Geographic Information Systems

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS MINOR

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Minor allows students to develop an in-depth understanding and practice of digital map-making and spatial data analysis. Geospatial skills increasingly are sought by employers in the areas of public policy and urban planning, environmental management, public health, industrial logistics and law enforcement. The minor is open to all majors. Students should consult with their major faculty advisor to ensure the minor is appropriate for their career goals. It is recommended that students begin planning for the minor early in their academic career (freshman or sophomore year) in order to complete the course sequence. The 18-credit GIS minor requires completion of one 3-credit introductory course, the 3-credit GIS Foundation Course (ENV 220/MKTG 399) and 12 credits of application/elective courses.

Geographic Information Systems Minor (minimum 18 credits) Introductory Course (3 credits)

Take one of the following courses ENV 101: Physical Geology (3 credits), or GEOG 201: World Geography (3 credits)

Foundation Course (3 credits)

ENV 220/MKTG 399: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Application/Elective courses (12 credits)

CRJS 261: Introduction to Crime Mapping (3 credits) CRJS 492: Criminal Justice GIS Application and Internship (1-3 credits) CRJS 499: Crime Mapping and Analysis (3 credits) ENV 489: Advanced Environmental GIS (3 credits) ENV 497: Senior Thesis Project in GIS (4 credits) ENV 498: Environmental GIS Internship (1-3 credits) IE 478: GIS for Facilities Planning and Logistics Modeling (3 credits) LBST 380: Senior Seminar in GIS and Spatial Justice (3 credits) LPHI 255: Philosophy of Place (3 credits) (for CHESS majors only)

ENV COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ENG 100: First-Year Seminar in Engineering

Course description is listed in the Electrical and Computer Engineering section of the catalog. 2 credits, Fall

ENV 101: Physical Geology

This course will focus on the forces at work on the earth’s surface, the development of landscapes, and the nature of rocks and minerals. Topics such as plate tectonics, weathering, running water, ground water, glaciers, the oceans, volcanism, and earthquakes will also be covered. Corequisite: ENV 102. 3 credits

ENV 102: Physical Geology Lab

The lab will include studies of topographic and geologic maps. Rocks and mineral specimens will be studied with emphasis on the characteristics that reveal the origins of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Corequisite: ENV 10l. 1 credit

ENV 104: Historical Geology

The history of the earth, including the development of life. The changing nature of the surface of the earth and the living forms inhabiting it are studied with emphasis on stratigraphy, plate theory, and the fossil record. Corequisite: ENV 105. 3 credits

ENV 105: Historical Geology Lab

Geologic maps will be studied to establish a familiarity with the principles of stratigraphy. Fossils will provide means by which the methods of preservation of organisms and the evolution of life can be appreciated. Corequisite: ENV 104. 1 credit

ENV 112: Meteorology

This course deals with the fundamentals of modern meteorology, weather instruments, and observations, weather codes, map plotting and analysis. 3 credits

ENV 120: Principles of Environmental Science

The focus of this course will include the underlying scientific principles of environmental concerns and the necessary tools for analyzing and solving such problems. The topics and concepts to be discussed include human population dynamics and effects, matter and energy, geochemical cycling, renewable and nonrenewable resources, preservation of wilderness and endangered species, land use, environmental ethics and sustainability. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of many environmental problems, the political, social, economic, and ethical aspects will also be discussed along with the biological and chemical principles. 3 credits, Fall

ENV 121: Principles of Energy and Climate Change

This is the second part of a two-semester course that will explore the underlying scientific principles of current environmental problems. An emphasis is placed on the connection between nonrenewable and renewable energy technologies and human and ecosystem health. Topics to be covered include atmospheric science, air quality and pollution, fossil fuels, alternative energy, and global climate change. 3 credits, Spring

ENV 200 and ENV 201: Environmental Seminar I and II

A reading, discussion, presentation of scientific literature relating to the environment along with occasional speakers on environmental topics from inside and outside the university. 1 credit

ENV 210: Environmental Geology

This course explores the environmental consequences of mining and energy production. The geologic background of ore formation, ore extraction, and refining will be studied. Also, the impacts on the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere due to the extraction of coal, gas, and oil will be studied. The consequences for short-term and long-term changes in the global environment will be studied. Throughout the course, the scientific method of inquiry, skepticism, evidence, and conclusion will be employed. 3 credits

ENV 220: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) use computers to organize and interpret spatially identified data. GIS systems present data in map form, and allow sophisticated analysis of data to aid in better understanding and interpretation. The course introduces the student to ArcGISPro, a software product of ESRI, Inc., the leading GIS software in use today. 3 credits, Spring

