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Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Climate Science B.S.

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences 

Location: Ross Hall 1210

Telephone: 970-351-3082

Email: nhsadvising@unco.edu

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 Climate Science major is intended for individuals who wish to pursue careers with responsibilities that include climate monitoring, and management, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. Students may prepare for entry-level positions in the environmental industry or governmental agencies, environmental consulting, non-profits or NGO’s, or for graduate education in such fields as climate science, climate risk assessment and consulting, environmental public policy and environmental law. The program also is well suited for anyone with a serious interest in the scientific aspect of climate science 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.
  • The course of study for this major, including both required and elective courses, must be developed in consultation with and be approved by the student's academic advisor.
  • 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

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 78 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

ENG 122 and SCI 291 are recommended to fulfill the Written Communication requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

MATH 131 is recommended to fulfill the Mathematics requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

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

CHEM 111, CHEM 111L, ESCI 200, MET 205 and PHYS 220 or PHYS 240 are recommended to fulfill Natural & Physical Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 78 credits

Take all of the following courses:

BIO 111Biology: Organisms to EcosystemsLAS1LASL

4

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry ILAS1

4

CHEM 111LPrinciples of Chemistry I LaboratoryLAS1LASL

1

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

ESCI 200Introduction to Environmental Earth ScienceLAS1LASL

4

ESCI 225Energy and the EnvironmentLAS1

3

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

ESCI 461Ecoclimatology

3

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

GEOL 483Soils

3

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

MET 205General MeteorologyLAS1LASL

4

MET 315Atmospheric Thermodynamics

3

MET 420Advanced Weather Prediction

4

MET 451Climatology

3

MET 452Paleoclimatology

3

MET 462Extreme Mountain Weather

3

MET 465Radar and Satellite Meteorology

3

PHYS 220Introductory Physics ILAS1LASL

5

or

PHYS 240General Physics ILAS1LASL

5

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

Choose 3 credits from the following:

ESCI 491Geoscience Field Issues

1- 6

ESCI 492Earth Science Internship

1-15

ESCI 496Earth Science Study Abroad

1- 6

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

University-Wide Credits — 27 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 24 credits.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increase number of university wide credits 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 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

ESCI 200Introduction to Environmental Earth ScienceLAS1LASL

4

MET 205General MeteorologyLAS1LASL

4

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

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

ESCI 330Earth Science Statistical Analysis

3

BIO 111Biology: Organisms to EcosystemsLAS1LASL

4

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

LAC Arts and HumanitiesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4

3

LAC HistoryLAH1

3

Total Credit Hours:16

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 131Calculus ILAX1

4

LAC Social and Behavioral SciencesLAB1LAB2LAB3

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

LAC Arts and HumanitiesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

ESCI 225Energy and the EnvironmentLAS1

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

PHYS 220Introductory Physics ILAS1LASL

5

or

PHYS 240General Physics ILAS1LASL

5

ESCI 474Principles of Surface and Groundwater Hydrology

4

MET 315Atmospheric Thermodynamics

3

MET 465Radar and Satellite Meteorology

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

MET 452Paleoclimatology

3

ESCI 491Geoscience Field Issues

1- 6

or

ESCI 492Earth Science Internship

1-15

or

ESCI 496Earth Science Study Abroad

1- 6

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 4 – 29 credits

Fall Semester

ESCI 420Chemistry of the Earth System

4

GEOL 483Soils

3

MET 420Advanced Weather Prediction

4

MET 451Climatology

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

ESCI 461Ecoclimatology

3

MET 462Extreme Mountain Weather

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

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