Courses

All courses carry 3 credits unless otherwise specified.

Building Construction and Technology

530 Mechanics of Building Materials (2nd sem)
With lab. Introduction to the mechanical behavior of building materials for students of construction technology and architecture. Basic structural concepts of statics and strength of materials addressed in a practical manner. Prerequisites: MATH 104 and PHYSICS 131. Ms. Clouston

540 Design of Wood Structures (1st sem)
Provides students with a fundamental understanding of principles for design of individual wood components including beams, columns, trusses, wood/steel connections, and sheathing. Prerequisite: ARCH-DES 650 or BCT (BMATWT) 530 or CE-ENGIN 241 or M&I-ENG 211. Ms. Clouston

597D Sustainable Building and LEED Certification
A hands-on, multi-media learning environment in which students expand their knowledge of sustainability in the built world. All students participate online; optional attendance on face-to-face field trips to National Grid Headquarters and Artist for Humanity, and at lectures from specialists in the field. Those students who opt not to attend the face-to-face meetings view video recordings of the field trips and the guest lectures. A LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) preparation component integrated into the structure of the course answers an industry need for LEED accredited professionals in the fields of construction, engineering, and architectural design. Mr. Pardo

597E Building Energy and Environmental Systems
With lab. Provides a working knowledge of building environmental systems related to heat transfer, moisture, ventilation, plumbing, and fire protection. Focus on the application of energy-efficient principles in real-world situations. Combines classroom lectures and labs with field trips, guest speakers from the HVAC industry, and student presentations. Prerequisite: BCT (BMATWT) 211 or ARCH-DES 520. Ms. Hoque

597G Energy and Buildings (2nd sem)
Energy auditing and modeling, with an emphasis on applications in energy, environment, and resource management. Readings, lectures, and field campaigns used to master procedures in energy auditing as an important step toward conserving energy and resources. Based in Excel, Ecotect, and EnergyPlus. Students apply the skills they learn through the auditing process to produce simulations (energy models) for buildings to recommend reductions and improvements in energy use. Prerequisite: BCT (BMATWT) 597E. Ms. Hoque

597P Project Management for Design and Construction (2nd sem)
This class introduces the fundamental concepts of project management for design and construction and is suitable for students in various disciplines, particularly architecture, engineering, and construction management.  Topics to be discussed include project initiation, planning, implementation, monitoring, control and closeout.  The class will also survey project documentation, scope and quality control, budget and scheduling, teamwork and communication, contracts and negotiation, risk management, and other aspects of the project life cycle.

597S Building a Formalized Plan for Your “Green” Market Positioning (2nd sem)
Builds upon students’ current technical and/ or market knowledge of Green Building by introducing and demonstrating simple concepts in strategic and tactical planning that transform information and ideas into definitive actions and results. Techniques presented help develop, articulate, and execute a “green” strategy and a transition to “green” internally, through a change in culture, and/or externally through a change in market positioning. Mr. Bean

ECO 697C Studies in Building Information Modeling (2nd sem)
Various aspects of computer-based 3D building modeling with focus on interdisciplinary design, fabrication planning, and integrated analyses. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Mr. Schreyer

Natural Resources Conservation

521 Timber Harvesting (2nd sem, even yrs)
With lab. Components of timber harvesting systems; felling, bucking, primary and secondary transport. Integration of components into safe, efficient, and cost-effective harvest systems. Lab: case studies of harvest operations in the field. Mr. Kittredge

526 Silviculture (1st sem, even yrs)
Silvicultural practices used to manage forests for timber production, wildlife habitat improvement, and watershed protection. Special focus on southern New England but techniques apply to forests throughout the world. Lab involves developing silvicultural plans for project areas. Prerequisite: NRC 212 or equivalent. Credit, 4. Mr. Kelty

528 Forest and Wetland Hydrology (1st sem, odd yrs)
Hydrologic structure and function of forest, wetland, and agricultural ecosystems. Changes in water flow and quality associated with land and resource use. Management approaches to prevent or reverse adverse environmental impacts. Mr. Barten

534 Forest Measurements (1st sem, odd yrs)
With lab. Quantification and assessment of resource variables, sampling theory and design of forest inventories and other resource survey techniques, field exercises in resource inventory, statistical analysis of field data. Prerequisite: introductory statistics. Credit, 4. Mr. Kelty

