Essentials of Earth Science covers a variety of scientific disciplines that relate to the composition of the Earth, its dynamic nature and its position in space. The course first covers the composition of the surface of the Earth itself, including minerals and rocks and the weathering, erosion and deposition that shapes the surface of the Earth. The course then shifts to a discussion of the dynamic Earth and earthquakes and volcanic activity. The course moved then to meteorology, including weather, air masses, precipitation, fronts, etc. Finally, the course surveys climate, climate change and the impact of human activities on the Earth’s climate.
Course Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Identify the different types of ecological communities and describe the manners in which such communities interact with their biotic and abiotic environments.
Evaluate the role of human activities in generating pollution, deforestation and other such activities on their environment.
Analyze the manner in which humans and other living organisms are able to adapt to the environments of the various biomes that make up the Earth’s biosphere.
Analyze the pros and cons of obtaining energy from various sources including nuclear, coal, oil, biomass, solar, etc.
Create proposed solutions to the problem of increased carbon (and methane) emissions that causes anthropogenic global warming.
Accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
