Earth System Science, B.S.
https://www.ess.uci.edu/bachelor-science-earth-system-science
Earth System Science is an interdisciplinary field of study that combines oceanography, atmospheric science, meteorology, geography, geology, hydrology, and environmental science. ESS students gain an understanding of how individual aspects of the environment interact, including the influence of humans on this complex system.
Examples of important questions in Earth System Science include, but are not limited to, the influence of atmospheric chemistry on climate and air quality, biological controls on the chemistry of the oceans, and physical controls on atmosphere and ocean circulation.
The Earth System Science (B.S.) program provides students with a fundamental understanding of the oceanographic, atmospheric, and terrestrial sciences. This program of study prepares students for careers in science, research, or technical fields. Students learn to apply basic sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology) to understand the major processes and systems governing the Earth’s climate, biogeochemical cycles, and global change. Central to the B.S. program is an understanding of relevant scientific literature, methods to collect/analyze data, and interpret results in the context of scientific theory. Students will learn to work collaboratively to understand and address complex problems and communicate scientific knowledge.
Through the core course work, students will learn to explain the current and projected future state of the Earth system in the context of past climate change and current human activities. Once the core course work is complete, students are encouraged to focus on a particular area within Earth System Science and to choose electives that build a coherent core of knowledge. Focus areas include but are not limited to climatology, biogeochemical cycles, oceanography, hydrology, terrestrial sciences, and atmospheric sciences. Optional specializations are available in Atmospheric Science, Hydrology and Terrestrial Ecosystems, and Oceanography.
Earth System Science students are encouraged to become directly involved in research. The Department provides excellent opportunities to learn from and work with recognized experts in the field, while fulfilling degree requirements. EARTHSS 198W may satisfy Department and UCI upper-division writing requirements.
Students may be admitted to the Earth System Science major upon entering the University as freshmen, via change of major, or as transfer students from other colleges and universities. Information about change of major policies is available in the Physical Sciences Student Affairs Office and at the UCI Change of Major Criteria website. For transfer student admission, preference will be given to junior-level applicants with the highest grades overall and who have satisfactorily completed the following required courses: one year of approved calculus and one year of either general chemistry with laboratory (preferred) or one-year of calculus-based physics with laboratory.
NOTE: The major is open to all students except Environmental Science majors and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences minors.
All students must meet the University Requirements.
School Requirements: None.
Major Requirements
| A. Complete: | |
| EARTHSS 1 | Introduction to Earth System Science |
| or EARTHSS 3 | Oceanography |
| or EARTHSS 5 | The Atmosphere |
| EARTHSS 51 | Land Interactions |
| EARTHSS 53 | Ocean Biogeochemistry |
| EARTHSS 55 | Earth's Atmosphere |
| EARTHSS 114 | Earth System Science Laboratory and Field Methods |
| or EARTHSS 115 | Aquatic Field Methods |
| EARTHSS 116 | Introduction to Environmental Data Science |
| EARTHSS 192 | Careers in Earth System Science |
| MATH 2A- 2B | Single-Variable Calculus I and Single-Variable Calculus II |
| STATS 7 | Basic Statistics |
| Select one of the following sequences and accompanying labs: | |
| General Chemistry and General Chemistry and General Chemistry | |
| General Chemistry Laboratory and General Chemistry Laboratory | |
| or | |
| Honors General Chemistry and Honors General Chemistry and Honors General Chemistry | |
| Honors General Chemistry Laboratory and Honors General Chemistry Laboratory and Honors General Chemistry Laboratory | |
| Select one of the following sequences and accompanying labs: | |
| Basic Physics I and Basic Physics II and Basic Physics III | |
| Basic Physics Laboratory and Basic Physics Laboratory | |
| or | |
| Classical Physics and Classical Physics | |
| Classical Physics Laboratory | |
| B. Select seven electives from the following (at least four must be Earth System Science courses): | |
| All 4-unit upper-division EARTHSS courses except EARTHSS 114, EARTHSS 115, EARTHSS 116, and EARTHSS H198 (EARTHSS 199 or one quarter of H199A-B-C may count only once toward the elective requirement) | |
