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2006-2007
 
 

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
 

AND
 

COURSES OFFERED BY THE
 
 

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
 
 
 

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
HUTCHISON HALL 227
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK 14627
Phone: (585) 275-5713
E-mail: ees@earth.rochester.edu
http://www.earth.rochester.edu
Fax: (585) 244-5689

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Geological Sciences

abasu@earth.rochester.edu

chaisson@earth.rochester.edu

Director of Environmental Studies/Sciences Program

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Environmental Studies/Sciences and Geomechanics Program

fehn@earth.rochester.edu

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Geological Sciences

garzione@earth.rochester.edu

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Geological Sciences

mitr@troi.cc.rochester.edu

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Environmental Studies/Sciences

poreda@earth.rochester.edu

Faculty Advisor, B.A. and B.S. in Geological Sciences and Geomechanics Program

john@earth.rochester.edu
 
 
 
 

The degree programs include the B.A. in Geological Sciences, the B.S. in Geological Sciences with concentrations in Geology, Geochemistry or Geobiology tracks, the B.S. in Geomechanics (GEM), the B.A. in Environmental Studies, and the B.S. in Environmental Sciences. The three B.S. programs are designed to give students the background for graduate work and professional careers in the earth or environmental sciences, and in those areas in which the earth sciences overlap with the life sciences, on the one hand, and with engineering on the other. The two B.A. programs are designed to allow more flexibility in program design and are pursued not only by students preparing for graduate work in the earth sciences but also by students interested in law, management, and teaching. These students commonly carry double majors, such as geological sciences and economics. The Department also offers minors in geological sciences, environmental geology and marine geology and ecology.
 

The Department considers field experience to be a valuable part of geological training and incorporates field trips into the regular schedule of many of the undergraduate courses. Students take excursions within New York and adjoining states. Special courses provide field experience studying active geological processes in California, and advanced undergraduates can qualify for overseas field research programs.
 

The Undergraduate Student Geological Organization (USGO) is active in providing special field trips, speakers from other universities and colleges, and social events throughout the academic year. Undergraduates are also involved with departmental research projects working with faculty in a variety of fields, including geophysics, geochemistry, paleontology, petrology, structural geology, tectonics, stratigraphy, geodynamics, magnetostratigraphy, geology and public policy, paleoclimate studies, and environmental geology.
 

Graduate work and careers in most fields demand a broad general background in the basic sciences and mathematics, and students are strongly advised to take courses beyond the minimum requirements in these subjects. All students are encouraged to gain a proficiency in reading scientific material written in any of a number of foreign languages.
 
 

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers several possible degree programs in the geological sciences. These include a B.A. in Geological Sciences and a B.S. in Geological Sciences with concentrations in the Geology or Geochemistry or Geobiology tracks. Interested students should contact the Department Office at 275-5713.
 

The B.A. in Geological Sciences is offered as a flexible major for students interested in the Earth Sciences. It provides a broad background in the geological sciences, and is intended for students who plan to pursue careers in other fields that require a background in earth sciences, such as business, law, parts of government, or K-12 education. The core requirements for the degree have been designed to allow students to easily switch to a program leading to a B.S. in Geological Sciences if they decide to pursue geology as a career.
 

The B.S. in Geological Sciences is aimed at students who want to pursue graduate work in geology or geophysics or geochemistry, and subsequent professional careers in the Earth Sciences (e.g. academics, mineral and petroleum exploration, government geological surveys). It gives students a strong background in both the Earth Sciences and the related sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Statistics). The six Geology Core courses give students a strong background in the fundamentals of the geological sciences. The three possible tracks (Geology, Geochemistry, Geobiology) then allow students to specialize in areas of special interest to them. All the tracks require field camp or other supervised field experience. It is recommended that the program conclude with a closure experience which consists of a research project with a Senior Thesis and /or a Senior Seminar or Graduate level course.
 
