GEOG263

CLIMATE SYS & GLOBAL ENV CHNG

This course is offered in a current or upcoming term. Check the official course schedule before registering.
Also listed under 5 other titles
  • The Climate System and Global Environmental Change
  • CLIMATE SYS & GLBL ENV CHNG
  • CLIMATE SYS & GLBL ENV CHANGE
  • ATMOSPHERE&CLIMATE CHANGE
  • SOIL EROSION
Department
Geography
Terms offered
19
Data refreshed
Jun 30, 2026

Description

In order to understand and predict the Earth's current and future climate, it is imperative to know the forces that can drive both natural and anthropogenic climate change. This course will utilize an Earth Systems approach towards climate science, meaning rather than simply cataloging the Earth's history of climate change, we will focus on understanding the climate system's response to both external and internal drivers. We will examine the interactions between atmosphere, ice, ocean, land surface, and vegetation, allowing us to touch on the fields of geology, ecology, paleobotany, glaciology, oceanography, meteorology, biogeochemistry, climate modeling, atmospheric chemistry, and hydrology, among others. The goal of the course is to provide the scientific background that is necessary for understanding global environmental change-related issues as well as providing a basis for addressing the critical social and policy questions that cascade from these issues.

Syllabi

Sign in with your @clarku.edu email to view syllabi.

Offering history & forecast 2016–2026

2002
2026
Sections offered by academic year and season, with estimated offering chances for future years above the divider
YearFallSpringSummerIntersession
2030 2030 Fall: 41% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 9 fall terms since 2018. Department course count rising about 5% per year. 2030 Spring: 25% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 5 of 9 spring terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 2% per year. 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020.
2029 2029 Fall: 42% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 10 fall terms since 2017. Department course count rising about 4% per year. 2029 Spring: 33% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 6 of 10 spring terms since 2017. 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2028 2028 Fall: 42% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 11 fall terms since 2016. Department course count rising about 3% per year. 2028 Spring: 36% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 7 of 11 spring terms since 2016. 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2027 2027 Fall: 43% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 12 fall terms since 2015. Department course count rising about 3% per year. 2027 Spring: 32% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 7 of 12 spring terms since 2015. Department course count falling about 2% per year. 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2026 1 section Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2025 1 section Not offered Not offered Not offered
2024 1 section Not offered Not offered Not offered
2023 Not offered 1 section Not offered Not offered
2022 Not offered 1 section Not offered Not offered
2021 Not offered 1 section Not offered Not offered
2020 Not offered 1 section Not offered Not offered
2019 Not offered Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2018 Not offered 1 section Not offered No data for this term
2017 Not offered 1 section Not offered Not offered
2016 Not offered 1 section Not offered No data for this term
Forecast Under 15% 15–39% 40–69% 70–89% 90%+ Not enough history
Fall Spring Summer Intersession Darker means more sections Not offered No data for term

Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.

Meeting times

Most recent first
  • Tue, Thu, 10:25 AM–11:40 AM Jefferson Academic Center JF133 20262008
  • Mon, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM JC118 2025-1
  • Wed, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM MACD002 2025-2
  • Tue, Thu, 10:25 AM–11:40 AM ONLINE 2021
  • Mon, Wed, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM Jefferson Academic Center JF222 201620112009
  • Tue, Thu, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM Sackler Science Center N217 20052004
  • Mon, 2:25 PM–5:05 PM Jefferson Academic Center JF222 2003
  • Wed, 2:25 PM–5:05 PM JC102 2002
Credit-bearing sections of GEOG263
TermProfessorTypeCreditsEnrollmentCRN
Fall 2026Karen E. FreyLecture1 13 of 25 enrolled23139
Fall 2025Karen E. FreyLecture1 18 of 35 enrolled23139
Fall 2024Karen E. FreyLecture1 24 of 40 enrolled23139
Spring 2023Karen E. FreyLecture1 27 of 30 enrolled30974
Spring 2022Karen E. FreyLecture1 23 of 25 enrolled30974
Spring 2021Karen E. FreyOnline1 25 of 25 enrolled37994
Spring 2020Karen E. FreyLecture1 16 of 25 enrolled37994
Spring 2018Karen E. FreyLecture1 24 of 25 enrolled34983
Spring 2017Karen E. FreyLecture1 17 of 25 enrolled34983
Spring 2016Karen E. FreyLecture1 25 of 25 enrolled34983
Fall 2014Luke TruselLecture1 19 of 25 enrolled23647
Fall 2012Karen E. FreyLecture1 24 of 25 enrolled21438
Fall 2011Karen E. FreyLecture1 20 of 30 enrolled21438
Fall 2009Karen E. FreyLecture1 20 of 25 enrolled25378
Fall 2008Karen E. FreyLecture1 15 of 25 enrolled25378
Spring 2005Deborah W. WoodcockLecture1 5 of 25 enrolled31017
Spring 2004Deborah W. WoodcockLecture1 3 of 25 enrolled31017
Spring 2003Nikolaus J. KuhnLecture1 3 of 15 enrolled37443
Fall 2002Nikolaus J. KuhnLecture1 4 of 40 enrolled26695