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Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Dr. Tate directs students who hold notebooks while wearing gear to work in water

Courses

The following are descriptions of courses in Earth & Environmental Sciences at Vanderbilt. Not all courses are offered every semester.

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1000-level courses | 2000-level courses | 3000-level courses | 4000-level courses

1000-Level Courses

EES 1001: COMMONS SEMINAR. Topics vary. [1] (No AXLE credit)

EES 1030: OCEANOGRAPHY. An introduction to the geology, biology, chemistry, and physics of the marine environment. [3] (MNS)

  • EES 1030L: Oceanography Laboratory. Laboratory to accompany EES 1030. Corequisite: EES1030. One three-hour laboratory per week. Satisfies the AXLE lab course requirement when completed with EES 1030. [1] (No AXLE credit)

EES 1070: VOLCANOES. Impacts on Earth and Society. How magmas form and volcanoes erupt; eruption processes and their hazards to society. Volcanic influence on human history and the evolution of the Earth. No credit for students who have earned credit for 115F section 3. [3] (MNS)

EES 1081: EARTH AND ATMOSPHERE. The science of the atmosphere: principles of weather and climate; the atmosphere as part of the Earth system; weather forecasting; hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe storms; human impacts, such as air pollution and climate change. [3] (P)

  • EES 1081L: Earth and Atmosphere Laboratory. Laboratory to accompany EES 1081. Corequisite: EES 1081. One three-hour laboratory per week. Satisfies the AXLE lab course requirement when completed with EES 1081. [1] (No AXLE credit)

EES 1140: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND CLIMATES THROUGH TIME. Biological responses to global climate and environmental change through geologic time. Causes of climate change and its impact on biodiversity, including extinction implications. Interactions between climate, environments, and the evolution of organisms, emphasizing vertebrates during the past 65 million years. [3] (MNS)

EES 1400: ICELAND’S GEOLOGY. Processes that shape Icelandic landscapes. Volcanoes, glaciers, rivers, ocean, climate. History of interaction between the environment and Icelanders. Introduction at Vanderbilt, two weeks Icelandic field experience; laboratory includes both classroom and field work. Prerequisite:  1510, 1070, or 1111. [4] (MNS)

EES 1510: THE DYNAMIC EARTH: INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Processes that have changed the earth. Relation between these processes and their products (e.g., earthquakes, minerals and rocks, mountains, oceanic features); interactions between processes affecting the solid, liquid, and gaseous components of earth; impact on humans. [3] (MNS)

  • EES 1510L The Dynamic Earth: Introduction to Geological Sciences Lab. Laboratory to accompany EES 1510. Corequisite: EES 1510. One three-hour laboratory per week. Satisfies the AXLE lab course requirement when completed with EES 1510. [1] (No AXLE credit)

2000-Level Courses

EES 2110: INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE. Science, policy, history, and causes of climate change on Earth in the last 2 million years; evidence of human impacts on climate since 1850; future climate change and its economic, social, and ecological consequences; economic, technological, and public policy responses. Not open to students who have earned credit for EES 3310 without permission. [3] (MNS)

EES 2114:  ABOVE AND BELOW THE SURFACE: THE CARIBBEAN BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM. Caribbean islands, history, tourism, and ecology. Human-environment interactions. Under water and above water ecologies; Scuba diving and environmental research. Development of interdisciplinary critical thought. Applied research. [3] (INT)

EES 2150: SCIENCE, RISK, AND POLICY. Assessment and management of deadly risks: comparison of markets, regulatory agencies, and courts for managing risks; cultural and scientific construction of risk; psychology of risk perception; case studies such as Hurricane Katrina, mad cow disease, and air pollution. [3] (P)

EES 2510: EARTH SYSTEMS THROUGH TIME. Effects of feedbacks between the geologic cycles on the lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere at diverse intervals in the Earth’s history. Present and future implications. Interpretations of evidence recorded in Earth materials. Three hours of lecture and one laboratory per week. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1020. Prerequisite: 1510 and 1510L. [4] (MNS)

