2020-2021 Undergraduate Course Catalog
Earth Sciences, BS
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 Return to:
Jeffrey A. Karson, Chair
204 Heroy Geology Laboratory,
315-443-2672
Faculty
Suzanne L. Baldwin, Tripti Bhattacharya, Melissa L. Chipman, Daniel Curewitz, Paul G. Fitzgerald, Gregory D. Hoke, Linda C. Ivany, Christopher Junium, Jeffrey A. Karson, Christa A. Kelleher, Laura K. Lautz, Zunli Lu, Robert Moucha, Cathryn R. Newton, Scott D. Samson, Christopher A. Scholz, Jay B. Thomas, Samuel E. Tuttle, Tao Wen
Earth Sciences provide insights into some of humanity’s deepest questions. How was the planet Earth, our lifeboat in space, formed? What are the processes that have shaped the Earth - its surface and internal structure? How has life, of which humanity is a part, evolved? Why are there earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain chains, continents, and oceans? How has the surface of the Earth changed through time? On a practical level, the study of Earth Sciences provides a basis for understanding natural hazards, assessing Earth’s climate variability and global change, predicting the migration of man-made pollutants, and exploring for the energy and mineral resources upon which society depends. The study of Earth Sciences also, uniquely, provides a perspective of time and an appreciation of the natural world that can enrich a lifetime.
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees. The bachelor of arts degree in Earth Sciences is recommended for those students who enjoy and are intellectually intrigued by the Earth Sciences but intend to pursue careers in other fields.
The bachelor of science degree is recommended for students intending to pursue a career in the Earth Sciences - either professionally or in academia. Most bachelor of science students continue on to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree, the standard entry-level professional degree in the Earth sciences, or a Ph.D. if they intend to pursue a career in academia. Two bachelor of science degree tracks are offered within the department, the B.S. in Earth Sciences, and the B.S. in Earth Sciences with focus in environmental science. The B.S. in Earth Sciences provides a strong background in basic science and geology, and through appropriate choice of electives can be tailored to meet a wide range of possible interests within the Earth Sciences. The B.S. in Earth Sciences with focus in environmental science is offered jointly with the Department of Biology and is recommended for those students specifically intending to pursue a career in the environmental arena.
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Student Learning Outcomes
1. Can explain process-based linkages among tectonics, climate, and life as illustrated by the Earth system over time; can relate general patterns in the history of the earth system using rocks and fossils
2. Can identify and describe the major rock-forming minerals and relate the origin of the three major rock types
3. Can infer depositional processes and environments from field and lab observations of sedimentary systems
4. Can describe tectonic controls in Earth’s crust and expressions of plate tectonics including faults and folds
5. Can effectively synthesize published literature related to earth science in a written report
6. Can prepare and deliver effective oral presentations
7. Can competently represent, manipulate, and interpret scientific data
Requirements for B.S. Degree in Earth Sciences
The BS degree in Earth Sciences requires at least 50 credits of Earth Science course work.
Introductory Courses (one of the following)
Core Courses in Earth Sciences
Summer Field Experience
- EAR 470 - Experience Credit (6 cr., by transfer, as approved field experience)
This requirement consists of 6 credit hours of transfer credit brought in as EAR 470. The requirement is satisfied by participation in an approved 6-week summer geological field camp, or through an alternative approved field program. The field experience is typically scheduled in the summer between junior and senior years, but completion of the requirement during the summer following graduation is also possible. Participation in the SU Abroad ‘Frontiers Abroad’ semester program in New Zealand also satisfies the field experience requirement. For enrollment in a traditional geological field camp, courses in Structural Geology and Sedimentary Geology may be required.
Department Elective Courses
24 credits of Earth Science or approved auxiliary science or mathematics courses, at least 15 of which must be upper-division Earth Science credits.
Required Ancillary Sciences and Mathematics
Any combination of Calculus I and Calculus II from the following list:
Requirements for B.S. Degree in Earth Sciences with Focus in Environmental Science
The BS degree in Earth Sciences with Focus in Environmental Science requires at least 36 credits of Earth Science course work.
Introductory Earth Science (one of the following)
Sequence course
Choose one of the following courses: Core Earth Science Courses
Upper Division Elective Courses
Select 21 credits from the following list. At least 12 credits must be in Earth Science. Appropriate substitutions may be made by petition to the Earth Sciences advisor.
Additional Available Elective Courses
Several courses in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry are also available for students in this program, as substitutes for Upper Division Electives, pending permission of the Undergraduate Advisor. These courses include but are not limited to: • EFB 415 - Ecological Biogeochemistry • FCH 515 - Methods of Environmental Chemical Analysis • EFB 452 - Principles of Chemical Control • FCH 352 - Introduction to Remote Sensing • EFB 505 - Microbial Ecology • EFB 510 - Health and Our Chemical Environment • EFB 524 - Limnology • EFB 525 - Limnology laboratory Required Senior Capstone Course 3 credits
Summer Field Experience
- EAR 470 - Experience Credit (6 cr., by transfer, as approved field experience)
This requirement consists of 6 credit hours of transfer credit brought in as EAR 470. The requirement is satisfied by participation in an approved 6-week summer geological field camp, or through an alternative approved field program. The field experience is typically scheduled in the summer between junior and senior years, but completion of the requirement during the summer following graduation is also possible. Participation in the SU Abroad ‘Frontiers Abroad’ semester program in New Zealand also satisfies the field experience requirement. For enrollment in a traditional geological field camp, courses in Structural Geology and Sedimentary Geology may be required.
Required Ancillary Sciences and Mathematics
Combination of Mathematics Courses from the following lists:
1 year General Physics (optional)
It is recommended for students interested in pursuing careers in hydrology:
Requirements For Distinction In Earth Sciences
Minimum GPA Within Department 3.6
Cumulative GPA, by End of Senior Year 3.4
Other Criteria Required for the Degree with Distinction:
Students must complete a research-based senior thesis in conjunction with a faculty supervisor. The thesis must constitute independent, hypothesis-driven research involving investigative tools and techniques in the Earth Sciences. Students must submit the written thesis to the department and give a public seminar reporting their results. Students should register for EAR 409 - Senior Thesis in Earth Science in the semester in which they plan to submit the thesis. All else being satisfied, Distinction is conferred following a vote of approval from the Faculty of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
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