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Sustainability Courses

Interested in sustainability? No matter your major, UL Lafayette offers a variety of sustainability focused and related courses across the curriculm. These courses touch on topics that deal with healthy environments, social justice, and strong economies. Whether you want to pick a sustainability focused major or fill an elective, you can be an eco-champion.
*Please note: These courses are subject to change and are not offered every semester. Please check with the department that hosts the course before scheduling your courses.

Anthropology
Architecture
Biology
Business Law
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Communication
Geology
Human Resources
Health
Industrial Technology
Mechanical Engineering
Petroleum Engineering
Political Science
Sociology

Anthropology

Anthropology 310: Human Variation and Adaptation
Examination of biological differences within and between human populations from an evolutionary perspective. Emphasis on the environmental, hereditary, and cultural bases for this diversity. Topics include adaptation to high altitude, temperature, and solar radiation, as well as susceptibility to diseases and nutritional disorders.
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Architecture

Architecture 331: Environmental Systems
Principles that inform design include ecology, resource conservation, acoustics, lighting and climate modification systems, energy use, plumbing, electrical, vertical transportation, security, fire protection and the integration of these systems.

Architecture 342: Precedents and Programming
Research methods and inquiry into precedents on relationship of human behavior and built environment, including collaboration, environmental and accessibility issues used in formulating design assessment criteria.

Architecture 441: Sites and Sustainable Design
Characteristics that factor into the design of a project including the principles of sustainability to conserve natural and built resources in the design of buildings and communities.

Architecture 482: Design/Build
Emphasis on creative fabrication process, collaboration, and community engagement.
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Biology

Biology 110 & 112: Fundamentals of Biology I (Lecture & Lab)
Organic molecules, cell structure and function, Mendelian genetics, general physiology and reproduction.

Biology 111 & 113: Fundamentals of Biology II (Lecture & Lab)
Molecular genetics, evolution, speciation, plant reproduction and structure, community structures and interactions, biochemical cycles, biodiversity, and conservation.

Biology 121 & 123: Biological Principle & Issue I (Lecture & Lab)
Introduction to cell biology, genetics, biotechnology, evolution, and diversity of plants and animals, emphasizing relevance to personal public health.

Biology 122 & 124: Biological Principle & Issue II (Lecture & Lab)
Introduction to animal and plant structure and function, animal behavior, and ecology, emphasizing relevance to personal and public health.

Biology 201: Vertebrate Zoology
A survey of the phylogeny, taxonomy, and natural history of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Biology 203: Biological Diversity
Survey of phylogeny, classification and natural history of the kingdoms: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Anamalia.

Biology 212 & 213: Fundamental Cell & Molecular Biology (Honors Credit)
Structure and function of cells and the molecules essential to celluar processes. Laboratory investigates basic properties of cells.

Biology 261 & 263: General Microbiology (Lecture & Lab)
Morphology, biology and growth of various groups of microorganisms and their effect on man and his environment.

Biology 264: Microbiology Lab
Survey of laboratory techniques in microbiology.

Biology 270: Introduction to Marine Zoology
Survey of classification, morphology, physiology and ecology of marine animals especially of the Louisiana Gulf coast. Four week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 271: Introduction to Marine Science
Introduction to chemical, geological, physical, and biological processes in the oceans and coastal environments; interrelationships of humans and the marine environment. Four week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 300: Conservation of Natural Resources
Environmental resources, conservation and sustainable use of resources. Current regional and global environmental problems.

Biology 304: Plants & Human Affairs
Analysis of man's dependence on plants for food, drugs, materials and energy.

Biology 305: Survey of Marine Biology
Biological realms, biodiversity, biogeography, ecological processes, and environmental issues in marine waters.

Biology 306: Diversity of Plants
Morphology, reproductive biology and ecology of terrestrial plants. Terrestrial algae, bryophytes and vascular plants.

Biology 308: Plant Anatomy
Survey of seed plants, including origin and development of tissues and anatomy of root, stem, leaf, and reproductive structures.

Biology 309: Wildlife Ecology & Management
Ecology and management of bird and mammal populations subject to recreational or commercial harvest. Emphasis on management of population dynamics and habitat.

Biology 310 & 311: Vertebrate Endocrinology (Lecture & Lab)
Hormonal control emphasizing gender differentiation, growth, reproduction, stress response and environmental endocrine disruption in mammals, birds and reptiles.

