📘 Course Title: Coastal Studies
Course Code: ENSP/BIOL/ENGL 3XX
Credits: 4
Format: Lecture + Fieldwork (travel-based, hybrid)
🧭 Course Description
This interdisciplinary course explores the dynamic interactions between coastal ecosystems, human communities, and policy frameworks...
🎯 Learning Objectives
- Understand physical, biological, and human processes shaping coastal systems.
- Evaluate major environmental threats to coastal regions.
- Apply ecological and oceanographic principles in field settings.
- Analyze environmental literature and writing.
- Propose sustainable solutions to coastal problems.
- Communicate scientific and policy findings effectively.
🧪 Course Components & Readings
- Introduction to Coastal Systems
- Coastal Oceanography
- Coastal Community Ecology
- The Chesapeake Bay
- Environmental Literature
- Sea-Level Rise & Erosion
- Environmental Justice & Policy
- Midterm Projects
- Coral Reefs & Tropical Systems
- Marine Protected Areas & Conservation
- Sustainable Fisheries
- Coastal Urbanization & Tourism
- Climate Communication & Storytelling
- Final Practicum Prep
- Final Presentations
🧳 Travel-Based Learning
- Chesapeake Bay expedition
- Barrier islands or estuaries
- Optional coastal retreat (e.g., Florida Keys or Puerto Rico)
📚 Required Texts
- Coastal Oceanography – Tom Garrison
- Ecology of Coastal Waters – Kenneth Mann
- American Earth – Bill McKibben (ed.)
- Scientific articles via LMS
📝 Assessment
- Participation & Field Journals – 15%
- Reading Responses – 10%
- Midterm Case Study Presentation – 20%
- Reflective Essay – 10%
- Final Practicum Project – 30%
- Peer Teaching Module – 15%
🌊 Final Project: Coastal Studies Practicum
Interdisciplinary teams will propose a solution to a coastal issue, presenting their work in a research brief, policy document, and creative medium.