As we kick off Spring 2026, Session A brings an exciting mix of technical, field-based and policy-focused courses designed to help students build both foundational knowledge and applied skills. Thanks to MSEM’s accelerated eight-week session format, students dive deep into their coursework, meaningfully engage with faculty, and apply new tools and perspectives to real-world environmental challenges.
This session’s offerings span climate accounting and geospatial analysis, ecology of wetlands and streams, environmental health, wildfire management, remote sensing and environmental policy. Together, these courses support students pursuing concentrations in Water Management, Ecology, Energy & Climate Change and Health and Hazards, as well as those interested in earning a GIS certificate.
Each session, our course blend highlights the multifaceted nature of environmental management and seeks to provide a well-rounded, thoughtful curriculum to inform knowledgeable and balanced future environmental managers. Below is a closer look at the courses offered during Spring 2026 Session A.
GIS & Greenhouse Gas Accounting | Taught by Savanna Smith
In GIS & Greenhouse Gas Accounting, a newly-offered course taught by MSEM alumna Savanna Smith, students gain hands-on experience at the intersection of climate science, data analysis, and geospatial technology. The course introduces Python programming and ArcGIS workflows to support organizational greenhouse gas accounting, with a focus on real-world applications aligned with the GHG Protocol.
Students will learn how to calculate, analyze, and visualize Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. Coursework emphasizes practical skills such as cleaning and managing large emissions datasets, applying emissions factors, calculating CO₂ equivalents and mapping spatial patterns to identify emissions hotspots. By the end of the course, students will be capable of building customized, data-driven tools that support climate action and sustainability decision-making across sectors.
This course is especially valuable for students interested in climate mitigation, corporate sustainability, and applied GIS.
Wetland Ecology | Taught by Caitlin Crain, PhD
Wetlands are among the most productive, valuable and complex ecosystems on the planet. This course, taught by past SFEI ecologist Caitlin Crain, offers a comprehensive introduction to their ecology and management. Wetland Ecology reviews and reinforces core ecological principles as they apply to wetland systems, with a focus on both physical and biological components.
Students examine the hydrology and edaphic characteristics that shape wetland environments, as well as the unique adaptations of wetland plants and animals. The course also explores wetland management and policy frameworks, helping students understand how science informs protection, restoration and regulatory decision-making.
This course is ideal for students pursuing the Ecology or Water Management concentrations, and for anyone interested in ecosystem-based management and conservation.
Environmental Toxicology | Taught by Allison Luengen, MS, PhD
Environmental Toxicology, taught by Allison Luengen, explores how chemical pollutants affect living organisms and ecosystems, integrating concepts from chemistry, biology, ecology and public health. The course provides an overview of toxicology principles, including toxicity testing, chemical fate and transport and the biological mechanisms that drive toxic effects.
Students examine how contaminants are distributed and transformed in the environment and within organisms (toxicokinetics), and how those changes influence biological responses (toxicodynamics). The course also emphasizes the social and environmental justice dimensions of toxic exposure, recognizing that pollution burdens often fall disproportionately on disadvantaged communities.
This transdisciplinary course is a strong fit for students interested in environmental health, risk assessment, and environmental justice.
Stream and Riparian Ecology | Taught by April Randle, MS, PhD
Streams and rivers are vital connectors between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, transporting water, nutrients, sediment and chemicals across landscapes. In Stream and Riparian Ecology, taught by April Randle, students explore the physical structure and biological processes that shape stream ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The course covers geomorphic structure and function, aquatic and riparian ecology, and the impacts of human activities on stream health and downstream ecosystems. Through lectures, case studies, readings from primary literature and hands-on field work, students gain practical experience assessing stream conditions and understanding approaches to conservation, management and restoration.
This course is particularly valuable for students interested in ecology, watershed science, and ecosystem restoration.
Introduction to LiDAR | Taught by Fernanda Lopez-Ornelas, MS
Taught by Fernanda Lopez-Ornelas, Introduction to LiDAR introduces students to one of the most powerful tools in modern remote sensing, exploring the fundamentals of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology and its rapidly expanding applications across environmental science and planning.
Through hands-on lab work, students gain experience processing LiDAR data for topographic and hydrologic mapping, vegetation analysis and 3D modeling of urban infrastructure. The course emphasizes both conceptual understanding and technical skills, preparing students to apply LiDAR data in research, management and professional settings.
This weeknight course is well-suited for students seeking to complete their GIS certificate.
GIS for Wildfire Management | Taught by Ian Moore, MS
Ian Moore, Co-Director of Natural Hazards at the Spatial Informatics Group (SIG), joins us to teach this popular course. Wildfire risk continues to increase across the western United States and beyond, making strong mitigation strategies more necessary. GIS for Wildfire Management provides an in-depth look at wildfire behavior modeling and spatial risk assessment using GIS and equips students with the tools needed to support data-driven fire planning and decision-making.
Students work with industry-standard tools such as FlamMap and Farsite to model fire behavior, assess wildfire risk and evaluate landscape-scale management strategies. The course also explores protection of highly valued resources and assets, as well as the use of social and planning platforms like Planscape to support community engagement and resilience.
This course is ideal for students interested in fire ecology, land management, and applied GIS.
Environmental Policy | Taught by Stephanie Siehr, SB, PhD
Taught by Stephanie Siehr, Environmental Policy examines how societies design and implement guidelines for living in balance with the natural world during a time of rapid social and environmental change. Emphasizing systems thinking, equity, and action, the course moves beyond incremental approaches to explore transformative policy solutions.
Students analyze environmental policy processes, key actors and policy tools in the U.S. and California as well as at select local and international levels. While gaining familiarity with the current policy landscape, students are challenged to envision and develop policies that restore justice, regenerate ecosystems and address complex environmental challenges.
This course is valuable for students of all concentrations, specifically those interested in leadership governance and environmental change-making.
Spring 2026 Session A offers students a rich blend of technical, foundational and policy-driven courses that reflect the interdisciplinary nature of environmental management. We look forward to seeing how students apply these skills and perspectives throughout the semester and beyond.