Biology 319: Survey of Invertebrate Animals
Classification and recognition of major invertebrate animal groups, with emphasis on organ-systems, ontogeny, structural systematic characters, and taxonomy of invertebrates, excepting insects. Laboratory centers on morphology and systematics of representative taxa.

Biology 321: Entomology
Structure, life histories, classification, ecology, economic importance, and control of insects.

Biology 325: General Physiology
Basic physiological processes common to animal, plant, and microbial systems; nutrient acquisition, metabolism, molecular and bulk transport, motility, intercellular communication; regulatory processes and interaction with the physical environment.

Biology 336: Comparative Vertebrate Morphology
Evolution of vertebrate organ systems and morphology in terms of ontogenetic origins, structure, function, and adaptation.

Biology 344: Population Ecology
Quantitative analysis of the ecological properties of plant and animal populations. Topics include population parameters, life table analysis, population growth, and techniques of estimating population size.

Biology 360: Principles of Ecology
General principles of ecology that integrate the patterns and processes of organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems; and the application of these principles to environmental problems.

Biology 405: Mammalogy
Emphasis on structure, classification, distribution, life history, evolution, and identification of mammals of the world. Participation in extended field trips is required.

Biology 406: Environmental Assessment & Management
The role of the biologist and biology in modern environmental law and its application; environmental impact analysis; the biologist as consultant and activist; laboratory consists of analyses of actual problems facing society and government.

Biology 407: Environmental Toxicology
Overview of occurrence of pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial environments and the atmosphere, pollutant dynamics and metabolism, and pollutant effects on biota at different organizational levels. Laboratory centers on methodology, instrumentation, and other practical aspects.

Biology 408 & 409: Plant Physiology (Lecture & Lab)
Water relations, mineral nutrition, respiration, photosynthesis and light regulation, phytohormones, and movements of plants.

Biology 412: Conservation Biology & Biodiversity
Application of ecological and evolutionary theory to the management of rare and threatened species, communities, and ecosystems. Emphasis on human threats to wildlife species and habitats.

Biology 413: Herpetology
Biology of amphibians and reptiles, including studies of diversity, evolution, behavior, ecology, physiology, and conservation. Laboratory focuses on diversity, systematics, biogeography, and conservation.

Biology 414: Ornithology
Avian evolution, ecology, physiology, and behavior. Laboratories include required field trips and focus on identification, life history, and conservations of birds.

Biology 420: Scientific Cruise or Expedition
Structured participation in an oceanographic cruise, scientific expedition or similar research endeavor (5 day minimum).

Biology 422: Aquatic Insects
Taxonomy and ecology of aquatic and semiaquatic insects; emphasis on field and laboratory recognition of major aquatic groups in Louisiana.

Biology 428: The History of Ecological Modeling
Modeling and applications of mathematical models to ecological questions.

Biology 433: Plany Systematics & Biodiversity
Origin, evaluation, and relationship of flowering plants.

Biology 441: Limnology & Oceanography
Origins, geology, physics, chemistry, and biological productivity of inland water bodies, estuaries, and oceans. Laboratory centers on methodology, instrumentation, and other practical aspects of freshwater and marine studies; required field trips.

Biology 444: Fish Culture
Propagation and production of fishes; hatchery techniques; discussion of management of culture ponds, raceways, cages, and tanks; live transport of fish; fish diseases and parasites; artificial feeding and nutrition of fishes. Field trips to state and private hatcheries and research stations.

Biology 445: Ichthyology
Classification, zoogeography, and evolution of fishes. Includes ecological factors affecting fish community structure, adaptations of specialized fish fauna, including those of deep sea, epipelagic, polar, and coral reef habitats. Required field trips.

Biology 447: Fishery Science
Fish populations and their exploitation; includes discussions of population dynamics, determination of age and growth, and management of pond, lake, reservoir, river, and marine fisheries.