540 Forest Resources Management (2nd sem, even yrs)
Use of forests to meet multiple objectives. Summary of forest history, policies, programs, and review of traditional and contemporary forest management principles and practices. Examples, site visits and reports, interaction with practitioners and landowners, term project and presentation. Prerequisites: NRC 261, 526 or equivalents; NRC 521 and 597 desirable. Credit, 4. Mr. Barten

563 Wetlands Ecology and Conservation
Wetland ecology, policy, conservation and management are the focus of this course.  An ecosystems approach to the dynamics and ecology of wetlands includes both biotic (vegetation, wildlife) and abiotic (landforms, soils, hydrology, geochemical cycling) elements, as well as interactions among them. Also covered are the legal, political and economic aspects of wetlands, wetland classification and evaluation and wetland management and conservation.

564 Wildlife Habitat Management (1st sem)
The dynamics and management of forested, open woodland, and savanna habitats in North America and elsewhere. Topics include wildlife ecology, habitat classification, resource utilization, impacts on humans, and management techniques. Prerequisite: NRC 261 or equivalent. Credit, 4. Mr. Fuller

565 Wildlife Population Dynamics and Management (1st sem)
Basic techniques and concepts of the management and population dynamics of wildlife populations; emphasis on estimating animal population parameters, development of population growth models, and principles of population management. Includes field and laboratory techniques for estimating population parameters for wildlife. Prerequisite: NRC 261 or RES-ECON 211 or Introductory Statistics. Credit, 4. Mr. Griffin

571 Fisheries Science and Management (1st sem, even yrs)
Introduction to the principles of fish stock assessment, with emphasis on harvest modeling and forecasting techniques. Implications of overfishing and habitat degradation. Prerequisite: NRC 470. Credit, 4. Mr. Juanes

577 Ecosystem Modeling and Simulation (1st sem, odd yrs)
Systems modeling and analysis used to understand the complexities of natural systems. System representations, modeling, experimentation, optimization, and policy modeling. Computer modeling using Stella and GIS. Mr. Randhir

587 Digital Remote Sensing (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Computer processing of digital images as a means of obtaining information about natural resources. LANDSAT images primarily used. Image processing, classification, and image enhancement techniques discussed and applied. Mr. Finn

592 GIS for Natural Resources Management (both sem)
Introduces students to the construction, display, and analysis of spatial information using Geographic Information Systems. Hands-on use of ArcGIS on a PC platform. Mr. Schweik, Ms. Bradley

597C Case Studies in Conservation (2nd sem)
Outside speakers from a wide variety of private and public conservation organizations present case studies in conservation and land protection. Seminar presentations supplemented by class discussion and student development of a case. Mr. Kittredge

597F&G Conservation Genetics (2nd sem)
With lab. The genetic basis for solving biological problems in conservation including the genetics of small populations and the application of molecular genetic techniques to conservation problems. Credit, 4. Mr. Whiteley

597K&J Ecology of Fish (2nd sem, even yrs)
With lab. Interactions of fishes with their environment. Topics include feeding adaptations, community trophics, mating systems, reproductive biology, life history strategies, growth dynamics, predator-prey systems, community diversity. Prerequisite: two semesters of biology, one semester of ecology or consent of instructor. Credit, 4.

597O Watershed Management (online course) (on demand)
Concepts in watershed conservation, with integration of biotic, abiotic, and socio-economic components. Transdisciplinary introduction to watershed-based ecosystem management and policy. Uses online tools, interactions, threaded discussions, and class projects. Mr. Randhir

597R Watershed Science and Management (2nd sem)
Concepts in watershed systems, with integration of biotic, abiotic, and socio-economic components for conservation and management. Transdisciplinary introduction to watershed-based ecosystem management and policy. Taught in-class using computer modeling, case studies, and exercises. Mr. Randhir

597T Human Dimensions of Environmental Conservation (1st sem)
The social, behavioral, economic, and political aspects of natural resource management. Introduction to the concept of Human Dimensions, resource management as an expression of social value, and the contemporary resource management paradigm having Human Dimensions as a central component. Review of theoretical foundation. Case studies. Mr. Kittredge

597U Urban Natural Resources (1st sem, even yrs)
Mr. Bloniarz

597W Wetlands Assessment and Field Techniques (2nd sem, odd yrs)
This course offers in-depth information about Massachusetts wetland regulations, wetland classification, boundary delineation, wetland condition assessment, functional assessment, vernal pool certification, wildlife habitat evaluation, and techniques for evaluating and mitigating development impacts on wildlife habitat. Class meets 14 times over spring semester. Nine indoor lecture sessions take place during the beginning weeks of the semester; five field sessions are scheduled later in the semester.

