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  2. GENED 1158

Water and the Environment
GENED 1158

Course Information

Description

How does the water cycle change us, and how do we change it?

What do landslides in Brazil, droughts in California, mass migration in Syria and the collapse of Mayan civilization all have in common? Water. This course introduces students to the terrestrial water cycle: how it works, how humans manipulate it, and how it manipulates us. Students will learn about the major components of the terrestrial water cycle, including precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff and streamflow, and saturated and unsaturated subsurface flow. We will also learn about the causes and consequences of natural hazards associated with the water cycle -- including floods, landslides and droughts – and examine several case studies, with a focus on human impacts. The course will consider how the water cycle has contributed to the demise of past civilizations, and explore implications for modern society in a warming world.

Class Notes

This course is part of the Gen Ed lottery and has an enrollment cap. To participate in the lottery, you must request permission to enroll by submitting a petition and ranking your choices through my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EST Monday, November 9, 2026. 

  • Note: You must rank your course choices to participate in the lottery--even if you choose only one course. 

The Gen Ed lottery will run Tuesday, November 10. If you are successful in the lottery, it will say “Petition Approved” in green above the course in your Crimson Cart. You will have until 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday, November 12, to select “enroll” and claim your seat. After that time, enrollment will open up to non-lottery petitioners. 

For instructions on how to participate in the lottery, please visit: https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=c3e857c9db7d4bc4a752f1a51d96190e 

For more information on the Gen Ed lottery specifically, please visit: https://gened.college.harvard.edu/courses/registration-and-lottery/

School Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Course Component Lecture
Grading Basis FAS Letter Graded
Course Requirements Course open to Undergraduate Students Only
General Education Science and Technology in Society
Quantitative Reasoning with Data N/A
Divisional Distribution None
Course Level Primarily for Undergraduate Students