Biology 448: Marine Invertebrate Ecology
Study of the interaction of marine and estuarine invertebrates with their environment. Emphasis on understanding functional role of invertebrates and how the environment shapes morphology, physiology, and behavior. Three week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 449: Marine Fish Ecology
Ecology of coastal marine fishes emphasizing how fish utilize coastal habitats and how environmental factors influence distribution, movement, growth, reproduction, abundance, and interspecific interactions of fishes. Three week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 450: Marine Field Ecology
Relationships of marine and estuarine organisms to environmental factors; interactions among organisms; ecological processes of energy and materials flow; field studies of communities and ecosystem of the Louisiana costal zone. Four week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 451: Wetland Vegetation
Identification, taxonomy and distribution of wetland plants. Plant adaptations, vegetation analysis methods, marsh types, community processes and coastal wetland restoration. Three week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 456: Coral Reef Ecology
Introductory and interdisciplinary course in ecology of coral reef ecosystems emphasizing ecological and evolutionary processes. One and a half weeks at LUMCON and one and a half weeks in Florida. Three week summer course, alternating years.

Biology 459: Changing Coastal Oceans
Advanced topics in marine science emphasizing effects of human activities on the chemistry, biology and ecology of coastal marine systems. Taught at LUMCON via compressed video networking and requires one field trip to the LUMCON center.

Biology 460: Special Topics- Marine Science
Intensive field study of a special topic in marine science. Courses offered vary from summer to summer.

Biology 461: Aquatic & Wetland Vascular Plants
Identification, ecology, and adaptations of vascular aquatic and wetland plants.

Biology 463: Protistology
Morphology, ultrastructure, systematics, ecology, and evolutionary affinities of the motile algae and protozoa.

Biology 502: Quantitative Ecology
Quantitative methods for analysis in Ecological studies including ecological models, model selection, maximum likelihood estimation, and mark-recapture analysis.

Biology 508: Community Ecology
Lectures emphasize theories of community organization: trophic energy flow, diffuse competition, species diversity, community stability, succession, island bio-geography. Laboratories apply quantitative analyses of community organization, using statistics and computers.

Biology 519: Advanced Invertebrate Zoology
Evolution, comparative structure, functional adaptation and life history of invertebrate animals, excepting insects. Readings focus on current research literature. Laboratory centers on diversity and comparative structure.

Biology 542: Evolutionary Ecology
Ecological processes as phenomena that are subject to evolutionary change. Topics include optimality theory, predator-prey interactions, life-history strategies, sexual selection, and sociality.

Biology 560: Advanced Problems in Botany
Research problems in plant science in areas other than that of the student's thesis or dissertation.

Biology 561: Advanced Problems in Zoology
Research problems in zoology in areas other than that of the student's thesis or dissertation.

Biology 564: Topics in Marine Science
Advanced lecture, laboratory, and field work on a selected topic in the marine sciences at a coastal laboratory of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON).

Biology 565: Special Problems in Marine Science, Graduate
Directed research and study at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) or other departmentally approved coastal laboratory.

Biology 575: Statistical Ecology
Design, analysis, and presentation of results of ecological experiments and field studies, with emphasis on hypothesis testing and statistical modeling.

Biology 580: Marine Ecology
Discussions of basic principles of marine ecology, including productivity, dynamics of populations, factors affecting distribution, and interactions between organisms.

Biology 581: Environmental Physiology
Physiological mechanisms of adaptation of animals to physical factors in the environment. Emphasis on organismal responses to light, temperature, oxygen availability, salinity, desiccation, and pressure. Integrated laboratory exercises.

Biology 610: Behavioral Ecology Laboratory
Behavioral strategies used by animals during foraging, courting, fighting, and identifying kin as observed during field trips and laboratory experiments.

Biology 615: Biochemical Adaptation to the Environment
Modification of basic biochemical structure and function that enable organisms to exist in extreme environments; enzymatic and metabolic adaptation to hypoxia, salinity, temperature, pressure, humidity and light.
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Business Law

Business Law 309: Louisiana Mineral Law
Legal principles and problems associated with the oil and gas industry. The use of records in the clerk of court's office, lease agreements, and laws of descent and distribution are included.

Business Law 435: Environmental Law
Regulation of environmental activity in the U.S. including Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Endangered Species Act and other major state and federal regulations.
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Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering 418: Industrial Waste Treatment
Design and modeling of chemical and biochemical processes for industrial waste treatments, as an integrated part of plant design. Studies of air and water pollution controls, industrial solid waste disposal, and recent environmental protection regulations are included.
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Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering 322: Environmental Engineering
Survey of mass transfer, environmental chemistry, mathematics of growth, water pollution, risk assessment, introduction to water and wastewater treatment, air pollution, global atmospheric change, and hazardous and municipal solid wastes management; laboratory examination of water and wastewater quality.

