Creative Commons: NASA Goddard Photo & Video, 2010
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Climate change is among the top issues of public concern and a topic of much media and political discussion. This course will provide you with the scientific background to make your own informed thoughts and decisions on climate change and its ramifications. This course will also encourage you to integrate a variety of concepts from scientific disciplines that contribute to Earth System science using the scientific method to understand climate change. The primary focus of this course will be on the physical basis of climate change. However, we will spend about a third of the course on climate impacts, climate adaptation, and climate mitigation.
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Learning Objectives |
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Recommended Textbook
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Grading
Exams 50% Assignments 25% Quizzes 20% Discussion 5% |
>90%: A
80-90%: B 70-80%: C 60-70%: D <60%: F |
Assessment |
Exams: There will be two exams each worth 25% of your overall grade. Exams will be composed of a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. I will provide a review guide prior to each exam. All exams will be administered through bblearn. You are given a 24-hour period to complete the exam.
Quizzes: Administered approximately every other week and designed to gauge students’ ability to comprehend basic material from previous and current lectures and readings. Many of these questions will form the basis of questions on exams. Assignments: Approximately five homework problem sets will be assigned throughout the semester. Question will feature theoretical and practical problems to reinforce concepts in lectures and readings. Some exercises will require basic quantitative problem solving and graphing exercises. Discussion: Graded based on interaction on the bblearn discussion boards. You are expected to post or contribute to at least 4 discussions during the course. You will be given two grades for discussion, one for posts prior to October 15th (two quality posts garners full credit), and one for posts after October 15. |
Grad level Offering |
Students taking the graduate level option will be required to complete additional quantitative exercises on homework and exams.
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Makeup Policy |
There will be no makeup quizzes and arrangements to makeup exams must be made at least 1 week PRIOR to the exam date. Late homework assignments will be penalized 15% per class period and not accepted more than 1 class period late.
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Lecture Videos |
Lecture videos may be updated during the semester and posted to the course webpage. These videos are meant to supplement lecture as there may be topics covered in class that are not covered in the online lectures. The password to access these videos is GEOG313.
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