The aim of this course is to enable students to understand the natural, ecological, legal, cultural, and planning dimensions of coastal areas and to gain basic knowledge and evaluation skills regarding their sustainable use and management. The course aims to help students learn key coastal concepts, recognize different coastal types and coastal ecosystems, evaluate human-induced pressures on coastal areas, and interpret the conservation-use balance and public interest approach in coastal planning through case studies.

The concept of coast and coastal areas like shoreline, coastal edge line, coast, coastal strip and continental shelf; geomorphological, ecological, and land-use-based classification of coastal areas; coastal systems such as lagoons, coastal lakes, deltas, cliffs, dunes, wetlands, and seagrass meadows; the importance of coastal ecosystems in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services; ecological functions of Posidonia oceanica meadows and wetlands; pressures on coastal areas caused by tourism, settlement, industry, transportation, fisheries, recreation, and infrastructure activities; conservation-use balance in coastal areas; the aim, scope, and basic provisions of the Coastal Law; coastal facilities and the principle of public interest; types of protected areas; integrated coastal zone management and case study examples.