| From DNA to Organisms | |
| From Organisms to Ecosystems | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Cell, Developmental, and Molecular Biology of Plants | |
| Processes in Ecology and Evolution | |
| Marine Biology | |
| Conservation Biology | |
| Limnology and Freshwater Biology | |
| Field Freshwater Ecology | |
| Environmental Ethics | |
| Organic Chemistry | |
| Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | |
| Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | |
| Environmental Chemistry | |
| Introduction to Environmental Chemistry | |
| Water Resources Engineering | |
| Groundwater Hydrology | |
| Hydrology | |
| Fluid Mechanics of Open Channels | |
| Introduction to Thermodynamics | |
| Fluid Dynamics I | |
| Air Pollution and Control | |
| Multivariable Calculus I | |
| Introduction to Linear Algebra | |
| Elementary Differential Equations | |
| Numerical Analysis I | |
| Introduction to Partial Differential Equations and Applications I | |
| Mathematical Modeling | |
| Statistical Physics | |
| Environmental Law and Policy | |
| Water Resource Policy | |
| Environmental Governance | |
| Environmental Geology | |
| Introduction to Environmental Health Science | |
| Human Exposure to Environmental Contaminants | |
| Health and Global Environmental Change | |
| Computing Skills (one of the following may be counted toward degree): EECS 10, ENGRMAE 10, I&C SCI 31, PHYSICS 53, or an approved programming course. | |
Optional Specializations
Three optional specializations are available: Atmospheric Science, Hydrology and Terrestrial Ecosystems, and Oceanography. The specializations require the completion of at least four courses from the following lists (three science courses plus one advanced tools course).
Specialization in Atmospheric Science
| Requirements | |
| Three courses selected from the following: | |
| Atmospheric Dynamics | |
| Weather Analysis | |
| Atmospheric Chemistry | |
| Undergraduate Research (one 4-unit course focused on atmospheric research selected from EARTHSS 199, 198, H198, H199A-H199B-H199C) | |
| One advanced tools courses selected from the following: | |
| Analysis, Modeling, and Visualization of Multidimensionnal Environmental Data | |
| Fundamentals of GIS for Environmental Science | |
| Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth System Science | |
| (These courses may overlap in Major Requirements, Section B.) | |
Specialization in Hydrology and Terrestrial Ecosystems
| Requirements | |
| Three courses selected from the following: | |
| Terrestrial Hydrology | |
| Advanced Geology | |
or EARTHSS 133 | Soil: It's the Good Dirt |
| The Future of Forests | |
| Undergraduate Research (one 4-unit course focused on terrestrial research selected from EARTHSS 199, 198, H198, H199A-H199B-H199C) | |
| One advanced tools course selected from the following: | |
| Analysis, Modeling, and Visualization of Multidimensionnal Environmental Data | |
| Fundamentals of GIS for Environmental Science | |
| Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth System Science | |
| (These courses may overlap in Major Requirements, Section B.) | |
Specialization in Oceanography
| Requirements | |
| Three courses selected from the following: | |
| Physical Oceanography | |
| Marine Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry | |
| Marine Ecosystems and Global Change | |
| Microbial Biogeochemistry | |
| Undergraduate Research (one 4-unit course focused on oceanographic research selected from EARTHSS 199, 198, H198, H199A-H199B-H199C) | |
| One advanced tools course selected from the following: | |
| Analysis, Modeling, and Visualization of Multidimensionnal Environmental Data | |
| Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth System Science | |
| (These courses may overlap in Major Requirements, Section B.) | |
Sample Program — Earth System Science
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| MATH 2A | MATH 2B | STATS 7 |
| CHEM 1A | CHEM 1B | CHEM 1C- 1LC |
| EARTHSS 1 | General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective |
| Generl Education/Elective | General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| EARTHSS 51 | EARTHSS 53 | EARTHSS 55 |
| PHYSICS 3A | PHYSICS 3B- 3LB | PHYSICS 3C- 3LC |
| General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective |
| CHEM 1LD | General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| EARTHSS 114 | EARTHSS 116 | ESS Elective |
| EARTHSS 192 | Approved Elective | ESS Elective |
| General Education/Elective | General Education/Elective | Elective |
| Elective | Elective | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| ESS Elective | ESS Elective | ESS Elective |
| Approved Elective | Elective | Elective |
| Elective | Elective | Elective |
| Elective | Elective | |
Some students (particularly transfer students) take EARTHSS 51, EARTHSS 53, and EARTHSS 55 in the junior year.
