SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill · Courses
ENVR
24 courses with the subject ENVR, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
ENVR 102| Envrnmntl & Enrgy Tech Seminar
The Environmental and Energy Technologies Seminar introduces students to the industries, technologies, practices, skills and jobs associated with renewable energy, waste management and environmental issues. Among other activities, the course features a series of presentations on a variety of environmental and energy-related topics. The presentations will be delivered by campus faculty, guest speakers from industry and academia, and fellow students returning from internships. [Fall] [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
Energy Industry Instrumentation is designed to provide students with an understanding of state of the art instrumentation available for both domestic and industrial use for the more intelligent usage of energy and energy conservation. Instrumentation will concentrate on "Smart" systems that have the ability to coordinate usage between dissimilar appliances and disparate energy sources. Prerequisite: One semester of Physics. [Spring] Applied Learning-Other [3 credits] [3 contact hours]
Composting Principles and Applications. Students will learn the fundamentals of composting and become familiar with the technology and applications of composting and compost use. Composting will provide a vehicle for students to learn and apply principles of several other scientific disciplines including biology, chemistry, soil science, sustainability and mechanics. Topics include the composting process, feedstock characteristics, composting methods and equipment, process management, site management, the functions and use of compost, compost quality and compost markets. Applications will range from the backyard composting of kitchen scraps to on-farm composting of manure to enclosed industrial-strength solid waste facilities. The course will incorporate case studies of composting facilities and applications. Co-requisite: ENVR 220X. Prerequisite: Introductory biology, chemistry, soils course or permission of the instructor. [Fall] Applied Learning-Field Study [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
Composting Principles and Applications Lab. Via practical hands-on activities and field work, students will learn the principles, science, applications and technology associated with composting and compost use. Students will work in groups to create, monitor and manage a pilot-scale composting pile through the semester. Co-requisite: ENVR 220 [Fall] Applied Learning-Field Study [1 credit] [2 contact hours]
Instrumentation provides students an understanding of a broad range of environmental conditions and control parameters and the instruments that monitor and control them. Students learn the principles for measuring common environmental and energy parameters like pressure, temperature, fluid flow, heat, electrical flow and voltage, weight, and chemical constituents. Students also learn the systems and equipment used to collect and record environmental/energy data and send control signals. Such systems employ devices like limit switches, relays, power supplies, wiring terminals, transducers, electrical meters, data loggers, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This lecture course is accompanied by a separate but required 2-credit lab course (ENVR 300X). Prerequisites: PHYS 102, 112, or 212, and MATH 112 or higher. [Spring] Applied Learning-Other [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
Instrumentation laboratory provides students with hands-on experience and skills necessary to work with a variety of instrumentation equipment and systems. Students learn to recognize, select, assemble, calibrate and use devices that measure and record position, temperature, pressure, fluid flow, force, weight, torque, level, chemicals, and electrical variables. Examples include limit switches relays, power supplies, wiring terminals, thermocouples, thermistors, hydrometers, pressure transducers, anemometers, flow meters, electrical meters, data loggers, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This lab accompanies a separate but required 2-credit lecture course (ENVR 300). Co-requisite: ENVR 300 [Spring] Applied Learning-Other [2 credits] [4 contact hours] Page | 267 2026-2027
Unit Operations and Processes is designed to introduce students to the fundamental principles and basic physical operations and chemical and biological processes used for most of the major waste treatment unit operations. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the physics, thermodynamics, biology, chemistry and kinetics upon which each process is based, and on the basic calculation of treatment system design parameters. Co-requisite: ENVR 301X. Prerequisites: PHYS 111 and MATH 231. [Fall] Applied Learning-Other [4 credits] [2 contact hours]
Applied Thermodynamics is an advanced three-credit course that provides the student with a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles, concepts, and methods of thermodynamics with emphasis on the First and Second Laws. The macroscopic variables of pressure, volume, and temperature will be introduced and related to the thermodynamic concepts of work, internal energy, enthalpy, and entropy. Course work will also cover the ideal gas laws, phase diagrams, conservation of mass and energy and will include a discussion of reversible and irreversible processes. Students will develop their ability to analyze problems in a simple and logical manner by applying the basic principles of thermodynamics. While the course will be an introduction to classical thermodynamics, the approach to the material will be from an engineering perspective with examples and problems taken from real-life scenarios. This course is cross-listed with PHYS 303. Prerequisites: PHYS 111/111X or PHYS 211/211X and MATH 231 [Fall] Applied Learning-Other [3 credits] [3 contact hours]
The ability to solve environmental problems requires people who are trained in effective communication of complex ideas. In this course we will cover the skills and techniques necessary for environmental managers to write and organize scientific papers, reports, proposals, and articles for a public audience. The primary focus pf the class will be to choose a research topic, develop writing skills, and produce a literature review. Prerequisite: 60 credits towards a degree in Environmental Management or permission of the instructor. [Fall] [1 credit] [1 contact hour]
