Earth Systems

Earth Systems | Geology Courses | Geography Courses | Geosciences Faculty

Degree: Bachelor of Science

Contact: Robert DeConto

Office: 138B Morrill

Phone: 545-3426

Web site: www.umass.geo.edu

The Field

Global environmental changes require a comprehensive understanding of the earth's major systems, and of the important ways in which these systems are linked. The major systems are the geosphereóprocesses of the Earth's surface and interior; biosphereólife on land and in the sea; atmosphereóweather and climate; hydrosphereówater in the oceans, air, and on the continents; and cryosphereósnow and ice-covered regions, as well as the impact of human activities on these systems. The goal of earth system science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire earth system on a global scale. Recent studies of the continents, oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and ice cover have revealed a far more complex and dynamic world than hitherto imagined.

In the past, diverse studies of volcanic activity, ocean chemistry, global climate, and biological processes would have been treated in isolation; we now recognize there are important links between them which themselves define new fields of study. Furthermore, the human population is no longer a passive spectator to earth processes, but an active participant on a worldwide scale. Human activity has become an agent of global change, depleting energy, mineral and water resources, altering rivers, coastlines and sedimentation patterns, polluting groundwater resources, and even changing the composition of the entire atmosphere, leading to climate changes with unforeseen and perhaps irreversible consequences. Distinguishing between natural changes, and the results of large-scale economic and technological activity, is a major challenge in earth system research.

The Major

The purpose of the Earth Systems degree is to provide students with a holistic understanding of the interactions of large-scale systems on Earth. The major is designed for students interested in the interface between Earth science and social science, and in issues related to the long-term management of the home planet. Potential applications lie in the areas of education, business, law, government, policy, and economics.

Requirements for the B.S. Degree

A. Supporting Sciences (7 courses; 24-27 credits total)

1. Two courses in Biology (BIOL 100-101, or 102-103, or 100 or 101 and 280, or equivalent. At least one must be a laboratory course.

2. Five courses in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Statistics, with at least one each in Physics, Chemistry and Math/Statistics (approved courses include: PHYSIC 131-133, 132-134, 151-153, 152-154, or equivalent; CHEM 111-112, or equivalent; MATH 127-128, 131-132, 135-136, or equivalent; STATIS 501; GEO 340, 551)

B. Earth Systems Core Courses (32 credits taken from the courses listed below)

All of the following:

102 The Human Landscape (both sem)

131 Experiencing Geology (both sem)

201 History of the Earth (2nd sem)

231 Introductory Field Geology (2nd sem)

307 or 314 Junior Writing (2nd sem)

354 Climatology (1st sem)

415 Introduction to Geochemistry (1st sem)

420 Human Impact on the Natural Environment (2nd sem)

One of the following three:

100 Global Environmental Change (2nd sem)

101 The Earth (both sem)

103 Introductory Oceanography (both sem)

Two of the following three:

392 Earth System Science (2nd sem)

591C Introduction to Climate Modeling
(alt 2nd sem)

595D Oceans and Climate (1st sem)

C. Electivesó12 credits

Additional approved courses in Geology, Geography, Biology, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science, Forestry, Physics, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Anthropology, Plant and Soil Sciences, Resource Economics. Courses must be selected in consultation with an adviser.

Career Opportunities

Earth Systems majors will be well placed for careers in a wide range of environmental fields. Their rigorous science training, combined with a broad perspective on global environmental systems, will equip them for employment in government agencies and businesses concerned with environmental issues. Students will also be well positioned to continue their studies at the graduate level in specializations related to earth science, geography, and environmental management, thereby enhancing their career potential.

The Courses

See descriptions under the Geology program for odd-numbered courses, and under the Geography program for even-numbered courses.

Earth Systems | Geology Courses | Geography Courses | Geosciences Faculty