Majors and Minor
Explore and Discover. Whether you’re interested in geology or sustainability, volcanology or climate change, watersheds or caves, we’re your academic home. This is an integrated Earth and environmental science major. A major or minor in EES is the preparation you need for a life and career in scientific research, environmental management, resource exploration, conservation, or many other fascinating and important fields. Minors or double majors in other STEM fields are encouraged.
B.A. | B.S | Minor | Honors | Declaring a Major/Minor
Majoring in Earth and Environmental Sciences
The major in Earth and environmental sciences (EES) gives students a broad-based understanding of Earth processes. Students can pursue a B.A. or B.S. degree: the B.A. prepares students for careers outside of traditional STEM research fields, including policy, education, law, advocacy, community engagement, and conservation; the B.S. prepares students for careers as Earth and environmental scientists, including entering the workforce after graduation and/or pursuing postgraduate academic work. More than half of EES majors conduct research with faculty, and the department offers the opportunity for fieldwork on all seven continents.
If you declared your major before Fall 2025, please refer to these requirements.
B.A. in Earth and Environmental Sciences
The B.A. degree in EES is designed for students who aim to build a strong, integrated earth and environmental science foundation to inform discussions and work in policy, education, law, advocacy, community engagement, conservation, finance, etc. but do not aim to work as practicing scientists. The B.A. degree is organized into six parts, with at least 36 credit hours toward the major being required.
Requirements
- EES Foundations (3+1 credit hours each) – Two introductory courses, one with a lab. Total of 7 credit hours.
- EES 1510/1510L,
- EES 1030/1030L, and/or
- EES 1081/1081L
- EES Base (4 credit hours) – Required as a prerequisite of nearly all upper level EES courses. Total of 4 credit hours.
- EES 2510: Earth Systems Through Time
- STEM Foundation (3 credit hours each) – Total of 9 credit hours.
- One course in scientific computing – CS 1101 or DS 1101
- One course in statistics – MATH 1011, DS 2100, BSCI 3270, ECON 1500 or 1501, MATH 2810, MATH 2820, MATH 2821, or SOC 2100
- One additional supporting science course – any additional course from CHEM, PHYS, ASTR, BSCI, MATH, CS, DS (excluding courses numbered 1111 and excluding BSCI 1400). Other courses from the School of Engineering may be considered, with permission from the DUS.
- EES Focus (1-4 credit hours each) – At least five classes and at least 15 credit hours, chosen from any EES course numbered 2050 or above 3000. Must also include at least two EES 4000 level courses. Total of 15-17 credit hours.
- At least eight credit hours in this category must be experiential from the following choices:
- Lab courses – EES 3220, EES 3260, EES 3280, EES 3310, EES 3330, or EES 3340
- Field based courses – EES 3865 (3-4 credit hours, or can be 1 credit hour attached to a regular EES course with permission)
- EES 3875: Community Engaged Science
- Research or internship courses – EES 3841, EES 3842, EES 3880, EES 3881, EES 4998, EES 4999
- At least eight credit hours in this category must be experiential from the following choices:
- Earth Science Communication (0-3 credit hours) – This requirement can be satisfied by courses already counting in other categories. Total of 0-3 credit hours.
- Any CSET course, any Writing Intensive (W) course from EES, CHEM, PHYS, BSCI, or one course from the following: EES 3875, EES 4233, EES 4680, EES 4996 and EES 4997, or SCED 2330.
- Senior Seminar (1 credit hour)
- EES 4961: Senior Seminar
B.S in Earth and Environmental Sciences
The B.S. degree in EES is designed to prepare students for careers as earth and environmental scientists, including entering the science workforce after graduation and/or pursuing postgraduate academic work. The B.S. degree is organized into six parts, with at least 37 credit hours toward the major being required.
Requirements
- EES Foundations (3+1 credit hours each) – One introductory courses with a lab. Total of 4 credit hours.
- EES 1510/1510L,
- EES 1030/1030L, and/or
- EES 1081/1081L
- EES Base (3-4 credit hours each) – Total of 11 credit hours.
