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Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences


Course Description

Provides students with the opportunity to critically evaluate the climatic and environmental changes currently facing our planet. Students will gain knowledge of the mechanisms that force climate and the human activities that affect the magnitude and direction of these forcing mechanisms and the impacts associated with these changes.


Athena Title

Global Climate Change


Semester Course Offered

Offered fall, spring and summer


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

1. To develop a critical understanding of the drivers of global climate change 2. To develop an understanding of the impacts associated with contemporaneous and projected climate change 3. To provide students with the knowledge base and skills to critically evaluate information obtained from various sources pertaining to climate change.


Topical Outline

1. Climate in context 2. Water and carbon cycles 3. Contemporaneous climate change 4. Past climates – placing observations in context 5. The Anthropocene 6. Project climate change 7. Mitigation of climate change 8. Adaptation and geo-engineering


Syllabus