EES 2550: EARTH MATERIALS. Solid materials that make up the earth: rock, soil, and sediment, with emphasis on the minerals that are their major constituents. Hand specimen, optical, and X-ray methods of description and identification. Physical and chemical processes that form and modify earth materials and the use of these materials in interpreting earth processes of the past and present. Field trips. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: 1030 and 1030L, or 1510 and 1510L. [4] (MNS)

EES 2580: EARTH SYSTEM DYNAMICS. Transport and motion in Earth’s systems. Conservation of mass, energy, and momentum over space and time. Earth’s processes that lead to and regulate the transport of these quantities. Quantifying Earth’s dynamical behavior and describing it with models. Prerequisite: 1030/1030L, 1080, or 1510/1510L. [3] (MNS)

3000-Level Courses

EES 3220: LIFE THROUGH TIME. Ecology, classification, and evolution of important groups of fossils, emphasizing invertebrates. Change in marine ecosystems through geologic time. Causes and effects of rapid evolution events and mass extinctions. Three hours of lecture and one laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: 1510, BSCI 1100, or BSCI 1510. [4] (MNS)

EES 3260: PETROLOGY. Nature, distribution, and theories of origin of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Mineralogy as a function of rockforming conditions. Laboratory emphasis on description and interpretation of rocks, using hand sample and microscope techniques. Field trips. Three lectures and one laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: 3250. [4] (MNS)

EES 3280: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY. Chemistry of Earth’s surface including the interaction of solids, liquids, and gases. Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. Natural and anthropogenic transformations in the Critical Zone. Collection and analysis of environmental samples in the field. Prerequisite 2150, 2550, or 2580. [4] (MNS)

EES 3310: GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE. Scientific principles and policy applications. Earth’s past; evidence of human impact; future climate change; and economic, social, and ecological consequences. Economic, technological, and public policy responses. Serves as repeat credit for EES 2110. Prerequisite: one of 1030, 1080, 1510, BSCI 1510, CHEM 1601, ECON 1010, ES 1401 or PHYS 1501, 1601, 1901. [4] (MNS)

EES 3330: SEDIMENTOLOGY. The origin and composition of sedimentary particles, their transportation to the site of deposition, actual deposition, and the processes involved in lithifying sediments into solid rock. Emphasis on interpretation of ancient source areas and depositional environments. Terrigenous, carbonate, and other rock types will be studied. Field trips. Three lectures and one laboratory period. No credit for graduate students in EES. Prerequisite or corequisite: 2510. [4] (MNS)

EES 3340: STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND ROCK MECHANICS. Principles of rock deformation; mechanics, fractures, folds, foliation, primary structures, applications of principles. Interactions and feedbacks between tectonics, climate, and erosion. Field trips. Two lectures and one laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: 2510. [4] (MNS)

EES 3480: MASS EXTINCTIONS. Synthesizing causes, consequences, and dynamics of past mass extinction events. Using fossil records to interpret current and future trends in biodiversity loss. No credit for students who have earned credit for 3891-02 offered spring 2017 or spring 2018. [3] (MNS)

EES 3841: DIRECTED STUDY. Readings in related fields and/or laboratory research in pursuit of a scholarly project conceived and executed under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to senior majors and graduate students or by consent of the department chair. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. May be repeated for credit more than once if there is no duplication in topic, but students may earn only up to 2 credits per semester of enrollment. [1-2] (No AXLE credit)

EES 3842: DIRECTED STUDY. Readings in related fields and/or laboratory research in pursuit of a scholarly project conceived and executed under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to senior majors and graduate students or by consent of the department chair. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. May be repeated for credit more than once if there is no duplication in topic, but students may earn only up to 2 credits per semester of enrollment. [1-2] (No AXLE credit)

EES 3851: INDEPENDENT STUDY. Readings with related field and/or laboratory research in pursuit of a scholarly project conceived and executed under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to senior majors and graduate students. Other students must have consent of department chair. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. May be repeated for credit more than once if there is no duplication in topic, but students may earn only up to 3 credits per semester of enrollment. [1-3] (No AXLE credit)

