(3 credits)Prerequisites:GEOL 1040 or 1050 or CHEM 1110 or CHEM 1120 or GEOG 1110 or GEOG 1120 or ASTR 1010 or ASTR 1020 or consent of instructor. Natural hazards include ground shaking from earthquakes, ash fall from volcanic eruptions, floods, and high winds and storm surge from hurricanes, etc. The cost of these and other hazards in terms of monetary losses and number of fatalities continues to escalate on a world scale. This course examines the characteristics of natural hazards; how to reduce their impacts through mitigation; preparedness, response, and recovery activities; effective warning systems; and the social, psychological, and political factors that influence risk and resilience.