EMSC

ENGL 15, 30H, or ESL 15 3 ‡ (GWS) 14 14

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Production and use of mineral resources in modern society with an emphasis on the interrelationships and their effect on the Earth system. Bachelor of Arts: Natural Sciences

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

This course introduces students to various aspects of plastics in the environment. Major topics covered include the production and uses of plastics, the science of plastics in the environment (distribution and degradation), the impacts of plastics on ecosystems and humans, and potential solutions. The various ways in which plastics are used in a variety of products and applications are discussed. Plastics production has accelerated and evolved over the past several decades, now utilizing multiple raw materials, including recycled plastics, to create different types of plastics, including primary (nurdles) and secondary forms. Themes covered under the fate of plastics include timescales of transport and degradation, measurement techniques, size range classifications, and the distribution in the environment (water, soil, and air). The global plastics budget is discussed, including the low rate of recycling. The degradation of plastics includes fracturing, photolysis, and microbial decomposition. Ecological impacts are separated into those due to macroplastics and microplastics. Effects on humans include those resulting from the consumption of food and from inhalation of airborne fibers. Existing laws and policies surrounding plastics are discussed at l local, national, and international levels, including bans on certain types of plastics (e.g., bags and microbeads). The course culminates in the analysis of solutions to plastics pollution, including recycling, bioplastics,

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 3 In this course students are guided through an engaging exploration and the critical evaluation of selected media (e.g., books, film) in contemporary culture on topics related to energy and sustainability. Three selections are used each term, typically two books and one film. Students consider the subject matter in light of humanistic values, where the science, ideas and history presented in the selected media are critically evaluated relative to the viability of our planet's ability to support life. Opening lessons cover the foundational science of energy and sustainability, with a global perspective and consideration of the human dimension. The science is presented without technical jargon or advanced mathematics, to promote a genuine and sound understanding of these essential concepts for college-level students of all academic backgrounds. Learning units are devoted to each media selection, with all content, activities and assessments within the unit contributing to this concentrated focus. After completing this course, students will possess the foundational science knowledge necessary to evaluate contemporary topics related to energy and sustainability, from the perspective of universal humanity on a planet of finite resources. This knowledge prepares students to develop observations, questions and opinions on topics related to energy and sustainability and to self-express them, in both written and oral presentations, to others with different backgrounds and points of view. Students will have the foundational knowledge necessary to be skilled critical readers of energy and sustainability subject matter, knowing how to raise (and answer) questions related to scientific clarity and soundness and how to test assumptions and scope of arguments, especially as related to inclusion of humanistic values and planetary limits. This knowledge prepares students to be willing and able to avoid entrenched ideology-based positions on issues related to energy and sustainability and to develop, instead, a personal position based in science and data with a humanistic perspective. Students will gain the knowledge of credible resources and organizations for ongoing research related to energy and sustainability and be prepared to participate in public dialogue on some of the most challenging and complicated issues of our time, including activities such as letters to the editor, onlin commenting, political engagement, and public advocacy. Bachelor of Arts: Humanities Bachelor of Arts: Natural Sciences General Education: Humanities (GH) General Education: Natural Sciences (GN) General Education - Integrative: Interdomain GenEd Learning Objective: Effective Communication GenEd Learning Objective: Crit and Analytical Think GenEd Learning Objective: Soc Resp and Ethic Reason Undergraduate - The Pennsylvania State University 2026-2027 3987

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

18

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 9 Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 12 Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

12

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

GEOG 30N Environment and Society in a Changing World 3

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

1

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Technology and economics of energy resources, production, and consumption; environmental factors, exhaustion, new technology. Enforced Prerequisite at Enrollment: 3 credits of SOC Cross-listed with: STS 420 e Bachelor of Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Advanced scuba diving skills applied to underwater research. EM SC 440 Science Diving (4) EM SC 440 is a four credit intermediate science diving course for students already holding a basic open water scuba diving certification from an internationally recognized certification agency (e.g. PADI, NAUI, CMAS, YMCA, SSI etc.). Scientific diving is concerned with the observation of underwater phenomena and the acquisition of scientific data. This course introduces students to advanced scuba diving skills following the standards established by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) -- with a significant emphasis on diver safety. The course covers theoretical aspects of the physics of diving, dive physiology, and underwater environments.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

