2013-2014 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog (without addenda) 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2013-2014 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog (without addenda) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


A Brief Guide to Course Descriptions

Each program described in this catalog contains detailed descriptions of the courses offered within the program.

The first line gives the official course number for which students must register and the official course title. The letters indicate the discipline of the course and the first number of the official course numbers indicates the level of the course. The levels are as follows:

  • 1XXX - Freshman Level
  • 2XXX - Sophomore Level
  • 3XXX - Junior Level
  • 4XXX - Senior Level
  • 5XXX to 9XXX - Graduate level

Typically the last number of the course number indicates the number of credits. The breakdown of periods of the course is also listed.

When selecting a course for registration, the section of the course may include the following notations:

  • “LEC” - lecture section
  • “RCT” or “RC” - recitation section
  • “LAB” or “LB” - lab section

Additionally, any other letter or digit listed in the section will further identify the section and being liked to another section of the class with the same letter and/or digit combination. Further information on sections is available from academic advisers during registration periods.

The paragraph description briefly indicates the contents and coverage of the course. A detailed course syllabus may be available by request from the office of the offering department.

“Prerequisites” are courses (or their equivalents) that must be completed before registering for the described course. “Co-requisites” are courses taken concurrently with the described course.

The notation “Also listed…” indicates that the course is also given under the number shown. This means that two or more departments or programs sponsor the described course and that students may register under either number, usually the one representing the student’s major program. Classes are jointly delivered.

 

Urban Studies

  
  • URB 2053 Introduction to Urban Policy

    3 Credits
    The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the process and some of the major substantive issues in urban policy and politics in the United States, with some transnational contrasts.   These include some of the basic issues of any political system: how cities function as part of a global urban network; the structure of decisionmaking, the allocation of resources and delivery of services.

    Prerequisite(s):  
  
  • URB 2063 Introduction to Urban Planning

    3 Credits
    Introduction to Urban Planning explores planning precedents (the “big ideas”) including the City Beautiful movement, Garden Cities, Modernism, and the New Urbanism; examines contemporary planning practices including zoning, transportation-oriented development, citizen participation, affordable housing, and land preservation; and explores “planning without planners” including suburban sprawl, self-built shanty towns/slums, and historic preservation. A case study approach will be used for all concepts (including field trips to iconic planned communities in New York City).

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
  
  • URB 2113 Geographic Information Systems

    3 Credits
    Geographic Information Systems are computer systems for the storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of geographic data, that is data about features and phenomena on the surface of the earth. This course will introduce the students to GIS through hands-on computer exercises, as well as readings and lectures about cartography, tools, data, and the social impacts of GIS. GIS projects start with data and move through analysis to cartographic display. Pedagogically, we will be starting at the end moving backward to data and analysis.

    Note: Note: This course cannot be used to satisfy Humanities/Social Science requirements for majors outside of the TCS department.

  
  • URB 2223 Natural Environment of New York City

    3 Credits
    New York is one of the world’s great cities and, like others, rests on a foundation of the natural environment. The geology and geographic history of the greater New York area is discussed— from plate tectonic origins through the recent (and ongoing) Ice Age, including the formation of river systems and the port. Also considered in detail is the evolution of ecological relationships, including human, throughout this time. Other topics include the changing climate through past epochs as well as today and their impact on the modern city. Also covered are current environmental challenges, such as water supply and quality, air quality, waste disposal and global effects, including atmospheric and ocean warming.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 2233 Natural Environmental Catastrophes and Cities

    3 Credits
    Cities are extremely complex physical and human systems that can be severely disrupted by acute human-caused events such as war. However, the natural world can also have a severe impact on cities over brief intervals. This course concerns itself with four well-known phenomena that can and have influenced the development, sustainability and even the survival of cities. Meteorological catastrophes, such as hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons, are discussed in detail. Also covered are less violent but equally destructive flooding by river and ocean; earthquake damage and its relationship to population density and the permanence of towns and cities throughout history; and volcanic eruptions, which, though rare, have disrupted cities and determined their initial locations. Finally, biological catastrophes, both macro and micro, such as pestilence and infestations, are discussed.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
    Note: Notes: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 2333 Introduction to Environmental Sciences

    3 Credits
    This course addresses the basic processes, as studied by the physical, biological sciences, and behavioral that determine the nature of the physical environment and how it affects life on earth. Topics include the physical environment (Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, climate); the biological environment (biological systems, biodiversity, population dynamics, ecology) and modern environmental problems, including resource shortages (such as water and energy), diseases, soil, water and air pollution, climate change and their relationship to political and economic issues.

  
  • URB 3013 Directed Study in SUE

    3 Credits
    Directed study supervised by a faculty adviser in Humanities and Social Sciences. Students, guided by a faculty adviser, are exposed to foundational research techniques. Library research, written and oral reports are required.