ENV 307: Soil Science

Designed to acquaint students with the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the world’s soils, including use and classification. Particular emphasis is on soil pollution, and soil as a medium for plant growth. Prerequisite: ENV 101 or ENV 104 or ENV 210 or permission of instructor. 3 credits

ENV 312: Environmental Hydrology

This course involves the study of the hydrologic cycle and changes caused by human activity, including study of urbanizing effect on stream hydrology and stream restoration. Prerequisite: ENV 101 or ENV 210 3 credits

ENV 313: Environmental Hydrology Lab

This lab course complements ENV312, and includes field and lab exercises relating to stream hydrology and stream restoration. 3 hrs lab. Pre- or Corequisite: ENV 312 1 credit

ENV 336: Water Quality

This course covers the major types of water pollution of concern to the environmental professional. Topics to be covered include water quality impacted by organic and nutrient pollution in surface and groundwater, as well as the water quality consequences of heavy metal and toxic organic pollution. Prerequisites: CHEM 111, 112, 114, 115; Corequisite: ENV 337 3 credits

ENV 337: Water Quality Lab

This is a companion course to ENV 336 Water Quality, which is a required corequisite. Lab activities will cover wet chemistry and instrumental techniques required for water quality monitoring. Methods employed will include standard methods as well as EPA approved methods. Prerequisites: CHEM 112, 115; Corequisite: ENV 336 1 credit

ENV 383: Environmental Research

This is a course in supervised research specifically for undergraduates who wish to experience science as a participant. The course requires a minimum of 3 hours per week involved in lab or fieldwork. Students become active in on-going research projects which typically relate to the Great Lakes, local streams, or local industries. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor 1 credit

ENV 400: Environmental Toxicology

This course focuses upon the properties, effects and detection of chemical substances in the environment and how that information is used to protect public health. Topics to be covered include: dose-response relationships, toxicokinetics, biotransformation and elimination of toxicants, target organ toxicity, carcinogenesis, risk assessment and the standard-setting process. Prerequisites: CHEM 114; Corequisite: ENV 401 3 credits, Fall

ENV 401: Environmental Health & Toxicology Laboratory

This laboratory course accompanies the ENV400 course. Students apply the knowledge learned in the lecture course by collecting and analyzing environmental samples and evaluating in terms of human health risks. This course will focus on the design and implementation of environmental sampling and will require students to design their own collection programs and obtain samples of appropriate media. Corequisite: ENV 400 1 credit, Fall

ENV 403: Environmental Engineering

This course applies the principles of science and engineering to environmental systems pollution management. Topics covered include chemical kinetics, mass balance, mass transfer, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid and hazardous waste management. Prerequisite: PHYS 108 or PHYS 212 3 credits, Spring

ENV 416: Limnology of the Great Lakes with Lab

A study of the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the Great Lakes. Advanced modern limnological concepts will be incorporated into understanding the past, present and future condition of the Lakes. Field and laboratory experiences will include the analysis of Lake Erie water samples for chemical, biological and physical interpretation using standard procedures. Field experiences will include trips on the R/V Environaut, Gannon’s research vessel. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of the Instructor 4 credits

ENV 420: Environmental Site Assessment

The course covers the background and techniques required of an environmental professional in performing Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments. These assessments are commonly required when there is a transfer of ownership of commercial or industrial property. Topics include site characterization, fate and transport, and application of the three attainment standards associated with Act II, Pennsylvania Land Recycling Program. Hands-on field experience included in the course activities. Prerequisites: Senior standing 2 credits, Fall

ENV 422: Wetlands Science & Engineering

Wetlands Science and Engineering is a comprehensive course in wetland identification, function & value assessments, and management. The course will cover the fundamentals of identifying and delineating jurisdictional wetlands utilizing the current methods described in the 1987 US Army Corps of Engineers Manual. Comparative reference will be made to the 1989 EPA Joint Manual. Wetland design and construction methods will be presented as applicable to water quality enhancement, wildlife habitat improvement, stormwater management, and riparian environments. Course alternates annually with ENV 420. Prerequisites: Senior standing 2 credits, Fall

ENV 430: Environmental Sustainability

This is an upper-level course that will cover such topics as basic concepts of sustainability, energy auditing, green and sustainable materials and life-cycle frameworks for sustainability. The course also focuses on an application of the concept of sustainability to the management of energy, water and waste. Students will demonstrate key knowledge in sustainability by conducting a life-cycle assessment (LCA) project. Prerequisite: CHEM 103/106 or CHEM 111/114 3 credits, Spring

