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This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

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Bachelor of Science in Earth Systems

The B.S. in Earth Systems (EARTHSYS) requires the completion of at least 87 units that can be divided into three levels of courses. The student must complete a series of courses comprising a broad base of specialized study which includes the Earth Systems core, as well as track-specific requirements and electives. Finally, the student must carry out a senior-level research or internship project and participate in the Senior Seminar, as well as the writing in the major (WIM) requirement.

REQUIRED CORE

Subject and Catalog Number

Units

EARTHSYS 10. Introduction to Earth Systems

4

EARTHSYS 111. Biology and Global Change

4

EARTHSYS 112. Human Society and Environmental Change

4

EARTHSYS 210A, B, C, or D. Senior Seminar

3

EARTHSYS 260. Internship

9

REQUIRED FOUNDATION AND BREADTH COURSES

Biology (any one course below):

BIO 41. Genetics, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology

5

or BIO 43. Plant Biology, Evolution, and Ecology

5

or BIOHOPK 43. Plant Biology, Evolution, and Ecology

5

or BIO 101. Ecology

3

or EARTHSYS 5. Ecology for Everyone

4

or HUMBIO 2A,B. Genetics, Evolution and Ecology; Culture Evolution, and Society

10

Chemistry:

CHEM 31A. Chemical Principles I

4

CHEM 31B. Chemical Principles II

4

or CHEM 31X. Chemical Principles

4

Economics:

ECON 1A. Elementary Microeconomics

5

Geological and Environmental Sciences:

GES 1A, B, or C. Fundamentals of Geology

4-5

or EESS 2. Earth System History

3

Mathematics:

MATH 19. Calculus

3

MATH 20. Calculus

3

MATH 21. Calculus

4

or MATH 41. Calculus

5

MATH 42. Calculus

5

MATH 51. Linear Equations and Differential Calculus of

Several Variables

5

Probability and Statistics (any one course below):

BIOHOPK 174H. Experimental Design and Probability

3

BIO 141. Biostatistics (Same as STATS 141)

4

ECON 102A. Introduction to Statistical Methods for Social Scientists

5

EESS 160. Statistical Methods for Earth and Environmental Sciences

4

EESS 161. Geostatistics

4

STATS 60. Introduction to Statistical Methods

5

STATS 110. Statistical Methods in Engineering
and Physical Sciences

4

STATS 116. Theory of Probability

3-5

Physics:

See individual track requirements

3-8

More extensive work in mathematics and physics may be valuable for those planning graduate study. Graduate study in ecology and evolutionary biology and in economics requires familiarity with differential equations, linear algebra, and stochastic processes. Graduate study in geology, oceanography, and geophysics may require more physics and chemistry. Students should consult their adviser for recommendations beyond the requirements specified above.

TRACKS

ANTHROSPHERE

Additional foundation and breadth courses:

ECON 50. Economic Analysis

5

ECON 155. Environmental Economics and Policy

5

One physics class from the PHYSICS 20 or 40 series or EARTHSYS 70 (seek advice from Program leadership)

3-4

Choose one course in each of the three following sub-categories, with a total of six required. At least one of the six must be a skills class marked with an asterisk (*).

Economics and Environmental Policy:

ECON 51. Economic Analysis II

5

ECON 102B. Introduction to Econometrics*

5

ECON 150. Economic Policy Analysis

5

ECON 154. Economics of Legal Rules and Institutions

5

EARTHSYS 147. Controlling Climate Change in the 21st Century

3

EARTHSYS 175. The California Coast: Science, Policy, and Law

3-4

MS&E 197. Ethics and Public Policy

5

MS&E 243. Energy and Environmental Policy Analysis

3

MS&E 248. Economics of Natural Resources

3-4

MS&E 294. Climate Policy Analysis

3

MS&E 295. Energy Policy Analysis

3

Social Entrepreneurship and the Environment:

CEE 151. Negotiation

3

ENGR 231. Transformative Design

3-5

GSBGEN 339. Environmental Innovation, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship

