Courses given by the Department of Earth System Science
| Course Code | Course Name | METU Credit | Contact (h/w) | Lab (h/w) | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESS500 | M.S. THESIS | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50.0 |
Course ContentProgram of research leading to M.Sc. degree arranged between the student and a faculty member. M.Sc. students register to this course in all semesters while the research program or write-up of thesis is in progress. Students must start registering to this course no later than the second semester of their M.S. study. | |||||
| ESS501 | THE EARTH SYSTEM | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentNear Earth Space (NES): Electromagnetic and charge output of the Sun; radiation, plasma,neutral atmosphere and magnetic environment; the atmosphere, atmospheric dynamics and circulation patterns, atmospheric chemistry. Geosphere: Principles of geological processes, The Earth`s materials, deposition in the deep oceans, lakes and rivers, geologic time scales. Hydrosphere: Fresh water over and in soil, ocean water and hydrological cycle, ocean systems, the ocean`s role in the global geochemical and biogeochemical cycling and physical/climate systems, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Biosphere: Evolution of biological diversity, terrestrial and aquatic and marine ecosystems, GAIA, Geographic ecology, global ecology, biological feedback mechanisms at global scale. Clime Change-Introduction: Introduction to climate variability and climate change. Future prospects for the Earth System. | |||||
| ESS502 | EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE: ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentInstitutional framework and issues of climate change; international context and treaties; economic concepts relevant to climate and environmental change; policy issues and options for mitigating the impact of climate change; methods of policy analysis and evolution including modeling fundamentals; model types and modeling issues. | |||||
| ESS503 | SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentTo review core concepts and history of sustainable development; to introduce student to innovative frameworks to sustainable development, including institutional analysis, common-pool resource management, and the often overlooked cultural and psychological underpinnings of environmental decision-making; to examine policy responses to environmental problems caused by economic development; to analyze social case studies and examples through the frameworks presented; to provide a forum for graduate students to present their own research interests and examples regarding sustainable development. | |||||
| ESS504 | ENVIRONMENT, SOCIETY AND TECHNOLOGY | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentThe identification, investigation and evaluation of how environment, energy and technology are inter-related and how these interactions influence societal policy formulation, implementation and evaluation at the local, regional, national, international in the context of industrial and organizational levels. | |||||
| ESS505 | GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentThe origin and history of life on Earth, life and evolution, production and fate of organic material, major biogeochemical cycles (C,N,P,O, and S) and their interactions with physical, chemical and biological components of terrestrial and aquatic systems, links between local and global cycles, biogeochemical transformations and microbial loops, aerobic and anaerobic processes, climatic forcing of biogeochemical processes, anthropogenic environmental change mediated through both perturbation of biogeochemical cycles (eutrophication, ocean carbon sequestration) and through the introduction of contaminants (toxic organic compounds, heavy metals, trace elements), reconstructing the history of environmental change using chemical markers preserved in sedimentary or biological archives. | |||||
| ESS506 | NATURE AND HUMAN USE | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentUnderstanding the natural environment and the environmental problems that the world faces. Fundamental ecological principles, human population dynamics, biodiversity, natural resources and their use, human interaction with the environment, and personal and civic responsibility, anthropogenic changes on earth that are inflected by human population rise, environmental awareness as a basis for policy making and ethical decisions. | |||||
| ESS507 | CLIMATE CHANGE AND MODELLING | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentClimate: Introduction to climate, the science of climate, elements and control of weather and climate, the nature of the atmosphere, role of oceans, the dynamics of the climate system, world pattern of climate. Climate variability: Time scales of climatic variations, long-term climate averages, annual climate variations, Earth`s evolution and paleo-climatic changes. Climate change: the Greenhouse gases and global warming, human activities and the climate change, sensitivity to external forcing, the cryosphere and records of environmental changes, ocean impacts and feedbacks, oceans and CO2 sequestration. Climate modeling: Types of data, basic laws of physics for the models, systems of differential equations, coupling atmosphere-ocean and land surface-sea ice system, physical climate modeling, and accuracy of the models. | |||||
| ESS508 | ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentConsumption, production and cost. Competitive markets and welfare. Equilibrium and efficiency under different market structures. Market failure and the Coase theorem. Cost benefits analysis in imperfect markets. Natural and renewable resource economics. Policy alternatives to address environmental issues. | |||||
| ESS509 | ENERGY POLICY AND FINANCE | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentEnergy markets, game theory and strategic interaction, imperfections and regulation. World energy markets as alternative investment areas, price movements, international trade and finance, macroeconomics impacts of energy price shocks. Renewable energy policy, evaluating energy projects and energy project financing. Policy appraisal. | |||||
| ESS590 | SEMINAR I IN ESS | 0 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 10.0 |
Course ContentPresentations of topics of general Program interest, current research activities and recent developments in the related fields by graduate students, staff members and invited speakers. M.Sc. students must register for this course at least once during their M.Sc., and M.Sc. students prepare a seminar directly related to their ongoing thesis research as part of the Earth System Science Master Program. | |||||
| ESS591 | RESEARCH METHODS AND ETHICS IN EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE | 0 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 10.0 |
Course ContentThe history of science and research , integrated framework for research, qualitative and quantitative approaches to research, study of scientific research approaches with special emphasis on Earth Systems for identification of the problems, development and application of the methods to solve these problems, data collection and analysis, visualization of the data, interpretation of the data and verification of the outputs, understanding the ethical issues in scientific research. | |||||
| ESS599 | TERM PROJECT | 0 | 0.00 | 4.00 | 20.0 |
Course ContentProject carried out under the supervision of a faculty member in a specific area of ESS. A written report is expected from students about their work. | |||||
| ESS600 | PH.D. THESIS | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 130.0 |
Course ContentProgram of research leading to Ph.D. degree arranged between the student and a faculty member. Students register to this course in all semesters while the research program or write-up thesis is in progress. Student must start registering to this course no later than the second semester of his/her Ph.D. study. | |||||
| ESS690 | SEMINAR II IN ESS | 0 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 10.0 |
Course ContentPresentations of topics of general program interest, current research activities and recent developments in the related fields by graduate students, staff members and invited speakers. Ph.D. and Ph.D.on B.S. students must register for this course at least once during their Ph.D. and Ph.D. on B.S. Students prepare a seminar directly related to their ongoing thesis research as part of the Earth System Science Doctorate Program. | |||||
| ESS709 | ENERGY FINANCE | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentFinancial markets and financial institutions are an indispensable part of the energy sector. Valuation, financial statement analysis and business organization forms have many different features for the financing of energy companies projects. This course covers a mix of topics ranging from capital market and money market instruments to project financing of energy companies. It includes both the oil and gas sector as well as the common financing problems and solutions, including the renewable sector. | |||||
| ESS710 | ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY | 3 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
Course ContentRegulation, energy policy, climate change, sustainability, environmental policy, energy markets, power, gas and oil markets, renewable energy, energy efficency, carbon markets, new technologies. | |||||