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Undergraduate 2017-2018

Earth Sciences B.S. – Environmental Earth Sciences Emphasis

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: William H. Hoyt, Ph.D., Department Chair

Location: Ross Hall 3235

Telephone: 970.351.2647

Website: esci.unco.edu

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

Assigned advisor is available through the Ursa login; ursa.unco.edu; under Student tab Academic Profile channel and is term specific. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Core (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

The multidisciplinary Environmental Earth Sciences emphasis is intended for individuals who wish to pursue careers with responsibilities that include environmental monitoring, regulation or management. Students may prepare for entry-level positions in the environmental industry or governmental agencies, or for graduate education in such fields as resource management, environmental public policy and environmental law. The program also is well suited for anyone with a serious interest in the scientific aspect of environmental issues.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Requirements:

  • The course of study for this major, including both required and elective courses, must total at least 60 credits and must be developed in consultation with and be approved by the student's academic advisor.
  • At least one half of the credits in AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET and OCN courses must be numbered 300 or above. No more than 8 credits of AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET and OCN courses numbered below 200 may be counted toward the major.
  • Science and mathematics courses approved for the Liberal Arts Core that are taken as part of this major may also be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core requirements.
  • A 2.0 grade point average in the courses taken as part of this major is required for graduation. (Secondary Teaching Emphasis: a 2.5 GPA is required in all major courses.)
  • In accordance with University Policies, coursework earned more than 10 years prior to the date of matriculation to UNC may not be used to satisfy any major or minor requirements.  Any exception to this policy is at the discretion of the academic program.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

Degree Requirements

1. Required Specified LAC — 26 credits

LAC area 1b. Intermediate Composition

SCI 291Scientific Writing

3

LAC area 2. Mathematics

MATH 131Calculus I

4

STAT 150Introduction to Statistical Analysis

3

LAC area 5a. Economic and Political Systems

ECON 205Principles of Microeconomics

3

LAC area 6. Physical and Life Sciences

BIO 110Principles of Biology

4

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry I

4

CHEM 111LPrinciples of Chemistry I Laboratory

1

MET 205General Meteorology

4

Remaining LAC — 15 credits

See “Liberal Arts Core”.

NOTE: Students need to select a course from Area 7 or 8 that also counts in Areas 3 or 4.

2. Required Major - 62 credits

Take all of the following courses:

ESCI 200Introduction to Environmental Earth Science

4

GEOL 201Physical Geology

4

GEOL 202Historical Geology

4

GEOL 320Mineralogy

4

GEOL 390Colorado Geology

3

GEOL 410Groundwater Geology

3

GEOL 460Geomorphology

3

BIO 111Survey of Organismal Biology

4

BIO 360Ecology

4

CHEM 112Principles of Chemistry II

4

CHEM 112LPrinciples of Chemistry II Laboratory

1

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

MET 452Paleoclimatology

3

OCN 301Physical and Chemical Oceanography

4

Choose 14 credits, two must be earth sciences courses

Courses must be selected in consultation with an academic advisor to explore an area of interest in greater depth. Courses are to be selected based on the following list, but other courses may satisfy requirements with the approval of the advisor.

Earth Science Credits:

ESCI 474Principles of Hydrology

3

ESCI 492Earth Science Internship

1-15

ESCI 494Contemporary Field Issues

1- 6

GEOL 340Paleontology

4

GEOL 415Ore Geology

3

GEOL 450Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

4

GEOL 464Glacial and Quaternary Geology

3

GEOL 483Soils

3

GEOL 486Petroleum and Energy

3

OCN 302Geological and Biological Oceanography

4

Supporting Discipline Credits

CHEM 360Environmental Chemistry

2

ECON 356Water Resource Economics

3

ENST 335Environmental and Resource Economics

3

ENST 355Introduction to Environmental Health

3

GEOG 307Geographic Information Science

3

GEOG 315Nature and Society

3

3. University-Wide Credits — 17 credits

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this degree, that will typically be 17 credits.