Concentration in Geosciences Education with Secondary Teaching Certification
This concentration allows students pursuing the B.S. in Earth System Science to earn a bachelor's degree and complete the required course work and field experience for a California Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential at the same time. In addition to the requirements listed above, students must complete the following courses:
| CHEM 193 | Research Methods |
| or PHYSICS 193 | Research Methods |
| EARTHSS 7 | Physical Geology 1 |
| or EARTHSS 140 | Advanced Geology |
| EDUC 55 | Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science |
| EDUC 109 | Reading and Writing in Mathematics and Science |
| EDUC 143AW | Classroom Interactions I |
| EDUC 143BW | Classroom Interactions II |
| EDUC 148 | Complex Pedagogical Design |
| EDUC 158 | Student Teaching Mathematics and Science in Middle/High School (two quarters) |
| LPS 60 | The Making of Modern Science |
| PHY SCI 5 | California Teach 1: Introduction to Science and Mathematics Teaching |
| PHY SCI 105 | California Teach 2: Middle School Science and Mathematics Teaching |
| PHYSICS 20A | Introduction to Astronomy |
| or PHYSICS 20B | Cosmology: Humanity's Place in the Universe |
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EARTHSS 140 may overlap with the major requirement in section B.
With careful, early planning, it is possible for students to complete the bachelor's degree and the secondary teaching certification in four years.
For additional information about teacher certification requirements and enrollment procedures, visit the Cal Teach website. Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact the Cal Teach Resource and Advising Center or the Physical Sciences Student Affairs Office.
Sample Program – Concentration in Geosciences Education with Secondary Teaching Certification
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| MATH 2A | MATH 2B | STATS 7 |
| CHEM 1A | CHEM 1B | CHEM 1C- 1LC |
| EARTHSS 1 | PHYSICS 20A | General Education |
| Elective | PHY SCI 5 | Elective |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| EARTHSS 51 | EARTHSS 53 | EARTHSS 55 |
| PHYSICS 3A | PHYSICS 3B- 3LB | PHYSICS 3C- 3LC |
| CHEM 1LD | CHEM 193 | LPS 60 |
| PHY SCI 105 | General Education | EARTHSS 191 |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| EARTHSS 114 | EARTHSS 116 | ESS Elective |
| EDUC 55 | Approved Elective | ESS Elective |
| General Education | EDUC 143AW | EDUC 148 |
| EARTHSS 192 | Elective | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| EDUC 143BW | EDUC 109 | EDUC 158 |
| EARTHSS 140 | EDUC 158 | ESS Elective |
| General Education | ESS Elective | Approved Elective |
Earth System Science Honors Program. In the year-long honors course sequence, students admitted into the ESS Honors Program pursue research with faculty in the Department, and prepare a written thesis of their work. Visit the Earth System Science Honors Program website for more information.
Teaching Certification. Earth System Science students interested in teaching careers can earn a bachelor’s degree concurrently with a California Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential. See the Concentration in Geosciences Education with Secondary Teaching Certification section below for more information.
Some students go on to graduate school in physical sciences, engineering, or related areas. Others begin careers as research scientists in academic, public, or private institutions (may require a graduate-level degree). Options that may be available are scientist positions in the following roles: environmental policy and planning, environmental consulting, air quality monitoring and assessment, laboratory analysis, scientific research, science education, natural resource management, wildlife management, conservation and environmental protection, and water resource management.