UC Davis offers more than 110 undergraduate majors through four colleges: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Biological Sciences; Engineering; and Letters and Science. The list below shows some of the classes where students can investigate different aspects of climate adaptation.
Classes will relate to three categories
- Climate Mitigation, identified with
- Climate Characterization, identified with
- Climate Adaptation, identified with
AMS101G: Environmental Justice
Instructor: Julie Sze
Examines the topics of environmental racism and environmental justice: historical and social scientific approaches, including empirical documentation of the problem, examination of the roots and consequences of environmental racism, and the social movements that have arisen in the last two decades to combat it. (3 units)
ARE 15: Populatoin, Environment and World Agriculture
Instructor: Lovell Jarvis
Emphasis on the causes and consequences of global warming, including policies to remediate it (9 class sessions, plus discussion sections). Fundamentals of the science of climate change, explaining why climate change is not resolved by the market mechanism, discussing estimates of the growing costs of climate change, exploring how governments can create mechanisms to reduce climate change, and why and how these mechanisms redistribute income and are politically controversial. Two other sessions on sustainability to discuss the concept of sustainability and appropriate natural resource management. (4 units)
ARE 121: Economics of Agricultural Sustainability
Instructor: Dan Sumner
Climate issues are incorporated throughout the course from understanding public goods and externalities through consumer responses to changes in cost and supply. I specifically devote a week to lectures and discussion on adaptation and mitigation focusing on economic issues of costs and benefits. So, for example we consider how changes in chill hours may affect specifics of tree and vine crops. We also consider how climate changes elsewhere affect supplies elsewhere and therefore global markets prices. So adaptation to climate also means adaption to market forces that are driven by climate change, even changes a long way from the local environment. Climate change affects sustainability related to agriculture and the course covers everything from drought, technology and world food concerns. ( units)
ATM 115: Hydroclimatology
Instructor: Da Yang
Examination of climate as the forcing function for the hydrologic system. Emphasis on seasonal variations in the relationship between precipitation and evapotranspiration for meso-scale areas. Watershed modeling of floods and drought for evaluating the effects of climatic fluctuations. (3 units)
ATM 116: Modern Climate Change
Instructor: Cort Anastasio
Spend entire quarter on climate change: Quantitative look at factors that determine Earth’s climate; Anthropogenic influences on climate; climate policies, actions, and economics; mitigation and adaptation. (3 units)
ATM 221: Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics
Instructor: Terry Nathan
Geophysical fluid dynamics of climate change. (3 units)
ATM 5: Global Climate
Instructor: Paul Ullrich
A scientific approach to understanding the climate system and human-induced changes to this system. (3 units)
ATM241: Climate Dynamics
Instructor: Paul Ullrich
Climate change in the context of impacts on the general circulation and global climate system. (3 units)
ATM 244: Cloud Physics
Instructor: Adele Igel
Restricted to Atmospheric Science graduate group students or consent of instructor. Observations and modeling of clouds and precipitation. Physics and parameterization of cloud microphysical processes including nucleation, condensation/evaporation, deposition/sublimation, collision-coalescence and sedimentation. (3 units)
ATM 245 / HYD 245 / ECL 245: Climate Change, Water and Society
Instructor: Monier, Bachand, Lubell
Integration of climate science and hydrology with policy to understand hydroclimatology and its impact upon natural and human systems. (4 units)
CRD 189: Planning Climate Resilience Communities
Instructor: Eric Chu
Climate adaptation at the local/regional level and will engage issues such as infrastructure, housing/land use, economic/community development, and planning/policy. (1 unit Seminar)
EBS 216: Energy Systems
Instructor: Bryan Jenkins
Extensive discussion of renewable and sustainable energy resources and conversion technologies with systems modeling, analysis, and optimization with brief treatment of LCA. (4 units)
EBS 218: Solar Thermal Energy Systems
Instructor: Bryan Jenkins
Modeling and analysis of solar thermal systems in the context of sustainable energy system design and application. (4 units)
ECI 123: Urban Systems and Sustainability
Instructor: Alissa Kendall
Energy and resource consumption of the built environment. Climate change is presented as a significant problem and simple carbon accounting principles are taught. Includes environmental justice and other broader sustainability concerns. (4 units)
ECI 244: Life cycle assessment for sustainable engineering
Instructor: Alissa Kendall
Causes, indicators, and policies for mitigation in the context of technologies, products, and energy systems. LCA deals with lots of environmental and resource concerns presented along with broader environmental sustainability issues. (4 units)
ECI 246??: Understanding Climate Change: Causes and Consequences
Instructor: Chris Cappa
The entire course is dedicated to framing the science of climate change for graduate engineering students. (4 units)
ECI/ESP 163: Energy and Environmental Aspects of Transportation
Instructor: Dan Sperling
Mitigation strategies and analysis for transportation GHG emissions..This course addresses key air quality, energy, and greenhouse gas challenges confronting the transportation sector. We examine the future of petroleum, trends in motor vehicle use and technology, their energy and emissions characteristics, and their impacts on air quality, petroleum dependence, and climate change. We evaluate the potential energy and environmental impacts of alternative fuel, vehicle technology and travel demand strategies – as well as policies to promote these solutions. (3 units)
ECI/ESP 252: Sustainable Transportation Technology and Policy
Instructor: Dan Sperling
Mitigation strategies and analysis for transportation GHG emissions. (3 units)
ECI 273: Water Resources Systems Engineering
Instructor: Jon Herman