 

Required Courses:
 

MTH 161 or MTH 141-142 (Calculus AP credit is acceptable)

PHY 121 (Physics AP credit is acceptable)

CHM 131 or CHM 151 (Chemistry AP credit is acceptable)

ONE OTHER COURSE in related sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Statistics

GEOLOGY CORE COURESES:

EES 101 Introduction to Physical Geology

EES 201 Evolution of the Earth

EES 203 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

EES 204 Mineralogy

EES 208 Structural Geology

At least two courses are required to fulfill the Department's Upper Level Writing Requirement. A list of courses and a description of the requirement can be found in the Earth and Environmental Science's Upper Level Writing Plan (see the last section of this document.
 
 

Required Courses:

• MTH 161, 162, 163 or MTH 141-143, 163 (Calculus AP credit is acceptable)
• PHY 121 (113 for Geobiology track) (Physics AP credit is acceptable)
• PHY 122 (114 for Geobiology track) (Physics AP credit is acceptable)
• CHM 131 or CHM 151 (Chemistry AP credit is acceptable)
• CHM 132 or CHM 152 (Chemistry AP credit is acceptable)

GEOLOGY CORE COURSES:

• EES 101 Introduction to Physical Geology
• EES 201 Evolution of the Earth
• EES 203 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
• EES 204 Mineralogy
• EES 208 Structural Geology

TRACK REQUIREMENTS

Required Courses:
 

• EES 206 Petrology
• EES 205 Introduction to Geophysics or EES 207 Invertebrate Paleontology

Suggested Course Sequence for B.S. in Geological Sciences, Geology Track
 

First Year

 

MTH 161	MTH 162
CHM 131 (151)	PHY 121 or CHM 132 (152)
EES 101	EES 201
Writing or Elective	Writing or Elective

 

Second Year

 

MTH 163	CHM 132 (152) or PHY 121
PHY 122 or Elective	EES 204
EES 208	Elective
EES 207 or EES 205	Technical Elective

Third Year

 

PHY 122 or Elective	EES 240
EES 203	Elective
EES 206	Elective
Technical Elective	Technical Elective

Fourth Year

 

EES 391	EES 393
Technical Elective	Elective
Elective	Elective
Elective	Elective

Field Course:

This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a 6-8 week summer field course in geology, or by undertaking supervised fieldwork (EES 299) with approval of the advisor.

Technical Electives:

Four technical electives in EES should be chosen to create what the student and the faculty advisor(s) view as a coherent program that builds to an advanced understanding of the Earth Sciences. One 100 level EES course may be acceptable if it was taken in the first year.

Senior Thesis:

In addition to the above courses, students are encouraged to undertake a research project culminating in a thesis written in the senior year (EES 393).

GEOCHEMISTRY TRACK:
 
 

Required Courses:
 
 
 

• EES 206 Petrology

Two courses in geochemistry chosen from the following:

• EES 209 Geochemistry
• EES 217 Physical and Chemical Hydrology
• EES 218 Chemistry of Global Change
• EES 248 High Temperature Geochemistry

Field Course:

This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a 6-8 week summer field course in geology, or by undertaking supervised fieldwork (EES 299) with approval of the advisor.

Elective Courses:

Three technical electives in EES or CHM should be chosen to create what the student and the faculty advisor(s) view as a coherent program that builds to an advanced understanding of the Earth Sciences. One 100 level EES course may be acceptable if it was taken in the first year.

Senior Thesis:

In addition to the above courses, student are encouraged to undertake a research project culminating in a thesis written in the senior year (EES 393).

GEOBIOLOGY TRACK:
 
 

Required Courses:

• BIO 110 -Biology AP credit is acceptable
• BIO 111
• STT 212 or BIO 276
• EES 207 Invertebrate Paleontology

This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a 6-8 week summer field course in geology, or by undertaking supervised fieldwork (EES 299) with approval of the advisor.

Elective Courses:

Two technical electives in EES or BIO should be chosen to create what the student and the faculty advisor(s) view as a coherent program that builds to an advanced understanding of the Earth Sciences. One 100 level EES course may be acceptable if it was taken in the first year.