4

MS&E 180. Organizational Behavior: Evidence in Action

3-4

MS&E 264. Sustainable Product Development and Manufacturing

3

MS&E 277. Creativity and Innovation

4

MS&E 288. Creating Infectious Action

3-4

ME 206A. Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability

4

ME 221. Green Design Strategies and Metrics

2

ME 222. Design for Sustainability

2-3

ME 377. Design Thinking Bootcamp

3-4

URBANST 132. Concepts and Analytical Skills for the Social Sector*

4

URBANST 133. Social Entrepreneurship Collaboratory

4

Sustainable Development:

ANTHRO 115A. Environmental Crises and State Collapse

3

ANTHRO 161. Human Behavioral Ecology

3-5

ANTHRO 162. Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Problems

3-5

ANTHRO 343. Culture as Commodity

5

ANTHRO 349. Anthropology of Capitalism

5

BIO 102. Demography: Health, Development, Environment

3

CEE 124. Sustainable Development Studio (must be taken for at least 3 units)

1-5

EARTHSYS 142A. Negotiating Sustainable Development

3

ECON 52. Economic Analysis III*

5

ECON 106. World Food Economy*

5

ECON 118. The Economics of Development

5

HUMBIO 118. Theory of Environmental and Ecological Anthropology

5

MS&E 491. Clean Energy Development

3

POLISCI 140. Political Economy of Development

5

POLISCI 143. Nongovernmental Organizations and Development in Poor Countries

5

POLISCI 337T. Designing Liberation Technology

3-4

URBANST 163. Land Use Control

4

BIOSPHERE

Additional foundation and breadth courses:

BIO 41. Genetics, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology

5

BIO 43. Plant Biology, Evolution, and Ecology

5

or BIOHOPK 43. Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution

5

or EARTHSYS 5. Ecology for Everyone

4

CHEM 33. Structure and Reactivity

4

PHYSICS 41. Mechanics

4

or EARTHSYS 70. How the Earth Works: Physics for Earth and Environmental Scientists

3

Biogeochemistry (choose one):

BIO 216. Terrestrial Biogeochemistry

3

EESS 143. Marine Biogeochemistry

3-4

EESS 155. Science of Soils

4

Conservation Biology (choose one):

BIO 137. Plant Genetics

3-4

BIOHOPK 173H. Marine Conservation Biology

3

HUMBIO 112. Conservation Biology

4

Ecology (choose two):

BIO 101. Ecology

3

BIO 125. Ecosystems of California

3

BIO 136. Evolutionary Paleobiology

4

BIO 145. Behavioral Ecology

4

BIO 164. Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions

4

GES 123. Invertebrate Paleobiology

4

Ecosystems and Society (choose one):

ANTHRO 115A. Environmental Crises and State Collapse: Lessons from the Past

3

ANTHRO 162. Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Problems

3-5

ANTHRO 165. Parks and Peoples: The Benefits and Costs of Protected Area Conservation

5

ANTHRO 166. Political Ecology of Tropical Land Use

3-5

HUMBIO 111. Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change

3

HUMBIO 114. Environmental Change and Emerging Infectious Diseases

3-5

HUMBIO 118. Theory of Ecological and Environmental Anthropology

5

ENERGY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Additional foundation and breadth courses:

PHYSICS 43. Electricity and Magnetism

4

PHYSICS 45. Light and Heat

4

Energy Resources and Technology:

CEE 176A. Energy Efficient Buildings

3-4

CEE 176B. Electric Power: Renewables and Efficiency

3-4

EARTHSYS 101. Energy and the Environment

3

Choose one of the following:

 

CEE 172P. Distributed Generation and Grid Integration of Renewables

3-4

CEE 215. Goals and Methods of Sustainable Building Projects

3

CEE 226. Life Cycle Assessment for Complex Systems

3-4

EARTHSYS 102. Renewable Energy Sources and Greener Energy Processes

3

EARTHSYS 103. Energy Resources

4-5

ENERGY 104. Transition to Sustainable Energy Systems

3

ENERGY 153. Carbon Capture and Sequestration

3-4

MS&E 491. Clean Energy Development

3

Energy Fundamentals:

ENGR 30. Engineering Thermodynamics

3

Energy Policy (Choose one):

EARTHSYS 147. Controlling Climate Change in the 21st Century

3

MS&E 243. Energy and Environmental Policy Analysis

3

MS&E 294. Climate Policy Analysis

3

MS&E 295. Energy Policy Analysis

3

LAND SYSTEMS

Additional foundation and breadth courses:

