Degree Requirements

Earth and Environmental Sciences Studies

Career and Graduate Study Options and Outcomes. The interdisciplinary nature of the earth and environmental sciences curriculum prepares students for a variety of careers, graduate schools and professional schools such as law school. Many graduates enter employment immediately after graduation with government environmental regulatory agencies or the private sector as environmental consultants and consulting geologists. Others choose graduate school in environmental science, hydrogeology, soil science, geology and atmospheric science. Earth and environmental sciences graduates have also pursued careers in education and environmental law.

Capstone Experience. The department members recognize the variety of ways that students learn and thus offer several different ways that students can demonstrate their learning through four forms of the capstone experience. Students may choose among Environmental Internships, Research in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Research Seminar, and Field Program. The department recommends on-the-job, practical experiences for majors, particularly those interested in immediate employment in the private consulting or governmental sectors. Approved internships may include work in private industry, planning commissions, consulting firms, environmental law firms, or state and federal environmental departments.

For students who are interested in advanced training in graduate school, Research in Earth and Environmental Sciences represents a way for them to demonstrate their skills through an individual investigation in collaboration with a member of the department faculty. Students extend learning through exploration of an original problem and demonstrate their progress through a thesis and public presentation. Students have presented at regional and national scientific meetings sponsored by geology, meteorology, soil science or ecology societies.

All students are encouraged to enroll in an approved geologic or environmental field camp, which provides a field experience in which students are trained in current mapping and exploration methods. The Field Program option allows students who elect these opportunities to apply the experiences to the capstone experience requirement. Graduate schools often require these courses before enrollment, and the field-based training is extremely valuable to those seeking a professional career immediately following graduation. After the off-campus experience, students complete on-campus presentations and reflections on their learning.

Teaching Certification. The department offers certification in Earth and Space Science (Secondary Education), Environmental Education (K–12), and General Science (Secondary Education) when either the B.A. or B.S. degree is earned in combination with specific requirements from the Education Department. Additional information regarding certification in education is available in the Education requirements section of this catalog. Majors in this program must complete student teaching during their senior year, so the student teaching Capstone Experience is accepted as an alternate to the department's Capstone Experience requirement.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Degree Programs

B.A. and B.S. Degree Programs in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The department offers both B.S. and B.A. degree programs. The B.S. program is recommended for students who have made an early decision to enter the earth science and environmental science professions or to attend graduate school in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, environmental science, hydrology, atmospheric science or oceanography. The B.A. program is recommended for students who are less certain of their career objectives or who seek greater flexibility in their undergraduate tenure so they can pursue preparation for a career in education or prepare for a professional school or environmental law.

Requirements for the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences. All majors must complete the department foundation courses, a choice of emphasis courses, and the ancillary science and mathematics courses listed below. To satisfy degree requirements, courses in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences must be completed with grades of C- or higher. Students who change majors after completing EENV:102, 103, 104 or 213 may substitute that course in place of EENV:101 in the introductory sequence.

semester hours

For B.A. candidates, a minimum of 28 semester hours, including the following:

semester hours

For B.S. candidates, a minimum of 36 semester hours, including the following:

Minor in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The minor requires 20 semester hours, with grades of C- or better, from among the courses in the major. Only one of EENV:101, EENV:102, EENV:103, or EENV:104 may be used toward the minor.

Honors. Honors in earth and environmental sciences encourages and recognizes the superior academic performance in the major. To graduate with departmental honors, candidates must do the following:

• successfully complete the B.S. program requirements,
• petition the department by February 15 of their senior year,
• maintain a 3.5 GPA in the major and a 3.25 cumulative GPA, and
• submit a written scholarly report or reflective piece to the faculty and give an oral presentation at a public forum on their capstone experience.