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Continuing
Education
Natural History Field Studies Program
Cosponsored with the Graduate School since 1961
Winter | Spring | Certificate Program - Required Courses | Registration
Instructor Bios | Student Profiles
Fulfill Your Dream - Become a Naturalist!
Thirty-six Natural History Field Studies courses, offered quarterly on a rotating basis, provide a unique opportunity to learn natural science from experts while exploring the ecosystems of the Central Atlantic region. Intended for the lay person and taught at the college freshman level, these evening courses are open to anyone at least 18 years old. Individual courses are useful to professional and amateurs alike in acquiring knowledge of specific subject matter and enhancing enjoyment of the out-of-doors.
The Natural History Field Studies curriculum has been designed to provide participants with a comprehensive and stimulating overview of the regions natural history and conservation issues and applications with an emphasis on learning in the field. A Certificate of Accomplishment is awarded for completion of a required curriculum of 26 credits.
Classes are offered at several locations around the Washington, DC area, including the Audubon Naturalist Societys sanctuaries in Chevy Chase, MD, and Leesburg, VA, the metro-accessible Capital Gallery in downtown DC, Brookside Gardens, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
The Natural History Field Studies program is cosponsored by the Audubon Naturalist Society and the Graduate School.
Winter Courses 2010
January 19 – April 5
Introduction to Ecology 2 credits
NATH 1160E
A fundamental understanding of ecology and the physical and biological principles on which ecosystems depend is essential for any naturalist. In this course students learn to interpret the patterns and processes of nature by studying energy flow, food webs, biogeochemical cycles, population dynamics, communities, behavioral and evolutionary ecology, biodiversity, biomes and plant/animal interactions. Prerequisite: Biology for Naturalists (NATH1110E) or another biology course is recommended.
Class Night and Time: Mondays, 6-8 pm
Course Duration: January 25-April 5
Field Trip Dates: March 13 and March 27
Location: Capital Gallery, DC
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Gary Evans
Register Online
Dr. Gary Evans is Director, Natural Resources Distance Learning Consortium, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Ph.D., Colorado State University.
Land-Use Principles 2 credits
NATH2255E
Examine the social, economic, ecological, legal and physical principles that govern land use. Apply a variety of land-use principles to land-resource use and conservation by planning the use of an actual site. Additional examples of land-use problems in the Central Atlantic region are considered. Field trips visit several sites to study typical land uses and land-use problems.
Class Night and Time: Mondays, 6-8 pm
Class meetings: January 25-April 5
Field Trip Dates: February 27, March 21
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Katherine Nelson
Register Online
Katherine Nelson is a Planner-Coordinator with the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Planning. She is a recipient of the Outstanding Award in Physical Planning. She is a certified Arborist. Masters in Planning, University of Virginia.
Wildlife Ecology 2 credits
NATH 2265E
Gain an understanding of wildlife techniques and theory, including the basics of life history, identification, population ecology, habitat management, and animal behavior. Learn how institutional missions and federal laws influence wildlife and habitat conservation, and how humans affect and are affected by wildlife in rural, suburban, and urban environments of the Mid-Atlantic region. Pressing concerns about invasive and introduced species, the effects of climate change on wildlife, and the influences of a changing economic environment will also be discussed. Previous courses such as Biology for Naturalists (NATH1110E) and Intro. to Ecology (NATH1160E), or equivalent, are recommended.
Class Night and Time: Tuesdays, 6-8 pm
Course Duration: January 19–March 23
Field Trip Dates: January 30, February 20 and March 6
Location: Capital Gallery, DC
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Kimberly Winter
Register Online
Kimberly Winter has worked as a Habitats Program Manager for the National Wildlife Federation, as an International Coordinator for the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia. PhD in Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Georgia.
Animal Behavior 2 credits
NATH 1151E
Develop your skills in ob¬serving the behavior of animals while learning the basic concepts and theories of modern ethology. Learn the physical and physiological bases for the ways animals do things and the evolutionary and ecological contexts for what they do. A field trip to the National Zoo and examples drawn from familiar animals will help you understand what you see as you learn to recog¬nize patterns of communica¬tion, aggres¬sion, social behavior and species interactions.
