Texas A&M University Graduate Catalog

• Academic Calendar
• Board of Regents
  & System Adminstrative
  Officers
• TAMU Administrative
  Officers
• Office of
  Graduate Studies
• General Information
• Degree Information
• Admission
• Registration & Academic Status
• Tuition, Fees &
  Other Financial Information
• Housing
• Orientation
• Resources for Students
• Texas A&M University at Galveston
• Course Descriptions
• School of
  Rural Public Health
• Faculty
• Appendices

Texas A&M University at Galveston

Course Descriptions

Marine Sciences
(MARS)

610. Environmental Law. (3-0). Credit 3.

This course is designed to provide a broad overview of basic environmental laws including statutes, regulations, and cases. This course also focuses on both economic and ethical issues within the context of environmental law and policy. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

615. Physical and Geochemical Marine Resources. (3-0). Credit 3.

Location, identification, extraction and exploitation of non-fisheries marine resources, including: water, salt, hydrocarbons, minerals, energy from the thermal, wave, tidal, current and wind fields, chemical compounds, pharmaceuticals, and construction materials in estuarine, coastal and open ocean areas. Prerequisites*: CHEM 102, GEOL 104, OCNG 251 or equivalents; graduate classification; or approval of instructor.

620. International Environmental Business Transactions. (3-0). Credit 3.

This course is designed to provide an overview of those laws, regulations, and regimes involved in international environmental business transactions; and to identify those environmental regimes, which are triggered when business is conducted internationally. This course includes topics in international law, regional law, and U.S. federal law. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

625. GIS Based Modeling for Coastal Resources. (1-3). Credit 2.

Basic concepts of design, planning, and implementation of Geographical Information Systems; computer hardware and software evaluation; practical experience in data entry, analysis and update of spatial and characteristic data; use of maps and remotely sensed data as data. Prerequisite: Any computer science course or equivalent.

635. Environmental Impact Statements and Natural Resource Damage Assessment. (3-0). Credit 3.

The course presents an overview of: a) environmental impact statements (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and b) natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). It is designed to cover requirements for a wide variety of EISs. NRDA hypothetical cases will be presented in which students are asked to calculate assessments. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

638. Avian Diversity and Habitats as Coastal Resources. (2-3). Credit 3.

The lecture and readings will emphasize field identification, habitat requirements for native and migrant species and birds as bioindicators of habitat health and environment stress. The study of bird diversity to environmental monitoring of coastal ecosystems and migrant stopover habitats will be applied. Labs will be conducted primarily in the field. Prerequisites: BIOL 112; MARB 315 or WFSC 302 or ZOOL 318; or approval of instructor and graduate status.

640. Environmental Administrative Law. (3-0). Credit 3.

Environmental law is governed, in large part, by administrative law. This course covers the processes involved in administrative environmental law. The primary focus of this course will be on: the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Corps of Engineers and NOAA. A review of international administrative bodies will also be included. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

645. Wildlife Law and Ethics. (3-0). Credit 3.

This course provides an overview of the basic wildlife laws including international regimes, bilateral and multilateral treaties, conventions, and cases dealing with conservation, preservation, and management of non-Homo sapien species; federal law, regulations, and cases; and a sampling of state law. It also focuses on the ethical issues of species management. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

650. Geochemical Marine Resources Management. (3-0). Credit 3.

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the issues involved in geochemical marine resources management. This course explores the management of exploration, production, and protection of the geochemical marine resources of the earth and the interface of the many players. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

652. Sustainable Management of Coastal Margins. (3-0). Credit 3.

The class will study federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances and programs pertaining to management of coastal margins, visit the Texas General Land Office and attend meetings of the Coastal Coordinating Council, the Texas Legislature when a coastal-related bill is being debated, Galveston County Commissioner’s Court or Galveston City Council when a coastal ordinance is being considered. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

655. Wetlands Management. (3-3). Credit 4.

This course surveys the interrelationship of chemistry, physics, geology and biology of coastal wetland systems and explores and defines the context of wetlands sustainability and management. Field exercises are an integral component providing students “hands on” experience. Guest lectures, seminars and field trips lead by agency personnel who are experts in these fields of research are included. Prerequisite: Background in chemistry, physics, geology, and biology.

660. Environmental Alternative Dispute Resolution. (3-0). Credit 3.

Because environmental issues and law were born and raised in the arena of adversarial combat, the traditional adversarial litigative process is far from ideal. This course first explores the traditional method of settling disputes: the court system. It then reviews the increasingly visible dispute resolution alternatives. Finally, it provides certification in mediation. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

670. Eco-Environmental Modeling. (3-0). Credit 3.

Biological organisms are surrounded by chemical and physical environments which are influenced by the bio-system and flows of energy, water and chemical species. Coupling atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial systems is important. Modeling entails both mathematical tools and the underlying science. This course focuses on scientific models, from the simplest to more elaborate. Prerequisites: BIOL 113, 114; CHEM 101, 102; MATH 151, 166; graduate status or special approval.

675. Environmental Management Strategies for Scientists. (2-0).* Credit 2.*

It is designed to provide a scientist with EMS strategies’ skills. This includes knowing what environmental laws may be triggered by activities, the fundamental structure of an EMS, EMS alternatives, concepts in an audit, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and how an effective EMS can reduce costs and increase profits. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

676. Environmental Policy. (3-0). Credit 3.

This course will provide a general introduction to the basic concepts and mechanisms of international and U.S. federal environmental law and policy. It will survey the field and its development as well as focus on case studies that illustrate the basic types of environmental problems. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

680. Integrative Analysis in Marine Sciences. (2-0). Credit 2.

Review of public policy change mechanisms in marine resources management, including Congressional testimony, agency recommendations and structure, and NGO reports. Students propose and defend a public policy change with detailed documentation and an oral presentation demonstrating a professional understanding of marine resources issues within the context of current law. Prerequisite(s): 24 hours of MARM course credits completed or in concurrent enrollment; approval of instructor.

681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1.

Presentation of recent research by students, faculty and visiting faculty.

684. Internship of Marine Resources Management. Credit 1-9.

This is a faculty-supervised study with an agency or other position within or outside the Texas A&M University System. Student involvement consists of real-life learning of marine resources management issues. It is a full-immersion course that provides students with hands-on experience in marine resources management. Prerequisite: Approval of faculty sponsor.

685. Directed Studies. Credit 1-6.

Selected topics in an identified area of science, law policy or management of marine natural resources not covered in any other courses in the curriculum. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

689. Special Topics in Marine Resources Management. Credit 1-9.

Selected topics in an identified area of marine resources management. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

691. Research. Credit 1-12.

Research for thesis or dissertation. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

* Pending approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.