    Prerequisite(s): URB 2033  or URB 2023W , and permission of SUE faculty adviser.
    Note: Does not satisfy a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 3033 Evidence-Based Design

    3 Credits
    Designers—at the product, building, neighborhood or urban level—necessarily base their work on the perceived needs and desires of users and clients. Historically, these understandings have come from past practice, close interactions with clients or designer intuition. In recent years, however, design researchers have accumulated enough information to provide an empirical base upon which to base many design decisions. This class reviews the evidence for design, particularly as it relates to well-studied settings, such as health care, corrections and neighborhood design.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 3113 Case Studies in Sustainability (Ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica)

    3 Credits
    Today, many societies are addressing whether their lifestyles and standard of living are environmentally sustainable or not. This course examines a few societies, some now much changed from what they once were, that also faced such questions. Ancient Egypt, arguably Earth’s oldest civilization, developed along the Nile River. The agricultural surpluses supported a large population and freed many from farming to be artisans, clerks, lawyers, soldiers and rulers. This course describes the rise and flourishing of ancient Egypt and its social relationships, culture and customs. It also covers the rise of Egyptian cities, warfare and empire building. In contrast, the Mayans of Central America produced a complex civilization that had declined even before Europeans arrived. Victims of resource depletion, the Maya no longer live in their great cities.The history and relationships of these two cultures to their environments illustrate the fate of civilizations based on resource availability and sustainability.

    Prerequisite(s): URB 2033  or URB 2023W .
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 3213 Cities in Developing Countries

    3 Credits
    This course will examine different facets of cities in developing countries. It will address common problems in developing urban regions, gaining an understanding of common settlement patterns and urban systems by region. It will also focus on specific issues in representative cities of the regions studied. Specific issues will include water and sanitation, health, transportation and infrastructure, historic preservation, disaster risk reduction and housing initiatives. Cases will include representative cities from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
  
  • URB 3233 Planning for Healthy Cities

    3 Credits
    This course is designed to introduce students to the role of the built environment in promoting community health, focusing on the neighborhood scale. Although urban planning and public health are closely related in their history and their goals, these fields are typically taught and practiced independantly. The course will examine health issues that can be influence by urban planning, and will explore the role of transportation, land use planning, urban design, community development, and environmental policy, to promote publich health.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
  
  • URB 3313 History and Design of Urban Parks

    3 Credits
    Today, urban parks have become an integral feature of most modern cities. This course describes the origins of urban parks—from private urban-palace gardens to the large, open “natural” public parks so critical to urban life today. The design of these parks, from formal Italian and French gardens to British Landscape gardens, is discussed. The course also examines the changing view of nature in Europe and America, from the Renaissance to the present, and how park design was influenced by this evolving view. The design was strongly influenced by the changing view of nature’s psychological, spiritual and even supposedly medical benefits, and by the need for “parks for the people” as an expression of the new democratic spirit in a changing world. This course also includes two of New York City’s most famous parks, Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements and  URB 2033  or URB 2023W .
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 3353 Urban Impact Assessment

    3 Credits
    Impact assessment is an international, interdisciplinary field of knowledge and practice for anticipating the conditions of change and managing their consequences in order to enhance everyone’s quality of life. Two phrases can describe its essence: “comprehensive and integrated” and “proactive and creative.” Urban impact assessment applies that knowledge at the urban scale, ranging from local to global. Coupled with the recent innovation of “sustainability assessment,” it aims to advance the proposition of urban sustainability. This course also explores the dimensions and proportions of that prospect by applying urban impact assessment methodology to a variety of cases at hand.

    Prerequisite(s): URB 2033  or URB 2023W .
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 3833 Special Topics in Sustainable Urban Environments

    3 Credits
    Special topics in Sustainable Urban Environments at the 3000 level, to be decided by instructor.

    Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements and URB 2033  or URB 2023W .
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 4014 Study Abroad

    4 Credits
    For SUE majors only. The study-abroad is a semester-long course at a foreign institution. Students must maintain a course-load equivalent of 12 credits during this semester.

    Prerequisite(s): Prerequisites: Junior/Senior status and permission of SUE faculty adviser.
    Note: Does not satisfy a humanities and social sciences elective.

  
  • URB 4024 Capstone Project

    4 Credits
    The capstone is a research project that presents SUE students with an opportunity to translate previous coursework into an applied research effort. This is a real-world based course in which students work in teams to identify, research, and propose solutions to a multidisciplinary urban issue, supervised by an SUE faculty member in weekly class discussions. The field research should be supported by library research and culminates in a written and oral report.

    Prerequisite(s): Senior Status, permission of SUE faculty advisor.  Note: Does not satisfy a humanities and social sciences elective.
  
  • URB 4033 Internship

    3 Credits
    Students may undertake an internship for academic credit with an appropriate private, public, or non-profit agency or firm. The internship is an opportunity to extend learning outside of the classroom into a real world setting, and to explore career options tied to the major. Students complete 140 hours at the internship site and attend occasional class meetings. The course involves completing a learning contract, regular reflections, assignments, and a final presentation.

    Prerequisite(s): IDM/SUE/STS majors only. Permission of instructor required.
  
  • URB 4443 Guided Readings in Sustainable Urban Environments

    3 Credits
    This course, supervised by faculty, covers selected problems in sustainable urban environments and involves guided reading and/or research on topics to be arranged. The course is for mature students seeking specialized independent study under tutorial guidance.

    Prerequisite(s): URB 2033  or URB 2023W .
    Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.

 

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