Undergraduate Degree Program

Introduction

Which Program Is For You?

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences provides its students with six distinct degree programs and with the opportunity to communicate and work with our faculty members and graduate students, both in and outside the classroom. Each of the degree programs has been designed to serve special interests of the students and the particular demands associated with professional work in various areas of the earth sciences.

The degree programs include the:

B.A. and B.S. programs in Geological Sciences
B.S. in Bio-Geo (GEB)
B.S. in Geomechanics (GEM)
B.A. in Environmental Studies
B.S. in Environmental Science
3-2 B.S/M.S. in Geological Sciences

The four B.S. programs are designed to give students the background for graduate work and professional careers in the earth 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. Students may also obtain a minor in geological sciences.

These programs are made possible by formal and informal linkages with other departments and programs, especially the Departments of Biology and Mechanical Engineering, and the Committee on Individualized Interdepartmental Concentrations.

Getting Outside

We consider 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.

The Undergraduate Student Geological Organization (USGO)

This student-run organziation provides special field trips, invites speakers from other universities and colleges, and schedules social events throughout the academic year.

Getting Your Feet Wet

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.

A Broad Background

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.

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B.A. Program in Geological Sciences

Advisor(s): Asish R. Basu, Carmala Garzione

Minimum Requirements:

EES 101 and seven courses beyond 101 selected from departmental offerings: EES 201, 203, 204, 207, 208 and 240 normally included. EES 102Q amd 119 are acceptable if taken in the freshmen year.
Four courses in related sciences, one of which must be in mathematics.

B.S. Program in Geological Sciences

Advisor(s): Asish R. Basu, Carmala Garzione

Minimum Requirements:

EES 101, 201, 203, 204, 207, 208, 240 and three other geology courses.
Field course: this requirement may be satisfied by participation in a 6-8 credit summer field course in geology or, under special circumstances, by other types of supervised field experience.
Two semesters of chemistry.
Three semesters of physics (121, 122 and 123).
MTH 161 through 164 or equivalent series.
One semester of statistics; STT 212 is recommended.
In addition to the above courses, students are encouraged to take a 400-level course or do a thesis in the senior year. (Students should start taking related science courses as freshmen).

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B.S. Program in Bio-Geo

Advisor(s): Ariel Anbar, William Chaisson

This program is intended for students interested in the areas of natural science in which geology and biology overlap. Such areas include marine science (oceanography, marine biology, and marine ecology), limnology, paleontology, evolutionary studies, and environmental studies.

Minimum Requirements:

EES 101, 201 and 207.

At least three additional geology courses at the 200-level or higher. EES 203, 204 and 208 are strongly recommended.

BIO 110, 111, 121 and 205.

At least one course in whole-organism biology, such as BIO 130 or EES 271. At least one course in environmental biology or geology, such as BIO 248 or 263. CHM 103 and 104 (or 105 and 106).

CHM 203 and 204, or two additional courses in geology and/or biology. (Note: students intending to do graduate work in biology should seriously consider taking the four- semester chemistry sequence. Other students are strongly recommended to take an environmentally related geology course).

PHY 113, 114 (or 121 and 122).

MTH 141, 142, and 143 (or 161, 162).

STT 212 (a computer course may be substituted).

Field course: This requirement may be satisfied by participation in a 6-8 credit summer field course in geology or biology or, under special circumstances, by other types of supervised field experience.

In addition to the above courses, students are encouraged to take a 400-level course or do a thesis in the senior year.

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B.S. Program in Geomechanics

Advisor(s):John A. Tarduno

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.

Minimum Requirements:

EES 101, 201, 204, and 208

CHM 103 (or 105)

PHY 121, 122, 123

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

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

Technical electives:These may be any of the EES or ME courses at the 200-level or higher, and one technical elective from any discipline, as agreed upon with the faculty advisor. The program includes three free electives to allow a strong minor in an area of particular interest to the student, or to broaden the scope of the curriculum.