EARTHSYS 144. Fundamentals of GIS

4

PHYSICS 45. Light and Heat

4

Choose six courses, with at least one from each grouping:

Land:

BIO 125. Ecosystems of California

3

BIO 144. Conservation Biology

3-4

EARTHSYS 143J. Climate Change in the West: A History of the Future

5

ECON 106. World Food Economy

5

EESS 155. Science of Soils

4

HISTORY 254. Popular Culture and American Nature

5

Water:

CEE 101B. Mechanics of Fluids

4

CEE 166A. Watersheds and Wetlands

3

CEE 166B. Floods and Droughts, Dams and Aqueducts

3

CEE 171. Environmental Planning Methods

3

CEE 177. Aquatic Chemistry and Biology

4

CEE 265D. Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries

3

EARTHSYS 104. The Water Course

3

GES 130. Soil Physics and Hydrology

3

Urban:

CEE 115. Goals and Methods of Sustainable Building Projects

3

CEE 124. Sustainable Development Studio

3-5

CEE 176A. Energy Efficient Buildings

3-4

URBANST 110. Introduction to Urban Studies

4

URBANST 113. Introduction to Urban Design

5

URBANST 163. Land Use Control

4

URBANST 165. Sustainable Urban and Regional Transportation Planning

4-5

OCEANS

Additional foundation and breadth courses:

EESS 8. The Oceans: An Introduction to the Marine Environment

3

PHYSICS 41. Mechanics

4

or EARTHSYS 70. How the Earth Works: Physics for Earth and Environmental Scientists

3

PHYSICS 45. Light and Heat

4

Physics of the Sea:

CEE 164. Introduction to Physical Oceanography

4

Biological Oceanography (choose one):

BIOHOPK 163H. Oceanic Biology

4

EESS 143. Marine Biogeochemistry

3-4

Remote Sensing of the Ocean (choose one):

EESS 141. Remote Sensing of the Ocean

4

EARTHSYS 144. Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science (GIS)

4

Additional Requirement (choose one):

EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE TRACK

A tailored interdisciplinary course of study constructed under the guidance of Program Directors and the faculty adviser. See Associate Director of Academics for additional information.

UPPER-DIVISION ELECTIVES

Two to three additional courses at the 100-level or above are required. Electives allow students to personalize their curriculum by pursuing higher-level courses offered in their focus area, or by incorporating new academic perspectives. Each must be a minimum of three units and approved by an adviser.

SUMMARY OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND UNITS

Earth Systems Introduction and Core

12

Required allied courses

41-62

TRACKS

Anthrosphere

18-29

Biosphere

15-22

Energy Science and Technology

18-22

Land Systems

18-29

Oceans

10-12

Upper-division electives

6-15

Senior research or internship

9

Senior Seminar

3

Total units (depending on track, electives)

87-125

HONORS PROGRAM

The Earth Systems honors program provides students with an opportunity to pursue individual research within a specific area or between areas of Earth Systems through a year-long mentored research project. This research must be mentored by one or more Earth Systems-affiliated faculty members and culminates in a written thesis.

To be admitted to the honors program, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.4 in Earth Systems course work. Potential honors students should complete the EARTHSYS 111 and EARTHSYS 112 sequence by the end of the junior year. Qualified students can apply in Spring Quarter (due by the 3rd Friday of the quarter) of the junior year, or the fourth quarter before graduation, by submitting a detailed research proposal and a brief statement of support from a faculty research adviser. Students who elect to do an honors thesis should begin planning no later than Winter Quarter of the junior year.

A maximum of 9 units is awarded for thesis research through EARTHSYS 199. Those 9 units may not substitute for any other required parts of the Earth Systems curriculum. All theses are evaluated for acceptance by the thesis faculty adviser and one additional member of the Earth Systems Committee of the Whole.

Honors students are encouraged to present their research through the School of Earth Sciences Annual Research Review, which highlights undergraduate and graduate research in the school during the annual visit of the School of Earth Sciences external Advisory Board. Faculty advisers are encouraged to sponsor presentation of student research results at professional society meetings.

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