GCeCS Curriculum

Students pursuing the GCeCS complete a minimum of 17 credits, including 3 graded courses, 1 seminar/reading course, a 5 credit capstone project and a (min 1 cr) communication seminar or course.

Required Coursework (12 credits)

Physical Climate (min 3 cr)

Choose one of: 

  • ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 587 Fundamentals of Climate Change (3 cr, Au) 
  • ATM S 571 Advanced Physical Climatology (3 cr, offered alt yrs, requires differential equations and permission of instructor) 
  • OCEAN 569/ESS 590/ATM S 591 Climate Dynamics offered as (3 cr, alt Wi)

Climate and Biogeochemistry (min 3 cr)

  • ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 588 The Global Carbon Cycle and Climate (3 cr, Wi)

Applications of Climate Science (min 3 cr)

Choose one of:

  • ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 554 Paleoclimate Proxies (3 cr, alt years)
  • ATM S 555/ESS 581 Planetary Atmospheres (3 cr, Sp) 
  • ENV H/Global Health 518: Understanding and Managing the Health Risks of Climate Change (3 cr, Wi)
  • PUBPOL 582 Climate Change Communication (4 cr, quarter varies)
  • PUBPOL 593 Climate Change and Energy Policy (4 cr, quarter varies)
  • PUBPOL 596 Environmental Risks and Values (4 cr, Au, alt yrs)
  • SEFS 501 Forest Ecology (5 cr, Au)
  • SEFS 510 Fundamentals of Plant-Soil Interactions (3 cr, Wi)
  • SEFS 523 Environmental Applications of Plants: Bioenergy and Bioremediation (3 cr, Au)
  • SMEA 521: Climate Change Governance (3cr, Au)
  • SMEA 521 Governmental Responses to Climate Change (3 cr, Au, alt yrs)
  • Many other possibilities!

Past options:

  • ESS 505 The Cryosphere (4 cr)
  • ATM S 514/ESS 535 Ice and Climate (3 cr)
  • ATM S/ESS 559/OCEAN 558 Climate Modeling (4 cr, Sp, alt yrs)
  • ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 589: Paleoclimatology: Data, Modeling and Theory (3 cr, Wi)
  • SEFS 521: Drawdown PNW: Prioritizing Climate Solutions (3 cr, Wi)

Climate Change Seminar (2 cr)

  • ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 586 Current Research in Climate Change (2 cr, Sp 25; Wi 26) Topics vary, see seminar page. 

Communications Training or Seminar (min 1 cr)

Choose one, POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

  • C ENV 500 ENGAGE: The Science Speaker Series and Seminar-teaches emerging scientists to effectively communicate through the development of a seminar on their own research for a general audience (3 cr, Wi) 
  • PUBPOL 582 Climate Change Communication (4 cr, quarter varies)
  • SMEA 550: Theory and Practice of Linking Knowledge with Action to Address Modern Env Challenges (2cr, Wi)

For climate-related courses listed by quarter visit: https://pcc.uw.edu/education/quarterly-climate-courses/

Departmental offerings and new, sometimes one-time offerings are shared via the pccgrads listserve (subscribe to the pccgrads mailman listserve for opportunities); many can be used to fulfill the communication requirement.

Required Capstone Project (5 cr)

Register for a total of 5 capstone credits, ATM S/ESS/OCEAN 596 over 1 or more quarters. The final credit should be taken on the quarter you submit the final report. If you have a GCeCS project adviser/mentor who is faculty in Atmospheric Sciences, Oceanography, or Earth and Space Sciences you can sign up for credits with that faculty member. If you do not, then sign up for credits with the GCeCS Graduate Adviser, Miriam (uwpcc@uw.edu).

Full discussion here.

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