Class Night and Time: Tuesdays, 7-9 pm
Course Duration: January 19-March 23
Field Trip Dates: February 13, March 13
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Jane Huff
Register Online
Dr. Jane Huff is a natural science educator and former Director of Education for the
Audubon Naturalist Society. She is a recipient of the Graduate School Faculty
Excellence Award. Ph.D., Michigan State University.
Winter Woody Plant Identification 2 credits

NATH 1146E
Winter unmasks nature, revealing our local woody plants in their most skeletal form. Students will learn to identify trees and shrubs by studying the “bare bones” of plants – branching structure, bark, buds, and leaf scars. Classroom lessons and three field trips will help students develop observational skills such as persistent and fallen fruits and leaves, aromatic twigs, and habitat.
Class Night and Time: Wednesdays, 6-8 pm
Course Duration: January 13–March 17
Field Trip Dates: Jan. 23, Feb. 6, Feb. 20
Location: Capital Gallery, DC
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Elizabeth Rives
Register Online
Elizabeth Rives teaches tree selection for Arlington-Alexandria's tree steward training class. She has conducted tree identification surveys, advised on tree care and maintenance, and researched native flora. B.A., University of Virginia.
Conservation Philosophy 2 credits
NATH 2250E
Learn the history of conservation in America. Discover the importance of worldwide environmental history for today’s conservation problems. Study the development of conservation ethics and issues. Read, discuss, and report on the classic books of conservation literature. Trace the evolution of conservation concepts from Henry David Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh through John Wesley Powell and John Muir to Rachel Carson and E. O. Wilson. Explore the relationships between attitudes toward nature and environmental action.
Class Night and Time: Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm
Course Duration: January 20-March 31
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Kent Minichiello
Register Online
Dr. Kent Minichiello is co-editor of From the Blue Ridge to Barrier Island: An Audubon Naturalist Reader, Johns Hopkins Press, 1997. He is a recipient of the Graduate School, USDA Directors Award. Ph.D., George Washington University.
Introduction to Ornithology 2 credits
NATH 1118E
Learn about birds and their special characteristics. Study their external and internal anatomy, feather structure, plumage, special adaptations, flight, migration, courtship, mating, nesting, eggs, incubation, care of the young, habitats, ecology, behavior, conservation, evolution, classification, distribution, worldwide birds and bird-related activities. Three field trips emphasize field identification, bird song and other behavior.
Class Night and Time: Thursdays, 7-9 pm
Course Duration: January 21-April 1
Field Trip Dates: February 6, March 6, March 27 (all day)
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Don Messersmith
Register Online
Dr. Donald Messersmith is a retired professor of entomology at the University of Maryland and leads international birding trips. Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Spring Courses
April 8 – June 16
Spring Birding 1 credit
NATH 1187E
Bird migration is one of nature’s most mysterious and impressive spectacles. Learn more about this annual phenomenon through a combination of class and field study. Topics covered include bird migration patterns, navigation techniques, important staging areas, and migration monitoring. Songs of local migrants and breeders will be covered. Special emphasis is placed on conservation issues that impact North American migrants.
Class night and time: Mondays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: April 12-May 10
Field Trip Dates: TBA
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $259
Instructor: Gemma Radko
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH1187E
Gemma Radko is the Communications/Media Manager for the American Bird Conservancy. She completed MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) training through the Institute for Bird Populations in1998. A licensed bird bander, she has operated the MAPS station at Adventure in Potomac, MD since 2000. B.A., Allegheny College.
Freshwater Ecosystems 2 credits
NATH 2207E
Learn about lakes, rivers and wetlands. Study the physical characteristics of freshwater habitats and how they shape aquatic communities. Visit different freshwater ecosystems and become familiar with the organisms that inhabit them. Discussions will focus on pollution and other human impacts to aquatic systems.
Class night and time: Tuesdays, 6-8 pm
Class meetings: April 13-June 15
Field Trip Dates: May 1, May 15, May 29
Location: Capital Gallery, DC
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Doug Redmond
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH2207E
Doug Redmond is a Principal Natural Resources Specialist/Aquatic Ecologist with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. MS (Marine - Estuarine Environmental Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park.
