faculty mentor to discuss selected USIE seminar topic, conduct preparatory research, and prepare syllabus. Individual contract with faculty mentor required. May not be repeated. Letter grading.
188SB. Individual Studies for USIE Facilitators. (2)
Tutorial, to be arranged. Enforced requisite: course 188SA. Limited to junior/senior USIE facilitators. Individual study in regularly scheduled meetings with faculty mentor while facilitating USIE 88S courses. Individual contract with faculty mentor required. May not be repeated. Letter grading.
189. Advanced Honors Seminars. (1)
Seminar, three hours. Limited to 20 students. Designed as adjunct to undergraduate lecture course. Exploration of topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities and led by lecture course instructor. May be applied toward honors credit for eligible students. Honors content noted on transcript. P/NP or letter grading.
189HC. Honors Contracts. (1)
Tutorial, three hours. Limited to students in College Honors Program. Designed as adjunct to upper division lecture course. Individual study with lecture course instructor to explore topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities. May be repeated for maximum of 4 units. Individual honors contract required. Honors content noted on transcript. Letter grading.
193. Journal Club Seminars: Environment. (1)
Seminar, one hour. Limited to undergraduate students. Discussion of readings selected from current literature of field. P/NP grading.
199. Directed Research in Environment. (2 to 4)
Tutorial, two hours. Preparation: submission of written proposal outlining study or research to be undertaken. Limited to juniors/seniors. Supervised individual research or investigation under guidance of faculty mentor. Progress report must be submitted to faculty mentor at end of term. Culminating paper or project required. May be taken for a maximum of 4 units. Individual contract required. P/NP or letter grading.
