Courses
Choose from the required class list
The basics
Five courses are required for the Hydrologic Sciences PhD Degree and Graduate Certificate. The number of required courses is intentionally kept low, so that the student is free to design an overall academic program that meets his or her needs in terms of specialized scholarly interests. The five Hydrologic Sciences courses are included in the minimum semester hours required for all graduate students. The coursework is designed to assure competency in appropriate subject matter at the graduate level.
Prerequisites
All students entering the program are expected to have had taken a standard year-long sequence of courses in calculus and physics, plus upper division courses in differential equations and fluid mechanics.
The math prerequisite can be satisfied by taking APPM 2360: Introduction to Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. The fluid mechanics prerequisite can be satisfied by taking one of several courses, including CVEN 3313: Theoretical Fluid Mechanics, GEOL 5110: Geomechanics, ASTR/ATOC 5400: Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, or GEOL 5700: Sediment Transport Mechanics. These supplementary courses may count toward your overall graduate degree, but only count as prerequisites toward the graduate certificate in hydrology.
You are encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Coordinator (hydrograd@colorado.edu) about your application to the program if you have deficiencies in either of these areas. You can indicate your plan to meet these prerequisites as part of your application and this plan will be considered by the Hydrologic Sciences Steering Committee along with your planned coursework and thesis research.
Required courses
Students should choose two core courses from different topical areas as well as three additional required courses in different topical areas (which may include further core courses).
Core Courses
| Topical Area | Title | Code | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Fluid Dynamics | Introduction to Fluid Mechanics | ASTR/ 5400 | |
| Environmental Fluid Mechanics | CVEN 5313 | ||
| Groundwater Hydrology | Groundwater Hydrology | CVEN 5353 | |
| Advanced Hydrogeology and Modeling Concepts | GEOL 5080 | ||
| Snow Hydrology | Snow Hydrology | GEOG 5321 | |
| Surface Water Hydrology | Hydrology | CVEN 5333 |
Additional required courses
| Topical Area | Title | Code | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biogeochemistry | Environmental Engineering Chemistry | CVEN 5404 | |
| Advanced Aquatic Chemistry | CVEN 6404 | ||
| Aquatic Surface Particles | CVEN 6414 | Spring 2010 | |
| Watershed Biogeochemistry | GEOG 4311 | ||
| Aqueous and Environmental Geochemistry | GEOL 5280 | ||
| Global Biogeochemical Cycles | GEOL 5840 | ||
| Geomechanics | Geomechanics | GEOL 5110 | |
| Geomorphology | Glaciers and Permafrost | GEOG 5100 | |
| Fluvial Geomorphology | GEOG 5251 | Spring 2010 | |
| Sediment Transport Mechanics | GEOL 5700 | ||
| Groundwater/Surfacewater | Transport and Dispersion in Surface Water | CVEN 5343 | Spring 2010 |
| Applied Groundwater Modeling | CVEN 5383 | Spring 2010 | |
| Porous Flow and Transport | CVEN 6383 | Spring 2010 | |
| Limnology/Applied Stream Ecology | Applied Stream Ecology | CVEN 5323 | Fall 2010 |
| Stream Ecology | EBIO 5020 | ||
| Limnology | EBIO 5030 | Spring 2010 | |
| Methods/Modeling | Modeling Hydrologic Systems | CVEN 5363 | Spring 2010 |
| Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering | CVEN 5537 | ||
| GIS Programming | GEOG 5303 | Spring 2010 | |
| Oceanography | Oceanography | GEOL 5060 | Spring 2010 |
| Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology | GEOL 5430 | Spring 2010 | |
| Remote Sensing | Remote Sensing of the Environment | GEOL/ 5093 | Spring 2010 |
Image
Stonefly, Zapada haysii, common in streams with acid mine drainage in Colorado. Photo: Diane McKnight (CEAE & INSTAAR).
