Majors in the Earth & Environmental Sciences Program

NOTE: Any student who matriculated in, or after, the Fall of 2018, is eligible to graduate with an EESC degree.

There are three possible paths to the bachelor's degree in Earth & Environmental Sciences: a Bachelor of Science in anticipation of advanced study in the Earth Science or a Bachelor of Science in anticipation of advanced study in Environmental Science, or a Bachelor of Arts in the Earth Science for those who seek a less specialized course of study. Earning a B.A. degree does not preclude a professional career in the Earth Science, although admission to some graduate programs may require completion of additional science and mathematics courses.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS BELOW:

1. Bachelor of Arts in Earth Science (10 four-credit courses + 1 one-credit course)
(a) Students must take one (1) Introductory Course:
100-Level EESC Course
(B) Students must take the following three (3) EESC Foundation Courses:
EESC 200
Environmental Geology
EESC 210
Historical Geology
EESC 211
Rocks, Minerals & Soils
(c) Students must take at least three (3) of the following Earth Science Core Electives:
EESC 300
Geomorphology
EESC 308
Biodiversity Through Time
EESC 311
Structural Geology
EESC 312
Petrology and Volcanology
EESC 314
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy
(d) Students must take three (3) additional Earth Science Electives (200-level or above). One Earth Science elective can be replaced by a natural science cognate course (see section 2e).
(e) Students must take EESC 380: Senior Seminar (1 credit) in their senior year. (EESC 380 is open to all sophomore, junior and senior EESC students.)
2. Bachelor of Science in Earth Science (14 four-credit courses + 1 one-credit course + Field Course)
(a) Students must take one (1) Introductory Course:
100-Level EESC Course
(b) Students must take the following three (3) EESC Foundation Courses:
EESC 200
Environmental Geology
EESC 210
Historical Geology
EESC 211
Rocks, Minerals & Soils
(c) Students must take at least three (3) of the following Earth Science Core Electives:
EESC 300
Geomorphology
EESC 308
Biodiversity Through Time
EESC 311
Structural Geology
EESC 312
Petrology and Volcanology
EESC 314
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy
(d) Students must take three (3) additional Earth Science Electives (200-level or above).
(e) Students must take four (4) Natural Science Cognate Courses:
BIOL 210
Molecular Biology and Unicellular Life
BIOL 220
Multicellular Life
BIOL 230
Ecology and Evolution
CHEM 131
Atoms and Molecules: Structure and Dynamics
CHEM 132
Organic Structure and Reactivity
CS 111
Discovering Computer Science: Scientific Data and Dynamics (Students may use CS 111 or DA 101 to fulfill a cognate requirement, but not both.)
DA 101
Introduction to Data Analytics (Students may use CS 111 or DA 101 to fulfill a cognate requirement, but not both.)
MATH 135
Single Variable Calculus
MATH 145
Multi-variable Calculus
MATH 220
Applied Statistics
PHYS 121
General Physics I
PHYS 122
General Physics II
(f) Students must take EESC 380: Senior Seminar (1 credit) in their senior year. (EESC 380 is open to all sophomore, junior and senior EESC students.)
(g) Students must take EESC 400: Field Course EESC 400: Field Course, also known as “Field Camp,” is a four to six credit course taught at other institutions, generally during the summer
3. Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (14 four-credit courses + 1 one-credit course)
(a) Students must take one (1) Introductory Course:
100-Level EESC Course or ENVS 102: Science and the Environment
(b) Students must take the following three (3) EESC Foundation Courses:
EESC 200
Environmental Geology
EESC 210
Historical Geology
EESC 211
Rocks, Minerals & Soils
(c) Students must take the two (2) Environmental Science Core Courses:
BIOL 230
Ecology and Evolution
CHEM 131
Atoms and Molecules: Structure and Dynamics
(d) Students must take three (3) of the following Environmental Science Core Electives:
EESC 234
Applied GIS for Earth and Environmental Sciences
or ENVS 222
& ENVS 223
 Geographic Information Systems I
and Geographic Information Systems II
EESC 240
Earth Resources
EESC 270
Oceanography
EESC 300
Geomorphology
EESC 308
Biodiversity Through Time
EESC 310
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
EESC 313
Environmental Hydrology
EESC 314
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy
EESC 333
Stable Isotopes in the Environment
(e) Students must complete a five (5) course Environmental Science Concentration (ESC). Developed in consultation with a member of the EESC faculty or a departmentally approved affiliate, the ESC must include four (4) Environmental Science Electives and one (1) Human Environment Elective selected from the approved list (see below ). One semester of Senior Research may be substituted for a single science elective. The ESC must be approved by the EESC faculty no later than the end of the sophomore year.
Environmental Science Electives
BIOL 210
Molecular Biology and Unicellular Life
BIOL 220
Multicellular Life
BIOL 321
Plant Ecology
CHEM 132
Organic Structure and Reactivity
CHEM 212
Environmental Chemistry
CHEM 331
Intermediate Analytical Chemistry
CS 111
Discovering Computer Science: Scientific Data and Dynamics (Students may use CS 111 or DA 101 to fulfill a cognate requirement, but not both.)
DA 101
Introduction to Data Analytics (Students may use CS 111 or DA 101 to fulfill a cognate requirement, but not both.)
ENVS 215
Renewable Energy Systems
ENVS 274
Ecosystem Management
ENVS 310
Wetland Ecology
MATH 200
Topics in Mathematics
Human Environment Electives
ANSO 224
Human Origins and Prehistory
ECON 202
Microecon Analysis Lec
ENVS 236
Political Ecology
ENVS 240
Environmental Politics and Decision Making
ENVS 284
Environmental Planning and Design
ENVS 334
Sustainable Agriculture
PHIL 210
Philosophy of Science
PHIL 260
Environmental Philosophy
(f) Students must take EESC 380: Senior Seminar (1 credit) in their senior year. (EESC 380 is open to all sophomore, junior and senior EESC students.)
(g) Environmental Field Camp is recommended but not required.

Students who want to pursue graduate study in the Earth & Environmental Sciences are strongly encouraged to take additional math and science courses beyond this minimum requirement.

Both B.S. and B.A. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam, administered early in the second semester of the senior year.

Note that most upper level EESC courses are offered in alternate years. Therefore careful schedule planning is important, especially if one pursues a semester of off-campus study.

Minor in Earth & Environmental Sciences 

(6 four-credit courses)

(a) Students must take one (1) Introductory Course:
100-Level EESC Course
(b) Students must take the following three (3) EESC Foundation Courses:
EESC 200Environmental Geology
EESC 210Historical Geology
EESC 211Rocks, Minerals & Soils
(c) Students must take two (2) Additional EESC courses at the 200-level or above.

Additional Points of Interest

Earth & Environmental Sciences has a long tradition of field trips during the fall and spring semester.  Recent trips include Hawaii, coastal Maine, Arizona & Utah, the Bahamas, Death Valley, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Adirondacks.  

Abundant student research opportunities are available, including working with faculty in the field or laboratory.  Student employment opportunities within the department include working as teaching and laboratory assistants, and assisting in developing and maintaining departmental collections.

The C.L. Herrick Geological Society is an active, student-run organization, which coordinates guest lectures and social events throughout the academic year.