In addition to the above courses, student are encouraged to undertake a research project culminating in a thesis written in the senior year (EES 393).

At least two courses are required to fulfill the Department's Upper Level Writing Requirement. A list of courses and a description of the requirement can be found in the Earth and Environmental Science's Upper Level Writing Plan (see the last section of this document).
 
 

A four-year program in geomechanics is offered jointly with the Department of Mechanical Engineering for students interested in the application of the field of mechanics to problems associated with the atmosphere, rivers, lakes, and oceans, and the solid earth. Students following this program should be well equipped for graduate work in a variety of fields, including geophysics, hydrology, structural geology and rock mechanics, engineering geology, limnology, and coastal and marine geology.
 
 

MTH 161, 162 (or 141 -143), 163, and 164.

PHY 121, 122, 123.

CHM 131 (or 151)

EES 101, 201, 204, and 208.

ME 120, 123, 225, 226, and either 241 or 242.

At least two courses are required to fulfill the Department's Upper Level Writing Requirement. A list of courses and a description of the requirement can be found in the Earth and Environmental Science's Upper Level Writing Plan (see the last section of this document).
 
 

The B.A. in environmental studies combines courses necessary for the basic understanding of processes in the environment with courses dealing with theories of economics and political science. This program is

intended for students who are interested in the economic and political consequences of problems in the environment. Students who complete this program typically go into fields such as environmental law or public policy.
 
 

Basic Courses:
 

• BIO 110 or 111
• CHM 131/151
• EES 101
• MTH 161 (or 141 and 142)

• EES 103
• EES 215
• EES 217
• EES 218

Elective courses come from two groups: natural sciences/engineering and social sciences. A total of seven elective courses is required (three or four from either group), to be chosen from a list of approved courses by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Additional Required Courses and Closure Courses:

One course in statistics and mathematics (or computer science) is required.

The program is completed with a closure course which will be either a senior thesis, internship, or suitable seminar.

The B.S. in environmental science provides a broad basis in the natural sciences and their applications to processes and problems in the environment. This degree is intended for students who are interested in a career in environmental research. Students going through this program will be able either to seek employment directly or to go to programs which offer advanced degrees in environmental science.
 
 

Basic Courses:
 

• BIO 110 and 111
• CHM 131/151,132/152, 203/205, and 207
• EES 101
• MTH 161,162 (or 141-143), and 163
• PHY 113/121, 114/122

• EES 103
• EES 215
• EES 217
• EES 218

Three technical electives are required, chosen from tracks in biology, chemistry, or geology. Courses in this category are selected from a list of approved courses by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor. The program is completed with a closure course (8 credit hours), which consists either of a senior thesis or of a combination of internship, practicum, and seminar in the environmental sciences.

At least two courses are required to fulfill the Department's Upper Level Writing Requirement. A list of courses and a description of the requirement can be found in the Earth and Environmental Science's Upper Level Writing Plan (see the last section of this document).
 
 
 
 
 
 

SPECIAL NOTES ON COURSE NUMBERINGS:

Courses offered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences include several subdisciplines, representing a wide-range of Earth Science study. To represent these subdisciplines, a special system of course numbering has been employed, as outlined below. Higher numbers are more advanced courses only within a given subdiscipline.
 
 

10x	Introductory courses without prerequisites
20x	Introductory courses in Geology (with EES 101 as prerequisite)
21x	Introductory courses in Environmental Sciences (with EES 101 as prerequisite)
23x	Courses in Hydrology and Related Fields.
24x	Courses in Petrology
25x	Courses in Marine Geology, Geophysics and Related Fields.
26x	Courses in Geochemistry
27x	Courses in Paleontology
28x	Courses in Structure and Tectonics
29x	Field Courses

 

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF COURSE DESCRIPTIONS-VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE:

http://listener.uis.rochester.edu/cgi-bin/Registrar/zippy/EES*
 
 
 
 

COMPLETE COURSE LIST OF UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
 
 
 
 

