Earth and Planetary Science is a highly interdisciplinary concentration employing principles from physics, chemistry, and biology to understand processes on and in the Earth and other planetary bodies. Concentrators can study Earth and planetary interiors, including the formation of rocks and minerals, movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates, and mountain building and volcanism. Other areas emphasize surface processes, such as coastal erosion, formation of water resources, and desertification. This concentration is a good choice for students who seek a broad scientific understanding of the processes that shape the physical world around us.
Both A.B. and Sc.B. degrees are offered, requiring 12 and 19 courses, respectively. These degrees build skills in critical thinking, data analysis and modeling, finding solutions to complex problems, and written and oral communication. DEEPS provides a highly collaborative learning environment that emphasizes process-oriented, hands-on approaches in the classroom, in labs and on field trips. There are many opportunities for students to do paid research during the summer or academic year.
Students interested in this concentration may also wish to consider related concentrations: Earth, Climate and Biology, Geophysics and Climate Physics, and Geochemistry and Environmental Chemistry.
Note - For students still enrolled with the prior Concentration in Geological Sciences A.B., please refer to the Archived Bulletin link on left hand navigation for your requirements for the year you declared.
Standard program for the A.B. degree
This program provides a broad introduction to the geosciences. It is recommended for students seeking to combine diverse educational interests with a general understanding of Earth processes and Earth history. It is attractive for double concentrations, such as geoscience and economics as a career path to law or business, or geoscience and English as a career path to journalism or technical writing. Some course requirements may be flexible based on consultation with the concentration advisor.
| Three basic supporting science courses | ||
| CHEM 0330 | Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure (or equivalent) | 1 |
| Two courses to build quantitative skills: | 2 | |
| Single Variable Calculus, Part I (or higher) | ||
| Statistical Analysis of Biological Data | ||
or APMA 1650 | Statistical Inference I | |
| Computing Foundations: Data (or higher) | ||
| Engineering Statics and Dynamics (or higher) | ||
| Applied Ordinary Differential Equations (or higher) | ||
| Foundations of Mechanics (or higher) | ||
| Nine Concentration courses | ||
| Two of these four fundamentals courses: | 2 | |
| Understanding Earth and Environmental Processes | ||
| Geochemistry: Earth and Planetary Materials and Processes | ||
| Earth: Evolution of a Habitable Planet | ||
| Computational Approaches to Modelling and Quantitative Analysis in Natural Sciences: An Introduction | ||
| Select three of the following: | 3 | |
| Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | ||
| Mineralogy | ||
| Petrology | ||
| Structural Geology | ||
| Three additional upper level EEPS courses or an approved substitute such as a field course | 3 | |
| One additional upper level science or math course with approval from the concentration advisor. | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Standard program for the Sc.B. degree
This program is recommended for students interested in more in-depth study in geoscience, planetary science and related fields, potentially including graduate school and wide-ranging careers in these areas. Some course requirements may be flexible based on consultation with the concentration advisor.
Note - For students still enrolled with the prior Concentration in Geological Sciences Sc.B., please refer to the Archived Bulletin link on left hand navigation for your requirements for the year you declared.
| Basic supporting science courses | ||
| CHEM 0330 | Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure (or equivalent) | 1 |
| Four courses to build quantitative skills: | 4 | |
| Single Variable Calculus, Part I (or higher) | ||
| Statistical Analysis of Biological Data | ||
or APMA 1650 | Statistical Inference I | |
| Computing Foundations: Data (or higher) | ||
| Applied Ordinary Differential Equations (or higher) | ||
| Engineering Statics and Dynamics (or higher) | ||
| Foundations of Mechanics (or higher) | ||
| Computational Approaches to Modelling and Quantitative Analysis in Natural Sciences: An Introduction | ||
| Fourteen Concentration courses | ||
| EEPS 0220 | Understanding Earth and Environmental Processes | 1 |
| EEPS 0230 | Geochemistry: Earth and Planetary Materials and Processes | 1 |
| EEPS 0240 | Earth: Evolution of a Habitable Planet | 1 |
| Three of the following: | 3 | |
| Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | ||
| Mineralogy | ||
| Petrology | ||
| Structural Geology | ||
| Three additional upper level EEPS courses or an approved substitute such as a field course | 3 | |
| Four upper level science or math courses with approval from the concentration advisor | 4 | |
| EEPS 1970 | Individual Study of Geologic Problems (Senior Research Thesis) | 1 |
| Total Credits | 19 | |