597WR Water Resources Management and Policy (1st sem, even yrs)
Topics in water resources including institutions, law, economics, politics, infrastructure, planning, analysis, and sustainability. Case studies, lectures, and exercises on various topics from around the world. Mr. Randhir

597 Aquatic Ecology (2nd sem)
With lab. Credit, 4. Mr. Danylchuk

597AB Global Change Ecology (1st sem)
Ms. Bradley

597 Readings in GIS (1st sem, even yrs)
Credit, 2. Mr. Finn

597 Natural Resource Inventory of Local Lands (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Mr. Kittredge

597 Ecological Economics and Sustainability (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Mr. Randhir

Environmental Conservation

601 Research Concepts in Natural Resources Management (1st sem)
Introduction to the research process in the natural resources sciences. Focus on research philosophy, concepts, and design, progressing from development of hypotheses, questions and proposals, to grants and budgeting, to delivery of such research products as reports, publications, and presentations. Mr. DeStefano

604 Forest Stand Dynamics (2nd sem, odd yrs)
The applied study of forest successions, including ecological disturbances, regeneration, and development to the old-growth stage. Consideration of how silvicultural techniques are used to control stand dynamics to meet timber, wildlife habitat, and other management objectives. Mr. Kelty

621 Landscape Ecology (2nd sem, even yrs)
Introduction to the evolving discipline of landscape ecology, with emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings. Focus on ecological scaling; landscape structure; agents of landscape structure; consequences of landscape structure to populations, communities, and ecosystem processes; landscape dynamics; and landscape management. Emphasis on modeling. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology or Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, Forestry, or consent of instructor. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

691A Current Research in Environmental Conservation (both sem)
Seminar with invited outside speakers and University faculty presenting current research on topics in environmental conservation. Credit, 1. Mr. Butler

691 Communicating Science
Seminar on forms of written and oral communication in environmental conservation: the preparation of scientific papers, news articles, and conference abstracts, and the presentation of scientific papers, news interviews, and more. Credit, 1. Mr. Griffin, Mr. McGarigal

697A Conservation Biology (1st sem, odd yrs)
Seminar reviewing the ecological principles of conservation biology and strategies used to conserve biological diversity. Emphasis on ecological, community, and population processes. Topics include conservation genetics, population demography and viability analyses, and insular ecology, including edge effects, habitat fragmentation, connectivity, and reserve design. Journal articles provide case histories for examining conservation strategies. Mr. Griffin

697G Analysis of Environmental Data (1st sem)
Lecture. Introduction to the basic statistical concepts critical to the proper use and understanding of statistics in environmental conservation. Prepares students for subsequent Environmental Conservation (ECO) courses in statistical modeling. Covers foundational concepts in statistical modeling and lays out the ‘landscape’of statistical methods in environmental conservation. Required of all master’s-level ECo students. Mr. McGarigal

697H Analysis of Environmental Data (1st sem)
Lab. Optional for ECO graduate students enrolled in ECO 697G. Introduces the statistical computing language R and provides hands-on experience using R to screen and adjust data, examine deterministic functions and probability distributions, conduct classic one- and two-sample tests, utilize bootstrapping and Monte Carlo randomization procedures, and conduct stochastic simulations for ecological modeling. Co-requisite: current enrollment in ECO 697G. Credit, 2. Mr. McGarigal

697J Diadromous Fisheries Ecology and Conservation (1st sem, even yrs)
Mr. Haro

697M&N Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Conservation (2nd sem, odd yrs)
With lab. Provides natural resource scientists with a conceptual and practical working understanding of the classic multivariate statistical techniques, as well as a framework for choosing the most appropriate technique given the question of interest and the properties of the data set. Emphasis on analyzing real data sets using ordination (unconstrained and constrained), cluster analysis (nonhierarchical and hierarchical), discriminate analysis, classification and regression trees, and a variety of other nonparametric procedures. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

697P Environmental Policy and Administration (2nd sem, even yrs)
The fundamental actors and institutions in the process of public natural resource policy formation at the state, national, and international levels. Focusing on forestry, wildlife, and fisheries, the role of significant laws, resource management agencies, interest groups, and judicial decisions.