EES 3852: INDEPENDENT STUDY. Readings with related field and/or laboratory research in pursuit of a scholarly project conceived and executed under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to senior majors and graduate students. Other students must have consent of department chair. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. May be repeated for credit more than once if there is no duplication in topic, but students may earn only up to 3 credits per semester of enrollment. [1-3] (No AXLE credit)

EES 3865: FIELD INVESTIGATIONS. Content varies according to location and disciplinary focus. May be repeated for credit more than once if there is no duplication in topic. Students may enroll in more than one section of this course each semester. [3] (MNS)

EES 3880: INTERNSHIP TRAINING IN ESS. Under faculty supervision, students from any discipline can gain experience in a broad range of public and private organizations focused on work in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Credit hours earned are based upon actual work performed at the internship site. A minimum of 3 credit hours in background readings and research must be completed in 3881 concurrently with and regardless of the number of hours earned in 3880. A thorough/substantial research paper or report must be submitted at the end of the semester during which the internship is completed. These credit hours may NOT count for the EES major or minor. Normally, a 2.7 grade point average, 6 hours of prior work in EES, and prior approval of a specific plan of work by the director of undergraduate studies in EES are required. Offered on a Pass/Fail basis only and must be taken concurrently with 3881. Co-requisite: 3881. [1-9] (No AXLE credit)

EES 3881: INTERNSHIP READINGS AND RESEARCH IN EES. Under faculty supervision, students from any discipline can gain experience in a broad range of public and private organizations focused on work in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Credit hours earned are based upon readings or research supervised by EES faculty to lend some intellectual foundation to the internship experience. A minimum of 3 credit hours in background readings and research must be completed in 3881 concurrently with and regardless of the number of hours earned in 3880. A thorough/substantial research paper or report must be submitted at the end of the semester during which the internship training is completed. These credit hours may not count for the EES major or minor. Normally, a 2.7 grade point average, 6 hours of prior work in EES, and prior approval of a specific plan of work by the director of undergraduate studies in EES are required. Offered on a Pass/Fail basis only and must be taken concurrently with 3881. Co-requisite: 3880. [1-9] (No AXLE credit)

4000-Level Courses

EES 4233: CONSERVATION BIOLOGY. Ecological, evolutionary, social, and economic aspects of biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption due to human activities. Climate change, habitat fragmentation, species overexploitation, and invasive species. Sustainable development, habitat restoration, and species reintroduction. Prerequisite: 1511. [3] (MNS)

EES 4238: ECOLOGY. Population biology, evolutionary ecology, community structure, with emphasis on species interactions, including competition, predation, and symbiosis. Prerequisite: BSCI 1511. [3] (MNS)

EES 4420: GEOMORPHOLOGY. Analysis of the Earth’s landforms, their morphology, history, and the processes that form them. The building of relief and its subsequent transformation by geologic processes on hillslopes, rivers, coasts, wetlands, and glaciers. The natural history and human impacts on land forms. Field trips. Familiarity with basic physics (mechanics) is expected. Prerequisite: 1510. [3] (MNS)

EES 4440: GLACIAL GEOLOGY. Metamorphism of snow and ice; mass balance at snow and ice surfaces; and rheology of ice. Destruction and creation of landscapes by glacial movement and debris. Response of ice bodies to changes in climate; physical, chemical, and biological evidence of climate change; and methods of paleoclimate reconstruction. Glacial impacts on societies through sea-level, hazards, coastlines, and water supplies. Prerequisite: 1030 or 1080 or 1510. [3] (MNS)

EES 4550: TRANSPORT PROCESSES IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS. Principles of conservation and constitutive transport laws; classic and emerging styles of modeling natural systems. Prior study of basic calculus (functions, derivatives, integrals) and physics (mechanics) is expected. Prerequisite: senior or graduate standing with a major in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, or the School of Engineering. [3] (MNS)