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B.A. Program in Environmental Studies

Advisor(s):Udo Fehn, Robert J. Poreda and Ariel Anbar

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.

Minimum Requirements: Basic Courses:

EES 101, 214, 215, 216

BIO 110

CHM 103/105

MTH 161 (or 141 and 142)

One Statistics Course (STT 212, 211, or CSC 171)

One additional Mathematics or Computer Science Course.

Elective Courses: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 by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Closure Courses:The program is completed with a closure course which will be either a senior thesis, internship or suitable seminar.

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B.S. Program in Environmental Sciences

Advisor(s):Udo Fehn, Robert J. Poreda and Ariel Anbar

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.

Minimum Requirements: Basic & Core Courses:

EES 101, 214, 215, 216

BIO 110, 111

CHM 103/105, 104/106, 203/205, and 207

PHY 113/121, 114/122

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

Technical Electives:Four technical electives are required, chosen from tracks in biology/toxicology, chemistry/chemical engineering, or geology. Courses in this category are selected by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Closure Course:The program is complete with a closure course (8 credit hours), which consists either of a senior thesis or of a combination of internship, and seminar in the environmental sciences.

3-2 B.S./M.S. in Geological Sciences

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences expects to recruit up to 5 highly-qualified Rochester undergraduates per year to a 3-2 BS/MS program in Geological Sciences.

Students should apply to the program during the spring of their junior year. There are a limited number of full/partial scholoarships available for the fifth year.

The awards are competitive and students are expected to have and maintain a high grade point average throughout the program (expected minimum GPA of 3.2 overall and 3.5 in the major).

Each student will serve as a teaching assistant in one undergraduate class per semester for the fifth year.

Students in the program will complete all of the course requirements for the B.S. in Geological Sciences, plus 5 of the graduate level courses during their 3^rd and 4^th years that will count both toward the B.S. and the M.S. degree (up to 2 courses).

We emphasize that this is a research Masters and that students should be willing to devote a large share of their fifth year to research activities. A thesis of a publishable quality is required for graduation.

Each M.S. graduate student will be required to take 3 Core courses over the 2 year period. The student must also take 2 additional courses that make up a 3-course Sequence for a total of 5 graduate courses (20 credit hours).

Each of the eight faculty has identified one graduate level course as a Core course for the graduate program in Geological Sciences. The core course is linked to a 3-course Sequence representing specialization in an area of research expertise with the Department. A listing of these sequences follows. The students will register for graduate research for the remaining credit hours required for their degree (minimum of 20 credit hours of research).

The overall time for a M.S. degree with be 5 semesters (4 academic semesters, plus one 10-week summer session). We expect the M.S. students to be spending 60 to 70% of their time in research.

Course Listings

All 3-2 Masters students will complete 3 core courses (identified with an *) from 3 of the five subject areas below, plus one 3-course sequence to satisfy the degree requirements for the M.S.
Faculty are expected to offer their courses at least every other year.

*Subject*		*Core Sequence*
*Petrology & Geochemistry*	EES 441	Petrology*
	EES 448	High Temperature Geochemistry
	EES 467	Isotope Geology
	EES 445	Solid Earth
	EES 449	Stable Isotopes in Geochemistry


*Marine Tectonics & Geophysics*	EES 456	Paleomagnetism*
	EES 405	Geophysics*
	EES 452	Marine Geology
	EES 458	Hotspots and Plate Tectonics


*Low-T Geochemistry*	EES 461	Aqueous Geochemistry*
	EES 468	Chemical and Isotopic Hydrology
	EES 465	Atmospheric Chemistry
	EES 463	Bio-geochemistry
	EES 469	Stable Isotopes in Geochemistry


*Sedimentology and Tectonics*	EES	Sedimentary Basin Analysis*
	EES 488	Folds and Thrust Belts
	EES 484	Stress and Strain
	EES 480	Material Properties of Deformed Rocks


*Paleoecology*	EES 47x	Paleoecology*
	EES 47x	Paleoceanography
	EES 47x	Evolutionary Paleontology

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