4

Credits (max)

4

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Advanced scuba diving skills applied to underwater data collection and research. EM SC 441 Advanced Science Diving (4) EM SC 441 is a four credit advanced science diving course for students who have completed EM SC 440 (Science Diving), an equivalent course at a recognized AAUS member institution, or have been approved by the University Dive Safety Officer based on acceptable demonstration of practical and academic dive experience. Students must have a minimum of 20 logged dives beyond their basic open water certification dives by the start of the course. Scientific diving is concerned with the observation of underwater phenomena and the acquisition of scientific data. This course introduces students to some of the basic skills and techniques used in scientific diving, following the standards established by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) -- with a significant emphasis on diver safety. The course covers theoretical aspects of science diving techniques. The course will focus on advanced techniques in underwater ecology, geology, paleontology and archaeology, leveraging expertise from PSU faculty in these disciplines. The course will include classroom sessions, pool sessions, and open water dives. The classroom and pool sessions and the open water dives will involve skills development and their application in research settings. Research will involve a variety of projects (e.g. fish surveys, lake sediment sampling for climate reconstruction, underwater mapping) – the exact nature of which will vary depending on the areas of expertise of the faculty and students involved. Each government or university underwater research program certifies its own divers based on standards that, at a minimum, conform to those of the AAUS. Successful completion of the course will allow the student diver in training to apply for science diver certification from the Penn State Science Diving Program. Certification is also dependant on a medical examination and is at the discretion of the University Dive Safety Officer; it is not automatically offered on completion of the course. The course is usually offered once a year in the fall semester and will involve several day trips (usually at weekends) to various river, lake, and quarry locations within the northeastern United States. There will be an additional fee charged to cover the costs of the open water dives and administrative charges for recreational dive certifications. Dive Safety Officer based on acceptable demonstration of practical and academic dive experience

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

4

Credits (max)

4

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

successful completion of EM SC440 or waiver by University

With the rapid increase in quality and quantity of environmental data, emerging data-driven analytical methods are becoming important for discovering patterns and making predictions about our Earth and environmental systems. The datasets, such as in-situ measurements, remote sensing observations acquired by satellite, airborne, and UAV systems, Earth system modeling outputs, and energy datasets, are generally characterized by different spatial and temporal scales and coverage, complex data structures, high dimensionality, and large data volume. It is important to understand the principles, strengths, and limitations of data-driven methods for Earth and environmental science applications, and to learn the practical skills for applying them to real- world datasets. This course introduces various data analytical methods focused on machine learning for Earth and environmental sciences. A range of supervised and unsupervised methods for regression, classification, and clustering problems will be discussed with real-world examples, including but not limited to climatological data, biodiversity data, remote sensing imagery classification, and geomorphological analysis. This 3-credit course is designed to include lectures and class projects. The lectures will focus on the basic principles and environmental and earth science applications of machine learning algorithms, including regression (e.g., OLS, Ridge, LASSO, PCR), gradient descent optimization, classification (e.g., logistic regression, naïve Bayes, decision trees, random forest, support vector machine), neural networks and deep learning, and clustering (e.g., k-means, hierarchical, self-organizing map) techniques, etc. The class projects will include practical programming exercises in using these techniques for various real-world datasets. Students are encouraged to bring datasets from their own domain (e.g., geography, geoscience, materials science, meteorology, and energy) for analysis in the final project. GEOSC 444 or METEO 273 or EME 210 or MATSE 219 or CMPSC 101 or CMPSC 200 or CMPSC 201) and (MATH 110 or MATH 140 or MATH 140A or MATH 140B or MATH 140E or MATH 140G or MATH 140H)

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

3

Credits (max)

3

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

Prerequisite

(GEOG 365 or GEOG 485 or GEOG 489 or GEOSC 210 or

and Materials Sciences

Subject

EMSC

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 12 Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

12

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 12 Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

12

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

18

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu

/Maximum of 18 Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest. Several different topics may be taught in one year or semester. A specific title may be used in each instance and will be entered on the student's transcript.

Subject

EMSC

Credits (min)

1

Credits (max)

9

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

undergraduate

Source

bulletins.psu.edu