Civil Engineering 422: Environmental Engineering II
Survey of contemporary practices in physical, chemical, and biological treatment of water and wastewater. Design of water and wastewater treatment units, including clarifiers, flocculators, water softening processes, water filters, disinfection processes, and biological treatment units.

Civil Engineering 429: Hydrology
Principles of hydrologic science and their application to hydraulic, hydrologic, environmental, and water resources engineering problems; environmental restoration and protection techniques.

Civil Engineering 460: Wastewater Treatment
Pollutants of importance; design approach; pretreatment; primary, secondary, tertiary treatment alternatives; biological process design; sludge characterization and treatment. Wastewater treatment and collection system technical management.

Civil Engineering 506: Advanced Hydrology
Quantitative approaches for modeling rainfall-runoff processes. Topics include lumped and distributed models, treatment of spatial and temporal hydrologic variability, hydrologic data quality control, and design of hydrologic networks.

Civil Engineering 561: Water Treatment
Design of domestic and industrial water treatment facilities with emphasis on the basic scientific principles underlying the design procedures.

Civil Engineering 563: Solid Hazardous Waste Management
Current issues and legislation. Collection, storage and disposal. Treatment technologies including incineration and sanitary and hazardous waste landfills.

Civil Engineering 565: Water Quality Modeling
Study of hydraulic, chemical and biological concepts used in formulating numerical models of water quality. Investigation of computer modeling applied to analysis and control of water pollution.

Civil Engineering 567: Experimental Analysis for Environmental Engineers
Examination of laboratory techniques for assessing water quality and sludge contamination. Optical, electrical, gas chromatography, and x-ray methods are included.
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Communication

Communication 404: Health Communication

Communication 411: Environmental Journalism
How to cover such environmental issues as pollution, urban sprawl, population growth, endangered species, global climate change and other issues. Emphasizes such wetlands issues as coastal erosion, flooding, siltation, introduced species, wildlife and fisheries.
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Geology

Geology 355: Environmental Geology
Application of basic geological concepts and principles to the analysis of the interaction of man and the geologic environment.

Geology 440: Oceanography
Formation of the earth’s oceans and the role they play in the global geologic, climatologic, and biologic systems.

Geology 470: Groundwater
Occurrence, movement, distribution, and discussion of problems associated with supply and change in composition of ground water.

Geology 510: Advanced Environmental Geology
Content varies. May be repeated for credit. Application of geology to problems resulting from the increasingly intense use of the earth and its resources.
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Human Resources

Human Resources 569: Ecotourism
Current issues related to the tourism industry stressing the importance of the environment in attracting, managing, and satisfying the traveling public.
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Health

Health 320: Environmental Health
Discusses environmental health issues, implications for human health, and personal responsibility for protecting the environment.
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Industrial Technology

Industrial Technology 357: Environmental Controls
Residential and commercial environmental temperature and humidity controls in construction. Traditional and computer-assisted methods of sizing, installing and repairing of control equipment.

Industrial Technology 425: Environmental Issues
Impacts of technology on the environment; technological aspects of environmental issues, laws, and regulations.
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Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering 462: Energy Conversion
Lectures are given on the general world energy situation and the factors that influence energy conversion including source, availability, and pollution. Students then are allowed to research a specific conversion topic and are required to make a 50-minute presentation to their class. Topics normally covered include conversion utilizing fusion, fuel cell, MHD, direct solar conversion, and chemical conversion.
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Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Engineering 499: Oil & Gas Law Conservation & Economics
Basic principles of conservation, unitization, and economics in the development and depletion of oil and gas properties. Environmental considerations in oil and gas drilling and producing operations.
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Political Science

Political Science 452: Environmental Policy
U.S. environmental policy focusing on formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation.
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Sociology

Sociology 494-003: Environmental Sociology
An introduction to Environmental Sociology covering subjects as basic ecology (findings and theory) environmental policy and law, environmental racism, environmental philosophy, environmentalism, impact assessment, risk, energy, agriculture, industry and economics.
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