Biology for Naturalists 2 credits
NATH 1110E
Explore basic biological principles and theories with hands-on examples drawn from the natural world around us. Understand the classification and adaptations of organisms as we explore living things. Outdoor activities and field trips will help you develop the naturalist's way of seeing. This course is recommended background for other courses in the Natural History Field Studies Certificate program.
Class night and time: Tuesdays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: April 13-June 15
Field Trip Dates: May 8, June 12
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Jane Huff
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH1110E
Dr. Jane Huff is a natural science educator and former Director of Education for the
Audubon Naturalist Society. She is a recipient of the Graduate School Faculty
Excellence Award. Ph.D., Michigan State University.
Birds of North America 2 credits
NATH 1167E
Study the bird families found in all parts of North America north of Mexico. Learn about North American fossil birds; the origins of our bird families; and the conservation of North American birds. The course will focus on classifications, species, and distribution patterns. Preserved bird specimens will be on display for students’ examination. Field trips will foster knowledge of habitats and identification. Prerequisites: Introduction to Ornithology (NATH1118E) or a basic knowledge of birds is recommended.
Class night and time: Tuesdays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: April 13-June 15
Field Trip Dates: April 24, May 22, June 5
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Don Messersmith
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH1167E
Dr. Donald Messersmith is a retired professor of entomology at the University of Maryland and leads international birding trips. Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
The Living Soil 2 credits
NATH1175E
Knowledge of soils is basic to understanding plant communities and ecosystems. Examine the nature of soils and their influence on environment. Learn the structure, properties and the classification of soils and the significance of these factors to plant growth and other uses. Discover life in the soil, and study the soil groups and natural land resource areas of the Central Atlantic region. Previous courses in climate and biology are helpful.
Class night and time: Wednesdays, 6-8 pm
Class meetings: April 14-June 16
Field Trip Dates: TBA
Location: Capital Gallery, DC
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Katherine Nelson
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH1175E
Katherine Nelson is a Planner-Coordinator with the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Planning. She is a recipient of the Outstanding Award in Physical Planning. She is a certified Arborist. Masters in Planning, University of Virginia.
Reptiles & Amphibians (TENTATIVE) 2 credits
NATH 2276E
The course is an introduction to identification, life cycles and ecology of common reptiles and amphibians in Northern Virginia. Emphasis is placed upon the diversity of local herpetological fauna. Reptile and amphibian systematics will be reviewed and behavior, populations, ecology, and species preservation will also be discussed.
Class night and time: Thursdays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: April 15-June 17
Field Trip Dates: April 24, May 1, May 15, June 5
Location: Oakton High School, VA
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Liam McGranaghan
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH2276E
Liam McGranaghan teaches Biology at Northern Virginia Community College and Loudon Valley High School. M.S., George Mason University.
Spring Flower Identification 2 credits
NATH 1135E
Learn to recognize common spring wildflowers. Increase your enjoyment of the season by learning about flower identification, the relationships of plants, and how they are classified. Gain an appreciation for the rich flora of the Central Atlantic region through study of the principal spring-blooming plant families in the area. Field trips emphasize practice in recognizing diagnostic characteristics and in using identification keys. The field trips feature some of the area's best wildflower locations.
Class night and time: Thursdays, 7-9:15 pm
Class meetings: April 8-June 3
Field Trip Dates: TBA
Location: Woodend Sanctuary, MD
Tuition: $355
Instructor: Cris Fleming
To Register Online: http://graduateschool.edu/course_details.php?cid=NATH1135E
Cristol Fleming is a former regional ecologist for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program. She is a recipient of the Graduate School, USDA Faculty Excellence Award. BA., Bennington College.
Registration
for these classes can be completed:
- online at www.graduateschool.edu
- by phone at 202-314-3320 or toll free at 888-744-GRAD
- by FAX at 866-FAX-GRAD or 202-475-6843
- by mail:
Registrars Office
Suite 120
600 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 2004
- in person at the Registrars office, 8 am-7 pm, Mon.-Fri.
Bookshop Open!
On the first night of classes held at Woodend, our Sanctuary Shop will be open for a half hour prior toclass for students to buy books and other items. A special 20% discount will be offered to field studies students. We usually carry textbooks for classes, but call to confirm (301-652-3606).
The Natural History Field Studies program is jointly sponsored by the Audubon Naturalist Society and the Graduate School.
