GEOG363
CLIMATE SYS & GLOBAL ENV CHNG
Other titles (4)
- The Climate System and Global Environmental Change
- CLIMATE SYS & GLBL ENV CHNG
- CLIMATE SYS & GLBL ENV CHANGE
- ATMOSPHERE&CLIMATE CHANGE
- Department
- Geography
- Terms offered
- 18
- 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. Open to doctoral and masters students.
Syllabi
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Offerings and forecast 2016–2026
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2018 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data |
| 2017 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2016 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data |
Meeting times
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
- Mon, Wed, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM Jefferson Academic Center JF222 20112009
- 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
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 3 of 25 enrolled | 23140 |
| Fall 2025 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 40 enrolled | 23140 |
| Fall 2024 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 40 enrolled | 23140 |
| Spring 2023 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 30 enrolled | 30975 |
| Spring 2022 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 25 enrolled | 30975 |
| Spring 2021 | Karen E. Frey | Online | 1 | 5 of 25 enrolled | 37995 |
| Spring 2020 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 17 of 25 enrolled | 37995 |
| Spring 2018 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 25 enrolled | 34984 |
| Spring 2017 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 10 of 25 enrolled | 34984 |
| Spring 2016 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 4 of 25 enrolled | 34984 |
| Fall 2014 | Luke Trusel | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 25 enrolled | 23648 |
| Fall 2012 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 8 of 25 enrolled | 21439 |
| Fall 2011 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 30 enrolled | 21439 |
| Fall 2009 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 1 of 25 enrolled | 25379 |
| Fall 2008 | Karen E. Frey | Lecture | 1 | 9 of 25 enrolled | 25379 |
| Spring 2005 | Deborah W. Woodcock | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 25 enrolled | 31018 |
| Spring 2004 | Deborah W. Woodcock | Lecture | 1 | 3 of 25 enrolled | 31018 |
| Spring 2003 | Nikolaus J. Kuhn | Lecture | 1 | 2 of 15 enrolled | 37444 |