697R Predator-Prey Interactions (1st sem, even yrs)
Seminar exploring predator-prey dynamics from theoretical and empirical perspectives. Students analyze and interpret large food habits databases and lead weekly discussions on selected topics. Mr. Juanes

697S&Q Intermediate Statistics for Environmental Conservation (2nd sem)
With lab. Intermediate statistics illustrated using examples from ecology. Topics include ANOVA, linear regression (simple and multiple), correlation, logistic regression, contingency tables, and nonparametric methods. Techniques discussed in lectures and applied in laboratories. Prerequisite: ECO 697G. Credit, 4. Mr. Sievert

697T Information Technologies in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors (2nd sem)
Discussion of information technology management issues in public and non-profit organizations. Web system development, information technology planning, and relational database applications. Mr. Schweik

697U&V Urban Ecology (1st sem, odd yrs)
With lab. Current topics in urban wildlife ecology, such as altered biotic community structure, invasive species, altered trophic dynamics, urban evolutionary biology, and urban ecological theories. Other issues and topics determined by the composition of student enrollment. Credit, 4. Ms. Warren

697W Advanced Watershed Management (2nd sem, even yrs)
Seminar on the latest topics and research in watershed management. Students lead, and discuss research papers, write critical summaries, and develop a review paper on a topic. Mr. Randhir

697Z Ecological Economics and Sustainability

697AA Readings in Conservation Biology
Credit, 1. Ms. Warren

697 Land Use and Watershed Management (1st sem, odd yrs)
Mr. Barten

697RG Readings in Conservation Genetics (1st sem, even yrs)
Mr. Whiteley

697 Advanced Topics in GIS (1st sem, odd yrs)
Mr. Finn

697 Advanced Statistics for Environmental Conservation (1st sem, even yrs)
Mr. Finn

697 Federal Environmental Law and Regulation (2nd sem, even yrs)

699 Master’s Thesis
Credit, 1-10.

757 Advanced Fisheries Management
Scientific basis for modern fisheries management, emphasizing coldwater fishes, anadromous species, large reservoir and river fisheries, and conflicts of interest with other water uses. Mr. Juanes

768 Wetland Science (2nd sem, even yrs)
Wetland ecology, policy, conservation and management are the focus of this course.  An ecosystems approach to the dynamics and ecology of wetlands includes both biotic (vegetation, wildlife) and abiotic (landforms, soils, hydrology, geochemical cycling) elements, as well as interactions among them. Also covered are the legal, political and economic aspects of wetlands, wetland classification and evaluation and wetland management and conservation. Includes a weekly seminar for discussion of emerging issues in wetland science.

777 Advanced Systems Ecology (2nd sem, even yrs)
Mr. Finn

796 Independent Study

899 Doctoral Dissertation
Credit, 10.

Forest Resources

NRC 549 Ecosystem Management
The historical context and key contributing ecological concepts of ecosystem management and alternative approaches for its implementation. Prerequisite: senior or graduate status in Natural Resources Conservation or consent of instructor. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

NRC 592G Introduction to GIS for Natural Resources Management (1st sem)
Introduces students to the construction, manipulation, display, and analysis of spatial information using Geographic Information Systems. Hands-on use of ArcGIS on a PC platform. Mr. Schweik

NRC 597C Case Studies in Conservation (2nd sem)
Outside speakers from a wide variety of private and public conservation organizations present case studies in conservation and land protection. Seminar presentations supplemented by class discussion and student development of a case. Mr. Kittredge

NRC 597O Watershed Management (online course) (2nd sem)
Concepts in watershed conservation with integration of biotic, abiotic, and socioeconomic components. Transdisciplinary introduction to watershed-based ecosystem management and policy. Uses online tools, interactions, threaded discussions, and class projects. Mr. Randhir

NRC 601 Research Concepts in Natural Resource Management (1st sem)
Introduction to the research process in the natural resources sciences. Focus on research philosophy, concepts, and design, progressing from development of hypotheses, questions, and proposals, to grants and budgeting, and delivery of such research products as reports, publications, and presentations. Mr. DeStefano

NRC 621 Landscape Ecology (1st sem, odd yrs)
The evolving discipline of landscape ecology, with emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings, focusing on ecological scaling; landscape structure; agents of landscape structure; consequences of landscape structure to populations, communities, and ecosystem processes; landscape dynamics; and landscape management. Emphasis on modeling. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, Forestry, or consent of instructor. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

