Course Schedule and Catalog
Course Catalog - 2020-2021
ESCI 111 - INHABITING PLANET EARTH
Long Title: INHABITING PLANET EARTH
Department: Earth/Environmnt/Planetary Sci
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Language of Instruction: Taught in English
Course Type: Lecture
Distribution Group: Distribution Group III
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s):
Undergraduate Professional
Visiting Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Description: Why is Earth habitable? How do we sustain our existence on this unique planet? This course will introduce students to our species’ interactions with Planet Earth. We will explore how Earth formed and what systems through time have made the planet habitable, how we use the rock record to investigate past surface environments and climate changes, and how humans are altering Earth's future. The first segment covers the building of Planet Earth and geologic factors that control habitability. The second segment covers rocks of the American Southwest as a case study for how we read the rock record to understand ancient surface environments and climate changes. The final segment of the course will focus on human impacts on our planet, environmental policy and reading the recently published National Climate Assessment.