Course Number	Course Title	hours	Professor	Offered
100S	Oceanography	4.0	Chaisson	Summer
101	Intro. to Physical Geology	4.0	Tarduno	Fall
102Q	Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Mtn. Ranges in California: A Field Quest	4.0	Tarduno	Spring
103	Intro. To Environmental Science	4.0	TBA	Spring
104Q	Environmental Quest in Field & Lab	4.0	Poreda
106	Meteorites and Impact Craters	4.0	Basu	Fall
111	Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards: Living on an Active Planet	4.0	Ebinger	Spring
119	Energy and Mineral Resources	4.0	Fehn	Spring
201	Evolution of the Earth	4.0	Staff	Spring
203	Sedimentology and Stratigraphy	4.0	Garzione	Spring
204	Mineralogy	4.0	Basu	Spring
205	Geophysics	4.0	Fehn
206	Petrology-Geochemistry	4.0	Basu/Poreda
207	Invertebrate Paleontology	4.0	Staff	Alt. Fall
208	Structural Geology	4.0	Mitra	Fall
209	Geochemistry	4.0	Basu	Spring
210	Analytical Methods in Geochemistry	2.0	TBA
211	Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards: Living on an Active Planet	4.0	Ebinger	Spring
214	Environmental Geology	4.0	TBA	Fall
215	Environmental Geophysics	4.0	Fehn	Fall
217	Physical & Chemical Hydrology	4.0	Poreda	Spring
218	The Chemistry of Global Change	4.0	Poreda	Fall
219	Energy and Mineral Resources	4.0	Fehn	Spring
240	Optical Mineralogy	4.0	Basu	Fall
241	Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology	4.0	Basu	Spring
248	High Temperature Geochemistry	4.0	Poreda	Spring
252	Marine Geology	4.0	Tarduno	Alt. w/EES 256
256	Paleomagnetism & Global Plate Tectonics	4.0	Tarduno	Alt. w/EES252
258	Hotspots and Plate Motions	4.0	Tarduno	Spring
259	Seminar in Paleomagnetism	4.0	Tarduno	Spring
263	Seminar in Biogeochemistry	4.0	Staff	Alt. Spring
264	Paleoenv.Reconstr.using Light Stable Iso.	4.0	Garzione	Alt.Fall
268	Chemical & Isotopic Hydrogeology	4.0	Poreda	Alt. Fall
269	Stable Isotopes in Geochemistry	4.0	Poreda
271	Invertebrate Zoology	4.0	Staff	Alt. Spring
273	Evolutionary Paleontology	4.0	Staff
274	Seminar in Paleoceanography	2.0	Staff
277	Paleoecology	4.0	Staff	Alt. Spring
283	Sedimentary Basin Analysis	4.0	Garzione	Spring
285	Structure and Tectonics of Mountain Belts	4.0	Mitra	Alt. Spring
286	Seminar in Sedimentology & Tectonics	4.0	Garzione	Spring
288	Geometry & Mechanics of Thrust Faults	4.0	Mitra
298	Intro. To Research Methods	4.0	Staff
299	Field Geology		TBA
318	Environmental Decisions	4.0	Fehn	Spring
319	Energy Decisions	4.0	Fehn	Alt.Spring
360	Environmental Geology in Field & Lab	4.0	Poreda	Fall
390	Supervised College Teaching	4.0	TBA
391	Independent Study in E&ES	4.0	TBA
392	Special Topics Seminar	4.0	TBA
393	Senior Thesis	4.0	TBA
394	Internship in E&ES	4.0	TBA
Graduate Courses
409	Geochemistry	4.0	Basu	Spring
417	Physical and Chemical Hydrology	4.0	Poreda	Spring
418	The Chemistry of Global Change	4.0	Poreda	Fall
436	Ore Deposits	4.0	Fehn
439	Thrust Faults & Synorogenic Sediments	4.0	Mitra
440	Optical Mineralogy	4.0	Basu	Fall
441	Igneous-Metamorphic Petrology	4.0	Basu	Spring
442	Sedimentary Petrology	4.0	Staff
445	The Solid Earth	4.0