NRC 697B Invasion Biology
The physiological and life history characteristics of invasive species; the characteristics of habitats that affect their susceptibility to invasion; and the effects of invasion on biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

NRC 697D Social Conflict and Natural Resource Policy (1st sem)
Introduction to the social factors that influence social value formation, and how the different meanings and values ascribed to natural resources in modern society contribute to political conflicts over resource allocation and management. Develops awareness of strengths and limitations of approaches, tools, and techniques of conflict resolution in policy development. Mr. Muth

NRC 697E Human Dimensions of Resource Management (2nd sem, odd yrs)
The social, behavioral, economic, and political aspects of natural resource management. Introduction to the concept of Human Dimensions, resource management as an expression of social value, and the contemporary resource management paradigm having Human Dimensions as a central component. Review of theoretical foundation and case studies. Mr. Loomis

NRC 697M Multivariate Statistics for Natural Resources (1st sem, even yrs)
Provides natural resource scientists with a conceptual and practical working understanding of the classic multivariate statistical techniques, and a framework for choosing the most appropriate technique given the question of interest and the properties of the data set. Emphasis on ordination, discrimination analysis, cluster analysis, and canonical correlation analysis and analysis real data sets using SAS. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

NRC 697P Natural Resources Policy and Administration (2nd sem, odd yrs)
The fundamental actors and institutions in the process of public natural resources policy formation at the state, national, and international levels. Focus on forestry, wildlife, and fisheries, the role of significant laws, resources management agencies, interest groups, and judicial decisions. Mr. Muth

NRC 697S Applied Biostatistics for Natural Resources (2nd sem)
Intermediate statistics using examples from ecology. Topics include ANOVA, linear regression, contingency tables and nonparametric methods. Techniques discussed in lectures and applied in laboratories. Prerequisite: introductory statistics course. Credit, 4. Mr. Sievert

NRC 697T Information Technologies in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors (2nd sem)
Information technology management issues in public and non-profit organizations. Web system development, information technology planning, and relational database applications. Mr. Schweik

NRC 697V Watershed Science and Management (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Complex interactions between biotic, abiotic, and socioeconomic components. A transdisciplinary and systems approach to watershed-scale, ecosystem-based natural resources conservation and policy. Computer modeling, case studies, project, and presentations. Cross-listed with W&FCONSV 697V. Mr. Randhir

515 Forest Fire Management (2nd sem, even yrs)
With lab. Principles of forest fire science (fire history, weather, effects of fire on organisms and the environment, fuels). Application of fire to forest management practices. Prerequisite: FOREST 197A. Mr. Patterson

521 Timber Harvesting (2nd sem, odd yrs)
With lab. Components of timber harvesting systems; felling, bucking, primary and secondary transport. Integration of components into safe, efficient, and cost-effective harvest systems. Lab: case studies of harvest operations in the field. Mr. Kittredge

526 Silviculture (1st sem, even yrs)
Silvicultural practices used to manage forests for timber production, wildlife habitat improvement, and watershed protection. Special focus on southern New England but techniques apply to forests throughout the world. Lab involves developing silvicultural plans for project areas. Prerequisite: FOREST 212 or equivalent. Credit, 4. Mr. Kelty

528 Forest and Wetland Hydrology (1st sem)
Hydrologic structure and function of forest, wetland, and agricultural ecosystems. Changes in water flow and quality associated with land and resource use. Management approaches to prevent or reverse adverse environmental impacts. Mr. Barten

534 Forest Measurements (1st sem, odd yrs)
With lab. Quantification and assessment of resource variables, sampling theory and design of forest inventories and other resource survey techniques, field exercises in resource inventory, statistical analysis of field data. Prerequisite: introductory statistics. Credit, 4. Mr. Kelty

540 Forest Resources Management (2nd sem)
Use of forests to meet multiple objectives. Summary of forest history, policies, programs and review of traditional and contemporary forest management principles and practices. Examples, site visits and reports, interaction with practitioners and landowners, term project and presentation. Prerequisites: FOREST 526, W&FCONSV 261 or equivalents; FOREST 521 and 597 desirable. Credit, 4. Mr. Barten