Planning and management of water resource systems. Deterministic and stochastic simulation and optimization techniques. Capacity design and operation of reservoir systems for water supply, hydropower, flood control, and environmental objectives. (4 units)
ENL 254: 20th Century British Literature
Instructor: Elizabeth Miller
Empire, Environment, and British Literature, 1900-1940 This course will approach early-twentieth-century British literature through the lens of postcolonial ecocriticism. We will read texts set in London and provincial England as well as texts set in South America, Africa, India, and the Arctic, and we will consider British imperialism in its formal as well as informal registers -- extending into histories of investment, infrastructure, and resource exploitation. Our secondary readings will cover topics such as ecological imperialism, environmental racism, the Anthropocene, and global extractivism, as well as critical methods and approaches such as world ecology, modernist studies, literature and science, and the energy humanities. Our primary texts encompass various modes of literary prose, from impressionism and psychological realism to adventure romance, fantasy, and speculative fiction. ( units)
EPI 251: Environmental Epidemiology
Instructor: Greene and Schenker
Climate change impacts on human health, population vulnerability and strategies for adaptation (with emphasis on integration with mitigation measures & sustainability). (3 units)
ESP 110: Principles of Environmental Science
Instructor: John Largier
Application of physical and chemical principles, ecological concepts, and systems approach to policy analysis of atmospheric environments, freshwater and marine environments, land use, energy supplies and technology, and other resources. (4 units)
ESP 111 / EVE 111: Marine Environmental Issues
Instructor: John Largier
Examination of critical environmental issues occurring in coastal waters including the effects of climate change, overfishing, and other human impacts. Through readings and group discussions, students will develop an integrative understanding of the oceanographic and ecological processes. (1 units)
ESP 152: Coastal Oceanography
Instructor: John Largier
Oceanography of coastal waters, including bays, river plumes, nearshore and estuaries; focus on transport patterns, how they are forced and implications for ecological and environmental problems. Pertinent for students in oceanography, ecology, environmental engineering, geology and hydrology. (3 units)
ESP 162: Environmental Policy
Instructor: Michael Springborn
One lecture is devoted to climate change. Characterizing and measuring sustainability are examined in one lecture. (4 units)
ESP 165: Climate Policy
Instructor: Michael Springborn
The entire course is devoted to climate change. (3 units)
ESP 171: Urban and Regional Planning
Instructor: Susan Handy
Local and regional strategies for reducing sprawl and thus GHG emissions. Implementation of SB375. (4 units)
GEL 116 / ESP 116: Oceanography
Instructor: Tessa Hill
Ocean acidification; current research topics in climate change; policy and decision making on a global scale; sustainable use of ocean resources. (3 units)
GEL 150C: Biological Oceanography
Instructor: Tessa Hill
Biological consequences of climate change in ocean systems; ocean acidification; peer reviewed research; sustainable use of ocean resources. (4 units)
GEL 16: The Oceans
Instructor: Tessa Hill
Carbon cycle; research on ocean climate change; impacts; connections to ocean circulation; long term records; modifying your carbon footprint; sustainable use of ocean resources. (3 units)
GEL 232: Oceans & Climate Change
Instructor: Tessa Hill
Current topics in climate change; communicating climate science to public, media, and policymakers; analyzing data. (3 units)
GSM MGB-415-001: Climate Change Risks and Opportunities
Instructor: Emilie Mazzacurati
Risks and opportunities for businesses arising from climate change and climate policy. Physical, operational and financial impacts of climate change. Emerging tools to foster business resilience. The course has a practical focus and uses real-world case studies to highlight different market and regulatory approaches. (1 units)
LAW 230: International Environmental Law
Instructor: Albert Lin
International legal efforts to address climate change; sustainability as a theme underlying global resource conflicts and treaties. (3 units)
LAW 285: Environmental Law
Instructor: Albert Lin
Legal initiatives to address climate change under federal, state, and international law. (4 units)
LDA 003: Sustainable Development Theory & Practice
Instructor: Stephen Wheeler
The whole course is oriented towards sustainabiltiy and climate is frequently mentioned. One lecture is on climate planning. Emphasizes policy, planning, and design strategies that can make a difference. (4 units)
LDA 205: Urban Planning & Design
Instructor: Wheeler
An intro to urban planning and design with strong attention to sustainability and climate issues. Grads + a few undergrads w/ instructor permission. (4 units)
MGT 150: Technology Management
Instructor: John Goldberg
The team project enables students to learn about a company's policies and practices regarding motivation, management, innovation and decision making especially as applied to the issues of carbon/climate neutrality and sustainability. (4 units)
PMI129Y: One Health
Instructor: Smith, Bloom
Lecture and small group case studies on climate change data and events as well as action to improve the health of animals, humans, and their shared environments. (0 units)
POL 12B: Climate Change and Politics
Instructor: Matthew Shugart
Entire course focused on climate change policy. (4 units)
SAS 9: Crisis in the Environment
Instructor: Erwan Monier
Crisis in the Environment is an interactive course that explores contemporary environmental issues by examining the causes, effects and solutions to a wide range of environmental problems facing the global ecosystem. Integrated discussion of political, societal and economic impact linkages with environmental problems. (3 units)
SAS25 & SAS25v: Global Climate Change: Convergence of Disciplines
Instructor: Arnold Bloom
Face-to-Face and Online General Ed Courses that survey the most of the topic. Over 300 students enrolled. (4 units)
TTP220: Transportation Policy and Planning
Instructor: Susan Handy
Regional strategies for reducing vehicle miles of travel and thus GHG emissions. Implementation of SB375. (4 units)