EPS-BS - Earth and Planetary Sciences (BS)
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Program Overview
The undergraduate program in Earth and Planetary Sciences aims to provide students with a broad background in the Earth and Planetary Sciences fundamentals and the quantitative, analytical, and communications skills necessary to conduct research and think critically about questions involving the Earth and other planets. The major provides excellent preparation for graduate school and careers in geological and environmental consulting, land use planning, law, teaching, and other professions in which a background in science and an understanding of our and other planets are necessary.
Preparing for the Major
Areas of study in the Earth and Planetary Sciences:
Majoring in Earth and Planetary Sciences is an opportunity to focus on everything from the evolution of life to natural hazards, sustainable natural resources management, understanding climate change, and planetary exploration.
Below is a list of additional focuses you can explore within EPS.
Earth history and the evolution of life
Oceans and the atmosphere
Processes that shape the Earth’s landscapes
Chemistry and physics of Earth materials
Sources of water, economic minerals, metals, and fuels
Natural hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides
Contamination of Natural Waterways and Possibilities for Mitigation
Resource depletion and sustainable practices
Research & Impact
Earth and Planetary Sciences focuses on the history and structure of the Earth and other planets, the physics and chemistry of planetary materials, the processes that cycle those materials globally, and the interaction of human activities with geological processes and resources.
Below is a list of multidisciplinary areas you can explore within EPS.
Geobiology
Geochemistry & Environmental Chemistry
Geochronology & Thermochronology
Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Surface Processes
Geostatistics & Uncertainty Quantification
Mineralogy, Materials Science, and Mineral Physics
Petrology & Volcanology
Planetary Science
Sedimentary & Petroleum Geology
Structural Geology & Tectonics, Geomechanics
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
The major requires between 58 and 74 units; letter grades are required in all courses if available. Students interested in the major should consult with the Assistant Director of Student Services for information about options within the curriculum. It should also be recognized that the Earth and Planetary Sciences depend heavily on the other sciences. Any Earth and Planetary Sciences undergraduate should be looking to supplement their major coursework with Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology classes. Those outside courses are appropriate depending on the student’s background, goals, and interests and can be explored with the faculty advisor.
Students must complete six (6) courses that introduce the properties of planetary materials, the processes that change the Earth and other planets, and the timescales over which those processes act. These courses provide a broad foundational knowledge that can lead to specialization in many different geological and environmental sciences disciplines.
While these courses are not considered pre-requisites for any other courses, they must be taken at some point during each student’s program of study. SUGGESTED PREREQUISITES: MATH 19 & 20, MATH 51 or CME 100, Chem 31A & 31B, PHYSICS 20 or 40 series
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Coterminal Master of Science Degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences
The coterminal BS/MS program offers students the opportunity to pursue graduate research and an MS degree concurrently with or after their BS studies. The MS degree can be an entrance to a professional degree in subdisciplines within the Earth sciences, such as engineering geology and environmental geology, or to graduate coursework and research as an intermediate step in pursuing the PhD. Regardless of professional goals, coterminal BS/MS students are treated as members of the graduate community and are expected to meet all of the standards set for regular MS students.
University Coterminal Requirements
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this Bulletin. Coterminal Master’s Program describes university requirements for the Coterminal master’s degree. Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the master’s degree.
After accepting admission to this Coterminal master’s degree program, students may request the transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy the requirements for the master’s degree. Transferring courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case-by-case basis.
In this master’s program, courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken before the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The university requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The university also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Students select from a range of elective 100-level geoscience courses, offering exposure to diverse fields. These courses include classroom lectures, often supplemented with field and laboratory components.
Students are required to complete 24 units (18 of the units need to be from EPS). Courses such as EPS 20, EPS 30N, EPS 38N, EPS 42, EPS 40N, and EPS 45 can contribute towards fulfilling the Breadth in Discipline requirement.
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All majors must engage in hands-on research using the scientific method under faculty mentorship. Each student is required to complete six units of research guided by one or more faculty mentors. The culmination of this research is based on a research faculty advisor (e.g., reports, thesis papers, posters, presentations, etc.).
Example: Students can enroll in 4 units of EPS 192 and 2 units of EPS 197 to equal the minimum six units required for Depth in Discipline.
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Writing in the Major courses provide students with opportunities to develop writing skills in the context of their major fields. It begins the process of learning to write effectively in discipline-specific formats and styles.
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Students can fulfill their capstone experience by participating in a field study program and completing a minimum of six weeks of field research through departmental offerings. This involves learning and applying field techniques, including mapping and preparing a written report. As well as optional participation in symposiums.
Enroll in course. Month-long courses that provide students with the opportunity to collect data in the field as part of a team-based investigation of research questions or topics under the expert guidance of knowledgeable faculty and graduate students. Topics and locations vary.
May be taken multiple times for credit. Prerequisites: EPS 1, EPS 102, EPS 105. During the summer, juniors enroll in this course. Please collaborate with the Department Student Service Office regarding the location, tuition, and the overall process.
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Enroll in course. This is a self-study design capstone course principally intended for juniors and seniors in the Earth and Planetary Sciences degree program.
Students will use their geoscience background to understand and design applicable solutions for real-world problems. At the end of their capstone project, students will then present their findings in reports and oral presentations. Evaluation may include participation in SDSS departmental symposiums or assessment by non-profit specialists. All self-designed capstones need to be submitted to and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies for enrollment approval.
Work with department SSO for enrollment guidance.
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The honors program provides an opportunity for year-long independent study and research on a topic of particular interest, culminating in a written thesis. Students select research topics in consultation with the faculty advisor of their choice. Research undertaken for the honors program may be theoretical, field, experimental, or a combination of these approaches. The honors program is open to students with a GPA of at least 3.0 in all university coursework. Modest financial support is available from several sources to help defray laboratory and field expenses incurred in conjunction with honors research. Interested students must apply to the department by the end of their junior year, including a research proposal.
Upon approval of the research proposal and entrance to the program, the student’s faculty advisor assigns course credit for the honors research project and thesis preparation within the framework of course Honors Program; the student must complete nine units over the senior year.
Both a written and oral presentation of research results are required. The thesis must be read, approved, and signed by the student’s faculty advisor and a second faculty member. Additionally, honors students are required to participate in the EPS Undergraduate Symposium, a joint event with the Geophysics Department (or other approved public seminars by DUS), where they present their research to the broader community. Honors students in EPS are also eligible for the Firestone medal, awarded by Academic Advising for exceptional theses.
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To pursue honors in EPS, students should discuss research projects with the research faculty advisor in their junior year. By the end of their junior year, they must submit the EPS Honors Application and a 2–3-page research proposal to the department’s SSO for DUS approval.
Once approved for the Honors Program, students change their major to EPS-BSH via Axess. Then enroll in EPS 199 under their research faculty advisor. 9 units are required by year-end, which can be distributed throughout senior year as needed.