ENV 435: Water Quality Modeling

An overview of fundamental processes and models developed to simulate and predict changes in water quality in natural settings. This course will be restricted to freshwater surface waters, particularly streams and rivers, but there will be some discussion of lakes and reservoirs. Students will become familiar with USEPA’s BASINS (a GIS software for the presentation and analysis of water quality data) and the models associated with it. Course offered alternate Spring Semesters. Prerequisites: Senior standing and ENV 403 4 credits

ENV 440: Industrial Health I

This course will review the basic principles and knowledge required to recognize, evaluate and control hazardous agents within the workplace. Topics to be covered include: an overview of occupational health and safety regulations, workplace exposure limits and standards, air sampling principles and techniques, chemical hazard identification and control, ventilation and biohazards. Prerequisites: ENV 400 3 credits, Spring

ENV 441: Industrial Health II

Principles and control of the industrial environment as related to protection and health of occupationally employed persons, specifically related to industrial noise, personal protective equipment, and physical design factors (ergonomics). Course offered varied semesters. Prerequisites: Senior standing 3 credits

ENV 444: Environmental Law & Regulations

The course introduces students to the major concepts of environmental law. Because environmental law is grounded in both federal and state statutes, the course will expose students to major components of statutory law at both levels, and will also explore the federal/ state relationship using Pennsylvania as a model. Although a basic understanding of the American legal system and administrative law would be of great benefit, it is not a prerequisite to the course. 3 credits, Spring

ENV 445: Human Health Risk Assessment

This course will cover the principles and application of risk assessment to determine the risk of human health effects from environmental hazards. Methods for evaluating potential environmental exposures will be examined coupled with the principles and concepts of toxicology as covered in GENV 542. Specific topics to be covered include the application of various risk assessment paradigms; the EPA risk assessment guidelines; and the use of risk assessment in environmental/occupational standard setting. Prerequisites: ENV 400 3 credits

ENV 446: Industrial Hygiene Sampling Techniques

Pre/Corequisite: ENV 440 Develop an understanding of practices and procedures of environmental/occupational sampling and interpretation of collected data. Emphasis is applied to air sampling techniques and methods, and industrial hygiene sampling. Course offered varied semesters. Prerequisites: Senior standing 2 credits

ENV 447: Epidemiology

This course will review the basic principles related to the design and implementation of epidemiologic studies. The topics to be covered include: application of epidemiologic studies, study designs, statistical issues, exposure and health outcome measurements, measurement error and data interpretation. Examples from and application to occupational and environmental epidemiology will be emphasized, where appropriate. Course offered varied semesters. Prerequisites: Senior standing 3 credits

ENV 449: Industrial Safety

This course provides students with an introduction to the major facets of effective safety and health management programs and the associated regulatory environments, using both OSHA and ISO (international) guidelines. The course offers practical approaches to managing risk to people and property, with a focus on industrial workplaces. Students will develop technical skills by studying ergonomic, equipment design, machine guarding, chemical safety and fire suppression principles. Students will also be exposed to basic project management principles and will be afforded opportunities to enhance their critical thinking and communication skills via industrial safety case studies and project planning exercises. Prerequisites: none 3 credits

ENV 451: Water & Wastewater Treatment Design Engineering

The course covers the fundamental processes and operations commonly used at typical drinking water treatment plants and municipal wastewater treatment plants. The student will learn how to specify the sequence of operations and size the important elements in treatment plant operations. Prerequisites: Senior standing and ENV 403; Corequisite: ENV 453 3 credits, Fall

ENV 453: Water & Wastewater Lab

This laboratory course complements the lecture course GENV 551Water & Wastewater Treatment Engineering. Laboratory exercises that simulate the processes and operations commonly used at typical drinking water plants and municipal wastewater plants will be explored. Corequisite: ENV 451 1 credit, Fall

ENV 455: Air Pollution Control Engineering

This course focuses on the technology and methodologies used to reduce concentration levels of pollutants being released to the atmosphere. The statues, regulations, and permitting protocol will be introduced since they constitute an important requirement for obtaining legal authority to build a facility that will emit pollutants to the atmosphere. Integrated knowledge of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, chemistry and mathematics will be applied. Topics covered will include nature and dynamic behavior of particulate matters, collection methods and analytical techniques, air pollution control/reduction methods, treatment technologies and air pollution control devices, and control of NOx, SOx, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Course offered alternative years. Prerequisites: Senior standing and ENV 403 3 credits