EES 4600: GEOCHEMISTRY. Application of chemistry to study the distribution and cycling of elements in the crust of the earth. Includes chemical bonding and crystallization, phase rules and phase diagrams, chemical equilibria, theories on the origin of elements, earth, ocean, atmosphere, and crust. Prerequisite: 3250 and CHEM 1602. [3] (MNS)

EES 4650: PHYSICS OF THE CLIMATE SYSTEM. Physical processes affecting the climate system. Global energy balance of Earth and planets. Surface temperature and how it is regulated. Electromagnetic radiation and its interaction with atmospheric gases, clouds, and aerosols. Ocean heat storage, cloud and precipitation processes, and the impact of sea and inland ice on temperature. Processes that govern the water and carbon cycle. [3] (MNS)

EES 4680: PALEOCLIMATES. Fluctuations in Earth’s climate with an emphasis on the past 700 million years. Forcings and feedback that influence climate and drive change. Techniques used to reconstruct past climate change using marine and terrestrial geologic deposits and geochronologic methods. Prerequisite: 1510 and 2510. [3] (MNS)

EES 4750: SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS SCIENCE. A system dynamics approach to examining principles, problems, and solutions pertaining to the links among the environment, society, and economy. Components of sustainable systems. No credit for students who earned credit for 390 section 3 in spring 2010. Prerequisite: at least junior standing with a major in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, or the School of Engineering. [3] (MNS)

EES 4760: AGENT-AND INDIVIDUAL- BASED COMPUTATIONAL MODELING. Applications in natural, social, and behavioral sciences and engineering. Designing, programming, and documenting models. Using models for experiments. Examples from environmental science, ecology, economics, urban planning, and medicine. Familiarity with basic statistics and proficiency in algebra are expected. [3] (MNS)

EES 4820: PALEOECOLOGICAL METHODS. Tools used to interpret past environments and climates, including plant microfossils, pollen and phytoliths, vertebrate morphology, and dental microwear and mesowear. Geochemical tools such as stable isotopes and rare earth elements. Integrating methods for paleontological and anthropological studies, including the use of databases and meta-analyses. Readings from primary sources. Serves as repeat credit for students who completed 6891 section 4 in spring 2010. Prerequisite: 1510. [3] (MNS)

EES 4830: VOLCANIC PROCESSES. Nature, behavior, and origin of volcanoes. Magmatic processes that lead to eruptions. Eruptive processes and volcano construction. Impacts of volcanism on Earth’s surface environment. Prerequisite: 3260. [3] (MNS)

EES 4891: SPECIAL TOPICS. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit more than once by permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Students may enroll in more than one section of this course each semester. Prerequisite: 1510. [3] (No AXLE credit)

EES 4951: CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES. Interactions with professionals to learn about their personal journeys and current opportunities. Goals, knowledge, and skills to create materials and professional plans. Open only to junior EES majors and minors. [1] (No AXLE credit)

EES 4961: SENIOR SEMINAR. Integrating concepts and information from diverse fields. Offered on a graded basis only. Limited to seniors in the final semester of the major. [1] (No AXLE credit)

EES 4996: SENIOR HONORS SEMINAR I. Research methods and scientific writing and communication, including work towards senior honors project, thesis, and oral presentation. Open only to senior departmental honors candidates. Does not count toward minimum requirements for major. Corequisite: 4998 [1] (No Axle Credit)

EES 4997: SENIOR HONORS SEMINAR II. Research methods and scientific writing and communication, including work towards senior honors project, thesis, and oral presentation. Open only to senior departmental honors candidates. Does not count toward minimum requirements for major. Prerequisite: 4996, Corequisite: 4999 [1] (No AXLE Credit)

EES 4998: SENIOR HONORS RESEARCH. Independent research under faculty supervision that culminates in an oral presentation and written thesis submitted to the faculty. Open only to departmental honors candidates. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. [2] (No AXLE credit)

EES 4999: SENIOR HONORS RESEARCH. Independent research under faculty supervision that culminates in an oral presentation and written thesis submitted to the faculty. Open only to departmental honors candidates. Does not count toward minimum requirements for the major. [2] (No AXLE credit)