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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Earth Sciences B.S. – Environmental Earth Sciences Concentration

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: Timothy Grover, Ph.D., Department Chair

Location: Ross Hall 3235

Telephone: 970-351-2647

Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/earth-atmospheric-sciences/

Advising Information:

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

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

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

Program Description:

The multidisciplinary Environmental Earth Sciences concentration 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:

  • Science and mathematics courses approved for the Liberal Arts Curriculum that are taken as part of this major may also be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements.
  • A 2.0 grade point average in the courses taken as part of this major is required for graduation. (Secondary Teaching Concentration: 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

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the 76 required major credits.

Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

SCI 291 is recommended to fulfill the Intermediate Writing Course in the Written Communication requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

Note that SCI 291 has a prerequisite of ENG 122 or SAT Verbal with a minimum score of 630 or ACT English with a minimum score of 30 or SAT Reading Test with a minimum score of 34.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

MATH 127 or MATH 131 are recommended to fulfill Mathematics requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements. No additional courses in this category are needed.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

GEOL 100, CHEM 111, CHEM 111L, ESCI 200, MET 205 or PHYS 220 are recommended to fulfill Natural & Physical Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements. No additional courses in this category are needed.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 80 credits

Take all of the following courses:

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry ILAS1

4

CHEM 111LPrinciples of Chemistry I LaboratoryLAS1LASL

1

MET 205General MeteorologyLAS1LASL

4

ESCI 200Introduction to Environmental Earth ScienceLAS1LASL

4

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

ESCI 320Earth Materials

4

ESCI 330Earth Science Statistical Analysis

3

ESCI 349Earth Science Professional Seminar

1

ESCI 420Chemistry of the Earth System

4

ESCI 474Principles of Surface and Groundwater Hydrology

4

GEOL 460Geomorphology

4

GEOL 483Soils

3

MET 452Paleoclimatology

3

OCN 302Geological and Biological Oceanography

4

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

ESCI 490Colloquium in Earth Sciences

1

ESCI 472Industrial Safety

3

ESCI 490: Take two times

Required Categories

Choose an option according to course offerings and career path interests in each of the following categories.

Choose 1 course from the following for Intro Geology Requirement:

Note: GEOL 100 is offered more frequently than GEOL 201

GEOL 100General GeologyLAS1LASL

4

GEOL 201Physical Geology

4

Choose 1 course from the following for Study of Life History Requirement:

Choose either GEOL 202 or BIO 111 in preparation for upper-division electives of your choice. GEOL 202 allows students to take sedimentary geology and paleontology courses (GEOL 202 is prerequisite for GEOL 340, GEOL 445, and GEOL 450; BIO 111 allows students to take ecology courses (BIO 111 is a prerequisite for BIO 329, BIO 335BIO 338BIO 360 and others that students may wish to take to fulfill their upper-division electives).

GEOL 202Historical Geology

4

BIO 111Biology: Organisms to EcosystemsLAS1LASL

4

Choose 1 course from the following for Math Requirement:
MATH 127Elementary FunctionsLAX1

4

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

Notes: Placement into math courses is dependent on math placement score.

Choose 1 course from the following for Physics Requirement:
PHYS 220Introductory Physics ILAS1LASL

5

PHYS 240General Physics ILAS1LASL

5

Note: PHYS 240 requires MATH 131 as a prerequisite

Choose 3 credits of the following for Field Credits:
ESCI 491Geoscience Field Issues

1- 6

ESCI 492Earth Science Internship

1-15

ESCI 496Earth Science Study Abroad

1- 6

GEOL 390Colorado Geology

3

Choose 6 credits of Upper Division Electives:

Choose a minimum of 6 credits from courses selected in consultation with an academic advisor to explore an area of interest in greater depth with prefix GEOL, MET, ESCI, OCN, PHYS, CHEM, BIO, MATH, ENST, GEOG, ECON, STAT, SCI that are numbered 300 or higher. Other courses may satisfy requirements with approval of the advisor. At least 3 credits must be with prefix GEOL, MET, ESCI, or OCN.

No more than 6 credits of ESCI 491 or ESCI 492 may count toward the degree.

3. University-Wide Credits — 9 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 9 credits but may be more depending on what is chosen to toward LAC requirements.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance.

Year 1 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

GEOL 100General GeologyLAS1LASL

4

or

GEOL 201Physical Geology

4

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

Total Credit Hours:16

LAC Social and Behavior Sciences: Choose U.S. Multicultural Studies (MS) or International Studies (IS) course.

Spring Semester

GEOL 202Historical Geology

4

or

BIO 111Biology: Organisms to EcosystemsLAS1LASL

4

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

ESCI 200Introduction to Environmental Earth ScienceLAS1LASL

4

ESCI 490Colloquium in Earth Sciences

1

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 2 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry ILAS1

4

CHEM 111LPrinciples of Chemistry I LaboratoryLAS1LASL

1

ESCI 349Earth Science Professional Seminar

1

MATH 127Elementary FunctionsLAX1

4

or

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

ESCI 490Colloquium in Earth Sciences

1

MET 205General MeteorologyLAS1LASL

4

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

University-Wide Elective

4

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

ESCI 320Earth Materials

4

ESCI 420Chemistry of the Earth System

4

ESCI 474Principles of Surface and Groundwater Hydrology

4

Upper Division Major Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

ESCI 330Earth Science Statistical Analysis

3

MET 452Paleoclimatology

3

OCN 302Geological and Biological Oceanography

4

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Year 4 – 27 credits

Fall Semester

ESCI 472Industrial Safety

3

GEOL 483Soils

3

PHYS 240General Physics ILAS1LASL

5

or

PHYS 220Introductory Physics ILAS1LASL

5

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

GEOL 460Geomorphology

4

Upper Division Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Field Course

3

Total Credit Hours:13

Field Course: 3 credits of an approved field course is required, such as GEOL 390, ESCI 492, ESCI 491, ESCI 496. Up to 3 credits of ESCI 491 or ESCI 492 in excess of this requirement may count toward Upper Division Electives.

Advising Notes –

  • Upper-level courses are generally taught only one semester per year (and some every other year) and are listed in the four year plan in the semester they are generally offered. In the four year plan, courses are listed in order of required prerequisites first. You should work with your adviser to ensure courses are taken in the right sequence and when offered.
  • The flexibility of the program allows students to customize the program for their individual interests and goals, under the guidance of an adviser. Complementary minors include Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Biology, Geography, Economics, and many more.

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