ENV 465: Soil & Groundwater Pollution

Soil serves as a multifunctional and crucial natural system for the reception, storage, and transport of water and pollutants to aquifer media. In this course, fundamental understanding of physics, geology and hydrogeology, and chemistry, along with engineering principles, will be used to understand the dynamic nature of fluid flow and contaminant fate and transport in porous media. Topics covered include the hydrologic cycle, sources and types of contaminants, remediation technologies, and well hydraulics theory and field examples. Prerequisites: ENV 403. 3 credits

ENV 474: Environmental Microbiology

The course will cover the applied effects of microorganisms on both the environment and human health/activities. The topics to be covered during this course include: biogeochemical cycling; municipal water and wastewater treatment; bioremediation; detection and quantification techniques; and the control of human pathogens. Prerequisite: BIOL 106 or 331; Corequisite: ENV 478 2 credits, Spring

ENV 477: Solid & Hazardous Waste Management

The objective of this course is to apply multidisciplinary approaches to managing solid and hazardous wastes. Topics include familiarization with sources, classification, storage, transportation, various physicochemical and biological remediation technologies, and pertinent federal and state regulations. Knowledge of physicochemical and/or biological characteristics of a waste will be used to design appropriate disposal options. Prerequisite: ENV 400 3 credits

ENV 478: Environmental Microbiology Lab

This lab accompanies ENV 474 and includes field and lab work which aid in understanding environmental microbiological principles. Corequisite: ENV 474 2 credits, Spring

ENV 486: Fluid Mechanics and Water Systems Design

This course begins with a study of the principles of fluid mechanics, including the energy of static and dynamic fluid systems. Those principles are then applied to a study of pumps and the design of water distribution systems and wastewater systems. Prerequisites: MATH 242, ENV 312, ME 204; Corequisite: ENV 487 3 credits

ENV 487: Fluid Mechanics and Water Systems Design Lab

This lab course complements ENV 486 Fluid Mechanics and Water Systems Design. This course provides laboratory demonstration of basic fluid mechanics, the creation of engineering drawings of hydraulic piping systems, sewage collection systems, and drainage basins using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Other computer software such as EPANET 2.0, Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) 5.0, and Autodesk Civil 3D Hydraflow will be used to simulate and design piping systems. Corequisite: ENV 486 1 credit

ENV 489: Special Topics in Environmental Science

Topics of special and/or current interest will be covered. 1-4 credits

ENV 494: Senior Design I

Environmental engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs and that include considerations of risk, uncertainty, sustainability, lifecycle principles, and environmental impacts. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and the engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet these stated needs. The student must have the ability to apply both analysis and synthesis in the engineering design process, resulting in designs that meet constraints and specifications. Constraints and specifications include societal, economic, environmental, and other factors as appropriate to the design. The student’s main work product is the preparation of a professional quality design proposal and a presentation. Students will also begin their preparation for the Fundamentals of Engineering examination, learn about teamwork, and study the engineer’s Professional Code of Ethics. 2 credits, Fall

ENV 495: Senior Design II

This course continues the study of the design process in environmental engineering. The design project developed in ENV 494 is implemented. The course’s main objective is the conduct of a project which results in an improvement to, or the development of a system for pollution control, pollutant fate and transport modeling, or other related process or operation relevant to environmental engineering. Data generation, presentation, and analysis will be required. The project concludes with the preparation of a professional quality report and presentation. Prerequisite: ENV 494 3 credits, Spring

ENV 496: Senior Thesis I

This course is the first part of a two-semester senior research project course that provides students with an introduction to the scientific method and the scientific literature. Students will author a research proposal that includes a background literature search, a statement of the research objectives and outline of a research plan. A requirement of the course is a presentation of the proposed work to a professional audience. 2 credit, Fall

ENV 497: Senior Thesis II

This course is the second part of a two-part sequence for all Environmental Science majors. The research proposal, prepared and finalized in the previous semester, is implemented. Based on the project, students will focus on gathering and analyzing data and summarizing the results. The class will meet as a group for presentation of material relating to analysis and presentation of data and results. In addition, each student will meet at least once a week with the Instructor on an individual basis to discuss progress on the project. The major outcome of the course is the Senior Thesis which will be presented to the class and at a professional conference. The Thesis will include a literature review, materials and methods, results and discussion sections. Prerequisites: ENV 496 3 credits, Spring

ENV 498: Environmental Internship

Students are eligible to receive credits either in the semester in which the internship is completed or the subsequent semester. Credits assigned are based on hours worked and breadth and depth of the student’s responsibilities. Completion of a brief summary report and a supervisor’s evaluation are required. 0-3 Credits, all semesters

SEECS (101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402): Professional and Personal Enrichment Seminar

A course description is listed in the Computer & Information Science section of the catalog. 0 credit, Fall and Spring