This course is the second in a sequence of four capstone courses designed to give students in environmentally-focused disciplines the opportunity to complete an independent project. The focus of the class will be the design of environmental research and management projects. Determination of the study design will be based upon the objectives of the student proposal. Students will also gain familiarity with environmental scientific methodology, data collection, interpretation, analysis and reporting. Prerequisite: ENVR 325 [Spring] [1 credit] [1 contact hour]
Biofuels and Bioenergy will provide students with basic understanding of biofuels and bioenergy. The primary focus of the course is on the renewable feedstocks (non-food plants, food crops, and agricultural waste) used in the production of biofuels which can be used as transportation fuels, heat, and electricity. The production, harvesting, storage and processing of feedstocks to biofuels and biodiesel will be discussed. Other topics include conversion of biofuel residues into bio-oil, biodiesel production from oil seeds and biomass conversion to fuel grade bio ethanol, heat and electricity. The course consists of a vigorous lecture series, informal discussions, review of current literature on biofuels and bioenergy and oral presentations. Students will also get the opportunity to listen to guest speakers working on biofuels and bioenergy. Other [2 credits] [2 contact hours]
This course provides students with an understanding of the fundamentals of solar energy with emphasis on contemporary solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. It covers photoelectric conversion, energy production, solar array sizing, orientation and tracking, economic analysis, equipment selection, electrical components, energy storage, system monitoring, safety and related siting and construction issues. Prerequisite: PHYS 101 or PHYS 112 or permission of instructor, Co-requisite:
This course is the laboratory complement to ENVR 360: Solar Energy Photovoltaic Technology. It provides hands-on learning of solar energy safety practices, siting factors, system performance, assembly, and measurement skills necessary for solar energy systems. Co-requisite: ENVR 360 [Fall] Applied Learning-Other [1 credit] [2 contact hours]
This course will provide an immersion experience for students in an international setting. Students will apply the skills they have learned in their respective curricula to address advanced questions related to natural resource conservation within different cultural settings. Students will be required to keep a journal and give a presentation on the experience upon return. This course is repeatable up to 4 times. Prerequisite: BIOL 111 and permission of instructor. [Winter, Summer] Liberal Arts/Sciences Elective, Lib Arts/Sci Upper-Level, Applied Learning-Field Study [2 credits – 90 contact hours] [3 credits – 135 contact hours]
Alternative Energy Production Technology is an advanced three credit hour course that will provide students with a comprehensive overview of the different alternative energy systems that are in use today. The course will introduce the basic scientific and engineering concepts used in designing and analyzing the different energy technologies with emphasis on real-world applications of such technologies through the introduction of several case studies related to the field.
Environmental Pollution Prevention and Remediation is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the fate of contamination on various media (air, water and soil) and the mechanisms for transport and attenuation of substances within the media. Various remediation technologies will be discussed for each media. Students will be exposed to concepts involving the effects of human exposure to various pollution sources and risk analysis of remediation alternatives.
Watershed management is an advanced three-credit course that provides the student with a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, technical, and policy-related fundamentals in the management of watersheds. Principles of hydrology and Page | 269 2026-2027
Supervised work experience and applied learning in an environmentally focused business, government agency, non- governmental organization, or educational setting. Students will carry out a planned program of educational experiences under direct guidance of an environmental management site supervisor. During the internship, an academic department faculty member will serve as an internship supervisor. A daily journal quantifying work activities and final reports are required. Evaluation will be based on written and oral reports of work experience activities and the quality of experiences and learning gained from the internship. This course is S/U graded only. Internship credit hours may range from 3 credit hours to a maximum of 13 credit hours, as a substitution for upper-level electives and/or ENVR 415 and ENVR 416. Students who wish to request substitution of ENVR 415 and/or ENVR 416 must provide their academic advisor with a proposal describing how the elements of the Capstone sequence will be included in their curriculum. Course may be repeated to a maximum of 13 credit hours. Each credit hour requires 45 hours of relevant work experience. Prerequisite: Junior standing [Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter] Applied Learning-Internship [3-13 credits] [3-13 contact hours]
This course is designed to provide Environmental Management students with a real-world experience working with a professional in an Environmental Management related discipline. The specific nature of the exposure will vary depending on the Environmental professional contracted. The professional experience will consist of a minimum of 120 hours, although students are encouraged to have a full summer or semester worth of applied experience. Students will be required to create a set of learning objectives with an academic faculty mentor, with input and reporting from the Environmental professional, and to submit a full report at the end of the experience. Graded S or U. Prerequisite: 60 credits of coursework [Fall, Spring] [3 credits] [3 contact hours] Foundation for College Success
