Earth and Planetary Sciences Major Requirements
(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)
The Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Planetary Sciences is for undergraduates interested in the study of the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape the Earth and the other planets, drawing on the disciplines of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, hydrology, ecology, geobiology, oceanography, and atmospheric science.
Students should design a specific plan of appropriate courses in consultation with their advisor and the EPS Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). Those who wish to be majors may proceed directly to the introductory courses at the 200-level, but depending on the student’s background, it may be appropriate initially to take a freshman seminar or 100-level course designed for the non-major. Our courses provide a broad educational base in the Earth, planetary, and environmental sciences and enable exploration of a set of electives at the 300- and 400-level, depending on the area of interest.
The department requires a total of 9 credits at the 100- or 200-level and 12 credits at the 300-level or above within the department, as well as science and math foundation courses from other departments. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must earn a grade of C- or better to apply the course to the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EPS Core Courses | ||
| AS.270.224 | Oceans & Atmospheres | 3 |
| AS.270.220 | The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to Geology | 3 |
| AS.270.221 | The Dynamic Earth Laboratory | 2 |
| Other Science & Math Courses | ||
| AS.030.101 | Introductory Chemistry I | 3 |
| AS.110.106 | Calculus I (Biology and Social Sciences) | 4 |
| or AS.110.108 | Calculus I (Physical Sciences & Engineering) | |
| AS.110.107 | Calculus II (For Biological and Social Science) | 4.0 |
| or AS.110.109 | Calculus II (For Physical Sciences and Engineering) | |
| or AS.110.113 | Honors Single Variable Calculus | |
| AS.171.101 | General Physics: Physical Science Major I | 4.0 |
| or AS.171.103 | General Physics I for Biological Science Majors | |
| or AS.171.107 | General Physics for Physical Sciences Majors (AL) | |
| AS.171.102 | General Physics: Physical Science Major II | 4.0 |
| or AS.171.104 | General Physics/Biology Majors II | |
| or AS.171.108 | General Physics for Physical Science Majors (AL) | |
| EPS Elective Courses 1 | ||
| One course at the 100-level or above (1-3 credits) | 1-3 | |
| Four courses at the 300-level or above (at least 3 credits each) | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 40-42 | |
| 1 | Only one ENVS course numbered AS.271.xxx may apply towards the EPS major. |
Courses recommended to enrich the educational background of the major:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EN.553.291 | Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4 |
| EN.570.108 | Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Design | 3 |
Sample Program of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.110.108 | 4 | AS.110.109 | 4 |
| AS.270.220 | 3 | AS.270.224 | 3 |
| AS.270.221 | 2 | ||
| 9 | 7 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.171.101 | 4 | AS.171.102 | 4 |
| AS.030.101 | 3 | AS.270.1xx-2xx (or higher) | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.270.3xx-4xx | 3 | AS.270.3xx-4xx | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.270.3xx-4xx | 3 | AS.270.3xx-4xx | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Total Credits 42 | |||
Honors in EPS Major
To receive honors in Earth and Planetary Sciences, students must meet the following criteria:
- Take a challenging set of courses during the four years of study.
- Earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the major requirements.
- Complete a senior thesis (6 credits of AS.270.510 Senior Thesis taken over two semesters) at a level judged to be sufficiently high by the faculty of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
- Present the results of the thesis orally in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.