- EES 2510, EES 2550, and one course in physical dynamics from the following: EES 2580, EES 4220, EES 4550, or EES 4650
Note that all EES physical dynamic focused courses have MATH 1100/1201/1301 and PHYS 1501/1610/1911 as prerequisites, and that CHEM 1601 is a co-requisite for EES 2550.
- STEM Electives (3 credit hours each) – Total of 9 credit hours.
- Two courses from the following: CHEM 1602 or higher, PHYS 1502/1602, PHYS 1912 or higher, MATH 2300 or higher, BSCI 1510 or higher, ASTR 2110 or higher, CS 1101 or higher, DS 1101 or higher. One of these must be quantitative or computational, so from MATH, CS, DS, or an introduction to statistics (BSCI 3270). Other courses from the School of Engineering may be considered, with permissions from the DUS.
- EES Focus (1-4 credit hours each) – At least five classes and at least 15 credit hours, chosen from any EES course numbered 2050 or above 3000. Must also include at least two EES 4000 level courses. Total of 15-17 credit hours.
- At least eight credit hours in this category must be experiential from the following choices:
- Lab courses – EES 3220, EES 3260, EES 3280, EES 3310, EES 3330, or EES 3340
- Field based courses – EES 3865 (3-4 credit hours, or can be 1 credit hour attached to a regular EES course with permission)
- EES 3875: Community Engaged Science
- Research or internship courses – EES 3841, EES 3842, EES 3880, EES 3881, EES 4998, EES 4999
- At least eight credit hours in this category must be experiential from the following choices:
- Earth Science Communication (0-3 credit hours) – This requirement can be satisfied by courses already counting in other categories. Total of 0-3 credit hours.
- Any CSET course, any Writing Intensive (W) course from EES, CHEM, PHYS, BSCI, or one course from the following: EES 3875, EES 4233, EES 4680, EES 4996 and EES 4997, or SCED 2330.
- Senior Seminar (1 credit hour)
- EES 4961: Senior Seminar
The Minor in Earth and Environmental Sciences
The Earth and Environmental Sciences minor provides students with a broad background in Earth processes, systems, and history, and an introduction to environmental issues. While the minor does not prepare students for Ph.D. study in the Earth sciences, it does provide a foundation that is highly relevant to numerous industries, such as sustainability, engineering, and land use. The minor can also add depth and specialization to degrees in fields such as anthropology, sociology, chemistry, physics, and more.
- At least five courses taken in the EES department
- The department encourages minors to choose courses that are closely aligned with their academic and professional interests, but EES 1510/1510L and 1030/1030L are highly recommended
- No more than two 1000-level courses may count toward the minor
- Two of the five courses must include a lab; one of these must be at the 2000 level or higher
- EES 3841-3842 or 3851-3852 do not count toward the minor
Honors in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Honors in Earth and Environmental Sciences provides research experience and mentoring in preparation for a career or graduate studies in the field. Working closely with a faculty adviser, students in the Honors program complete a senior-year research project of interest to both the student and faculty member.
Interested students should apply in the fall semester of their junior year. Successful applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.3 both cumulatively and in courses that count toward the EES major.
In order to graduate with Honors in Earth and Environmental Sciences, students must:
- Maintain a 3.3 grade point average both in the EES major and cumulatively
- Complete the required courses for the EES major
- Complete Senior Honors Seminar (4996, 4997) and Senior Honors Research (4998, 4999)
- Satisfactorily present the written results of their research to two EES faculty members
- Satisfactorily complete an oral defense of the thesis to EES faculty and fellow students
Declaring an EES Major or Minor
To declare a major in Earth and environmental sciences:
- Complete the Office of the Registrar’s online Undergraduate Major/Minor Declaration/Change form. If you have any questions use the Student User Guide for guidance. Make sure to list the major as “Earth and Environmental Sciences,” not “EES.”
- Email the Director of Undergraduate Studies Neil Kelley. He will help connect you with an academic adviser.
- Come to the EES office for a bunch of goodies!
Note: Incoming transfer students who listed Earth and environmental sciences as their intended major must still complete the above process to declare the major officially.