577 Ecosystem Modeling and Simulation (1st sem, odd yrs)
Systems modeling and analysis used to understand the complexities of natural systems. System representations, modeling, experimentation, optimization, and policy modeling. Computer modeling using STELLA and GIS. Cross-listed with W&FCONSV 577. Mr. Randhir

587 Introduction to Digital Remote Sensing
Computer processing of digital images as a means of obtaining information about natural resources. LANDSAT images primarily used. Image processing, classification and image enhancement techniques discussed and applied. Credit, 4. Mr. Finn

597E Ecosystem Science (2nd sem, even yrs)
Studies of ecosystems focus on units of the landscape in terms of productivity, nutrient cycling, hydrology, and response to disturbance. How plant physiology, soil biology and biochemistry, and energy transformations interact to create the dynamic behavior of ecological systems. Examples focus on terrestrial landscapes and comparisions of managed and unmanaged systems. Mr. Fownes

604 Forest Stand Dynamics (2nd sem, even yrs)
The applied study of forest successions, including ecological disturbances, regeneration, and development to the old-growth stage. Consideration of how silvicultural techniques are used to control stand dynamics to meet timber, wildlife habitat, and other management objectives. Mr. Kelty

697A Forest Ecophysiology
The effects of resource availability on plant physiological processes at the leaf, plant, and stand levels. Topics include the effects of available light, water, and nutrients on leaf development, photosynthetic performance, and biomass allocation, and implications for species growth and competition in forest overstory and understory environments.

697U Urban Forest Management (2nd sem, odd yrs)
A multidisciplinary introduction to urban and community forest management. Includes a team studio project that identifies a community forest problem for which the class develops an interdisciplinary solution. Mr. Ryan, Mr. Kane

698 Practicum/Non-thesis projects
Credit, 4-6

699 Master’s Thesis
Credit, 6-10.

703 Advanced Forest Ecology (1st sem, even yrs)
Methods for describing and analyzing forest ecosystem structure; effects of environmental factors on forest ecosystems; forest ecosystem processes and development. Prerequisite: Introductory course in ecology. Mr. Patterson

792A Seminar
Weekly seminars by invited guests, faculty and graduate students. Credit, 1.

899 Doctoral Dissertation
Credit, 18.

Building Materials and Wood Technology

508 Wood Moisture Relations
Lecture, lab. The fundamentals of wood-water relations and their effects on product processing, quality, and in-service performance; includes the study of modern techniques in the drying of wood. Field trips. Prerequisite: BMATWT 201 or consent of instructor.

511 Wood Adhesives Technology
Lecture, lab. Adhesion phenomena and the properties of adhesives; principles of wood gluing, methods of testing glued products, evaluation of results; processes and means of control. Prerequisite: BMATWT 530.

512 Wood Protection
Lecture, lab. Study of materials and methods used to protect wood and wood products from decay, fire, weathering, and other agents of destruction; includes wood preservation and finishing. Prerequisites: BMATWT 201, 304.

530 Mechanics of Building Materials for Construction
With lab. Introduction to the mechanical behavior of building materials for students of construction technology and architecture. Basic structural concepts of statics and strength of materials addressed in a practical manner. Prerequisites: MATH 104 and PHYSICS 131.

538 Chemical Modification of Wood
Lecture. The chemical nature of wood, chemical modification of wood; chemistry of products used with wood; potential contribution of wood to energy and chemical needs of society. Prerequisites: BMATWT 201, 304. Mr. Hoadley

540 Design of Wood Structures
Principles for design of individual wood components including beams, columns, trusses, wood/steel connections, and sheathing. Prerequisite: BMATWT 530 or CE-ENGIN 241.

552 Building Materials Distribution and Sales Management
Marketing channels of distribution, wholesaling, retailing, channel design, measurement, and management in the building materials industry. Personal selling, designing, developing and directing the sales force, sales training, evaluating the sales force, and the strategic role of sales in the building materials organization. Prerequisite: BMATWT 352 or other introductory marketing course. Mr. Damery

696 Independent Study
Credit, 1-6.

Sustainability Science

A list of courses offered is available on the program's website  http://eco.umass.edu/degree-programs/sustainability-science/.

Wildlife and Fisheries

NRC 549 Ecosystem Management (2nd sem)
Explores the historical context and key contributing ecological concepts of ecosystem management and alternative approaches for its implementation. Prerequisite: senior or graduate status in Natural Resources Conservation or consent of instructor. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

NRC 564 Wildlife Habitat Management (1st sem)
The dynamics and management of forested, open woodland, and savanna habitats in North America and elsewhere. Topics include wildlife ecology, habitat classification, resource utilization, impacts on humans, and management techniques. Prerequisite: W&FCONSV 261. Credit, 4.  

