BS in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science
This bachelor of science program seeks to amplify the interdisciplinary relationships between climate science, earth systems, resources, environmental science, and planetary science into one major. Students will have the option to specialize in one of the three track themes:
- Climate and environmental sciences
- Geosciences
- Earth and planetary sciences
Required Courses
This major requires a total of 19 courses.
Supporting Science and Math Courses
AP credit is acceptable upon approval.
Chemistry:
- CHEM 131: Chemical Concepts, Systems, and Practices I
- CHEM 132: Chemical Concepts, Systems, and Practices II
Mathematics:
- MATH 161: Calculus IA
- MATH 162: Calculus IIA
- MATH 165: Linear Algebra with Differential Equations
Physics:
- PHYS 113 or 121: General Physics I / Mechanics
- PHYS 114 or 122: General Physics II / Electricity and Magnetism
Introductory Sequence
Both of the following courses:
- EESC 101: Introduction to Earth Science
- EESC 105: Introduction to Climate Change
Possible substitutions with approval: EESC 100, EESC 103, EESC 201 EESC 219
Tracks
Students must complete one of the following tracks.
Track: Climate and Environmental Sciences
Choose four advanced core courses:
- EESC 212: Climate Change Perspectives in Chemical Oceanography
- EESC 213(W,L): Hydrology and Water Resources
- EESC 216(L): Environmental Geochemistry
- EESC 218: Introduction to Atmospheric Geochemistry
- EESC 235: Physical Oceanography
- EESC 236(W): Physics of Climate
The following courses can be substituted for an advanced core course with the approval from advisor, please complete the course-approval-form:
- EESC 201(L): Evolution of the Earth
- EESC 211(W): Nature’s Fury
- EESC 223: Earth Surface Process: The Science of Scenery
Choose one of the following skills courses:
- EESC 214: Earth Science Data Analysis
- EESC 251: Intro to Geographic Information Systems
- CSC 161: Introduction to Programming
- STAT 180: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methodology
Choose four technical electives*:
- EESC 219: Energy and Society
- EESC 220(W): Geobiology
- EESC 232: Current Topics in Oceanography (two credits)
- EESC 233: Marine Ecosystems and Carbon Cycling Modeling
- EESC 234: Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling
- EESC 261(W): Stable Isotope Geochemistry
- EESC 262: Radioisotope Geochemistry
- EESC 265: Paleoclimate
- EESC 266: Ice Core Records of Climate and Environmental Change
- EESC 274(W): Paleoceanography and Climate Change
*Up to two 200-level courses in biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, earth and environmental sciences, or physics can be substituted for a technical elective with the approval from advisor. Students can also choose to take additional advanced core courses or closure courses as technical electives.
Choose one of the following closure courses:
- EESC 306: Atmospheric Research
- EESC 307: Advanced Seminar on Climate and Environmental Change
- EESC 312(W): Research in Ocean Biogeochemistry
- EESC 320(W): Sustainable Systems
- EESC 391(W): Independent Study
- EESC 393W(L): Senior Thesis
- EESC 394: Internship in Environmental Sciences
- EESC 395W: Independent Research
(L) will also be listed with a one-credit-hour lab component.
(W) indicates a writing course.
Track: Geosciences
This track requires 18 courses and four one-credit labs to fulfill the 19-course requirement for the BS degree. While the associated courses can be taken without the labs, students in this track must complete four labs to graduate.
Choose four of the following advanced core courses:
- EESC 201(L): Evolution of the Earth
- EESC 203(W,L): Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- EESC 204(L): Earth Materials
- EESC 212: Climate Change Perspectives in Chemical Oceanography
- EESC 216(L): Environmental Geochemistry
- EESC 218: Introduction to Atmospheric Geochemistry
- EESC 223: Earth Surface Process: The Science of Scenery
Choose one of the following skills courses:
- EESC 214: Earth Science Data Analysis
- EESC 251: Introduction to Geographic Info Systems
- CSC 161: Introduction to Programming
- STAT 180: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methodology
Choose three of the following technical electives*:
- EESC 205: Solid Earth Geophysics
- EESC 206(L): Petrology
- EESC 207(W,L): Principles of Paleontology
- EESC 208 (L): Structural Geology
- EESC 209: Intro to Geochemistry
- EESC 211(W): Nature’s Fury
- EESC 213(L): Hydrology and Water Resources
- EESC 215: Seismology and Earth Structure
- EESC 220(W): Geobiology
- EESC 224: Geomechanics
- EESC 233: Marine Ecosystems and Carbon Cycling Modeling
- EESC 234: Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling
- EESC 253: Geodynamics
- EESC 256: Paleomagnetism and Global Plate Tectonics
- EESC 261(W): Stable Isotope Geochemistry
- EESC 262: Radioisotope Geochemistry
- EESC 265: Paleoclimate
- EESC 266: Ice Core Records of Climate and Environmental Change
- EESC 274(W): Paleoceanography and Climate Change
*Up to two 200-level courses in biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, earth and environmental sciences, or physics can be substituted for a technical elective with the approval from advisor. Students can also choose to take additional closure courses as technical electives.
Choose one of the following closure courses:
- EESC 299(L): Field Experience*
- EESC 306: Atmospheric Research
- EESC 307: Advanced Seminar on Climate and Environmental Change
- EESC 312(W): Research in Ocean Biogeochemistry
- EESC 368(W): Principles of Experimental Geochemistry
- EESC 391(W): Independent Study
- EESC 393W(L): Senior Thesis
- EESC 395W: Independent Research
* With advanced approval from department advisor.
(L) will also be listed with a one-credit-hour lab component.
(W) indicates a writing course.
Track: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Choose three of the following advanced core courses:
- EESC 204(W, L): Earth Materials
- EESC 205: Solid Earth Geophysics
- EESC 209: Introduction to Geochemistry
- EESC 229: Designing your own Space Mission
- EESC 255(W): Planetary Science: Geologic Evolution and Planetary Habitability
Choose one of the following skills courses:
- EESC 214: Earth Science Data Analysis
- EESC 251: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
- CSC 161: Introduction to Programming
- STAT 180: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methodology
Choose five of the following technical electives*:
- EESC 223: Earth Surface Process: The Science of Scenery
- EESC 224: Geomechanics
- EESC 234: Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling
- EESC 253: Geodynamics
- EESC 254: Planetary Interiors
- EESC 255(W): Planetary Science: Geologic Evolution and Planetary Habitability
- EESC 256: Paleomagnetism and Global Plate Tectonics
- EESC 261: Stable Isotope Geochemistry
- EESC 263: Introduction to Thermodynamics and Kinetics
*Up to two 200-level courses in biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, earth and environmental sciences, or physics can be substituted for a technical elective with the approval from advisor. Students can also choose to take additional closure courses as technical electives.
Choose one of the following closure courses:
- EESC 299(L): Field Experience*
- EESC 368(W): Principles of Experimental Geochemistry
- EESC 391(W): Independent Study
- EESC 393W(L): Senior Thesis
- EESC 395W: Independent Research
* With advanced approval from department advisor.
(L) will also be listed with a one-credit-hour lab component.
(W) indicates a writing course.