Natural History Field Studies Certificate Program
This certificate program consists of 26 total required credits, taken in five subject areas.
For more information on certificate courses offered, please contact the certificate counselor at 202-314-3320 or certificates@graduateschool.edu.
REQUIRED COURSES (complete 26 credits):
Basic Studies (complete 6 credits):
| Course Title |
Course Code |
Credits |
Term |
Comments |
| Biology for Naturalists |
NATH1110E |
2 |
Sp |
|
| Geology |
NATH1125E |
2 |
F |
|
| The Living Soil |
NATH1175E |
2 |
Sp |
|
| Weather and Climate |
NATH1140E |
2 |
Sp, F |
First Fall class in 2010 |
Identification Courses
(complete 6 credits to include 2 plant and 2 animal credits):
(complete 6 credits to include 2 plant and 2 animal credits):
| Course Title |
Course Code |
Credits |
Term |
Comments |
| Fall Woody Plant Identification |
NATH1145E |
2 |
F |
|
| Ferns and Fern Allies |
NATH1138E |
2 |
Su |
Seeking instructor |
| Fish Ecology and Identification |
NATH2278E |
2
|
Su |
Seeking instructor |
| Insect Life |
NATH1130E |
2 |
Su |
|
| Introduction to Ornithology |
NATH1118E |
2 |
W |
|
| Mammals |
NATH2290E |
2 |
W |
Seeking instructor |
| Reptiles and Amphibians |
NATH2276E |
2 |
Sp |
Next offered in 2010 |
| Spring Flower Identification |
NATH1135E |
2 |
Sp |
|
| Winter Woody Plant Identification |
NATH1146E |
2 |
W |
Next offered in 2010 |
Ecosystems (complete 6 credits):
| Course Title |
Course Code |
Credits |
Term |
Comments |
| Introduction to Ecology |
NATH1160E |
2 |
F, W |
Taught twice a year |
| Eastern Forest Ecosystems |
NATH2215E |
2 |
F |
|
| Estuarine Ecosystems |
NATH2206E |
2 |
F |
|
| Freshwater Ecosystems |
NATH2207E |
2 |
Sp |
|
| Wetland Ecosystems |
NATH2211E |
2 |
Su |
|
Conservation (complete 4 credits):
| Course Title |
Course Code |
Credits |
Term |
Comments |
| Conservation Philosophy |
NATH2250E |
2 |
W |
Next offered 2010 |
| Land-Use Principles |
NATH2255E |
2 |
W |
|
| Human Ecology |
NATH2280E |
2 |
W |
Alternates with Animal Behavior |
Electives (complete 4 credits):
| Course Title |
Course Code |
Credits |
Term |
Comments |
| American Nature Literature |
NATH2248E |
2 |
W |
Next offered 2010; Alternates with Conservation Philosophy |
| Animal Behavior |
NATH1151E |
2 |
W |
Next offered 2010; Alternates with Human Ecology |
| Bird Life |
NATH1115E |
2 |
F |
Next offered 2010 |
| Birds of Prey |
NATH1155E |
2 |
F |
Taught in alternate years; Not currently scheduled |
| Birds of North America |
NATH1167E |
2 |
|
Not currently scheduled |
| Birds of the World |
NATH1195E |
2 |
F |
|
| Butterflies |
NATH2275E |
2 |
Su |
|
| Evolution |
NATH2201E |
1 |
Su |
|
| Grasses |
NATH2225E |
2 |
Su |
Alternates with Mushroom ID; Next offered 2010 |
| Invasives |
NATH2219E |
1 |
Sp |
Not currently scheduled |
| Mushroom Identification |
NATH2230E |
1 |
Su |
Next offered in 2010 |
| Oceanography |
NATH2310E |
2 |
Sp |
Next offered in 2011 |
| Owls |
NATH1165E |
1 |
F |
Taught in alternate years |
| Spring Birding |
NATH1187E |
1 |
Sp |
New in 2009! |
| Summer Wildflower Identification |
NATH1149E
|
1 |
Su |
|
| Wildlife Ecology |
NATH2265E
|
2 |
W |
Next offered in 2010 |
OR any course in above categories not otherwise used to fulfill requirements.
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