NRC 564 Wildlife Habitat Management (online course) (2nd sem)
The dynamics and management of forested, open woodland, and savanna habitats in North America and elsewhere. Topics include wildlife ecology, habitat classification, resource utilization, impacts on humans, and management techniques. Prerequisite: W&FCONSV 261 or equivalent.  

NRC 565 Wildlife Population Dynamics and Management (1st sem)
Basic techniques and concepts of the management and population dynamics of wildlife populations; emphasis on estimating animal population parameters, development of population growth models, and principles of population management. Includes field and laboratory techniques for estimating population parameters for wildlife. Prerequisites: W&FCONSV 261, RES-ECON 211 or Introductory Statistics. Credit, 4. Mr. Griffin 

NRC 571 Fisheries Science and Management (1st sem)
Introduction to the principles of fish stock assessment, with emphasis on harvest modeling and forecasting techniques. Implications of overfishing and habitat degradation. Prerequisite: W&FCONSV 470. Credit, 4. 

NRC 577 Ecosystem Modeling and Simulation (1st sem, odd yrs)
Systems modeling and analysis used to understand the complexities of natural systems. System representations, modeling, experimentation, optimization, and policy modeling. Computer modeling using Stella and GIS. Cross-listed with FOREST 577. Mr. Randhir 

NRC 587 Digital Remote Sensing (2nd sem)
Computer processing of digital images as a means of obtaining information about natural resources. LANDSAT images primarily used. Image processing, classification, and image enhancement techniques discussed and applied. Mr. Finn 

NRC 592G Introduction to GIS for Natural Resources Management (1st sem)
Introduces students to the construction, display, and analysis of spatial information using Geographic Information Systems. Hands-on use of ArcGIS on a PC platform. Mr. Schweik  

NRC 597M Water Resources Management and Policy (1st sem, even yrs)
Concepts in water resources management through regional and global ecosystems, systems analysis and planning, water management, and conservation and policy. Mr. Randhir 

NRC 597O Watershed Management (online course) (2nd sem)
Concepts in watershed conservation, with integration of biotic, abiotic and socioeconomic components. Transdisciplinary introduction to watershed-based ecosystem management and policy. Uses online tools, interactions, threaded discussions, and class projects. Mr. Randhir

NRC 597R Watershed Science and Management (2nd sem)
Concepts in watershed systems, with integration of biotic, abiotic and socioeconomic components for conservation and management. Transdisciplinary introduction to watershed-based ecosystem management and policy. Taught in-class using computer modeling, case studies, and exercises. Mr. Randhir 

NRC 597W Wetlands Assessment and Field Techniques (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Supplemental field techniques to provide in-depth information on the Massachusetts wetlands regulatory program. Also field techniques for wetlands classification, boundary delineation, wetland plant identification, and wildlife habitat evaluation. In-class and field sessions to develop essential skills needed to conduct a wetlands environmental review as required under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Credit, 2. Mr. Griffin

NRC 597WR Water Resources Management and Policy (1st sem, even yrs)
Topics in water resources including institutions, law, economics, politics, infrastructure, planning, analysis, and sustainability. Case studies, lectures, and exercises on various topics from around the world.

ECO 601 Research Concepts in Natural Resources Management (1st sem)
Introduction to the research process in the natural resources sciences. Focus on research philosophy, concepts, and design, progressing from development of hypotheses, questions and proposals, to grants and budgeting, to delivery of such research products as reports, publications, and presentations. Mr. DeStefano

ECO 621 Landscape Ecology (1st sem, odd yrs)
Introduction to the evolving discipline of landscape ecology, with emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings. Focus on ecological scaling; landscape structure; agents of landscape structure; consequences of landscape structure to populations, communities, and ecosystem processes; landscape dynamics; and landscape management. Emphasis on modeling. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology or Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, Forestry, or consent of instructor. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

ECO 697A Conservation Biology (2nd sem, even yrs)
Seminar reviewing the ecological principles of conservation biology and strategies used to conserve biological diversity. Emphasis on ecological, community, and population processes. Topics include conservation genetics, population demography and viability analyses, and insular ecology, including edge effects, habitat fragmentation, connectivity, and reserve design. Journal articles provide case histories for examining conservation strategies. Mr. Griffin

 ECO 697D Social Conflict and Natural Resource Policy (1st sem)
Introduction to the social factors that influence social value formation, and how the different meanings and values ascribed to natural resources in modern society contribute to political conflicts over resource allocation and management. Develops awareness of strengths and limitations of approaches, tools, and techniques of conflict resolution in policy development.

ECO 697E Human Dimensions of Resource Management (2nd sem, odd yrs)
The social, behavioral, economic, and political aspects of natural resource management. Introduction to the concept of Human Dimensions, resource management as an expression of social value, and the contemporary resource management paradigm having Human Dimensions as a central component. Review of theoretical foundation, and case studies. 

ECO 697I Interpretation of Ecological Data (alt yrs)
Examines the literature to see how basic analysis tools are interpreted for common ecological problems. Examples of different types of research questions, related approaches to analyses, and use of technical knowledge of the organism and the system to try to interpret the analyses in a meaningful way. Prior statistics and ecology courses required or a willingness to do extra work to keep up.

ECO 697M Multivariate Statistics for Natural Resources (1st sem, even yrs)
Provides natural resource scientists with a conceptual and practical working understanding of the classic multivariate statistical techniques, as well as a framework for choosing the most appropriate technique given the question of interest and the properties of the data set. Emphasis on analyzing real data sets using ordination (unconstrained and constrained), cluster analysis (nonhierarchical and hierarchical), discriminate analysis, classification and regression trees, and a variety of other nonparametric procedures. Credit, 4. Mr. McGarigal

ECO 697P Natural Resources Policy and Administration (2nd sem, odd yrs)
The fundamental actors and institutions in the process of public natural resource policy formation at the state, national, and international levels. Focusing on forestry, wildlife, and fisheries, the role of significant laws, resource management agencies, interest groups, and judicial decisions. 

ECO 697R Trophic Dynamics (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Seminar exploring predator-prey dynamics from theoretical and empirical perspectives. Students analyze and interpret large food habits databases and lead weekly discussions on selected topics.

ECO 697S Applied Biostatistics for Natural Resources (2nd sem)
Intermediate statistics illustrated using examples from ecology. Topics include ANOVA, linear regression (simple and multiple), correlation, logistic regression, contingency tables, and nonparametric methods. Techniques discussed in lectures and applied in laboratories. Prerequisite: introductory statistics course. Credit, 4. Mr. Sievert

ECO 697T Information Technologies in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors (2nd sem)
Discussion of information technology management issues in public and non-profit organizations. Web system development, information technology planning, and relational database applications. Mr. Schweik

ECO 697U Urban-Suburban Wildlife Ecology and Management
Current topics in urban wildlife ecology, such as altered biotic community structure, invasive species, altered trophic dynamics, urban evolutionary biology, and urban ecological theories. Other issues and topics determined by the composition of student enrollment. Ms.Warren  

ECO 697V Urban-Suburban Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab
Credit, 1. Ms. Warren  

ECO 697W Advanced Watershed Management (2nd sem)
Seminar on the latest topics and research in watershed management. Students lead, and discuss research papers, write critical summaries, and develop a review paper on a topic. Mr. Randhir

ECO 699 Master’s Thesis
Credit, 1-10.

ECO 720 Ecological Interactions of Fishes (2nd sem, even yrs)
Overview of fish population interactions with their biological environment. Consent of instructor required. Ms. Mather

ECO 757 Advanced Fisheries Management (1st sem, odd yrs)
Scientific basis for modern fisheries management, emphasizing coldwater fishes, anadromous species, large reservoir and river fisheries, and conflicts of interest with other water uses. Mr. Juanes

ECO 758 Advanced Wildlife Research and Management (1st sem, even yrs)
A discussion course with varying current topics in wildlife management, including habitat assessment and management, migratory bird management and conservation, and suburban wildlife ecology and management. Mr. Fuller

ECO 768 Advanced Wetland Ecology (2nd sem, odd yrs)
Ecological functions and assessment of resource values of wetlands. Major wetlands of the world used as case history studies. Consent of instructor required. Mr. Griffin

ECO 791 Seminar: Communicating Science
Final presentations of research by Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation graduate students. Credit, 1. Mr. Fuller

ECO 796 Independent Study

ECO 899 Doctoral Dissertation
Credit, 10.