Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12)

Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

General Institute Requirements (GIRs)

The General Institute Requirements include a Communication Requirement that is integrated into both the HASS Requirement and the requirements of each major; see details below.

Summary of Subject Requirements Subjects
Science Requirement 6
Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) Requirement; at least two of these subjects must be designated as communication-intensive (CI-H) to fulfill the Communication Requirement. 8
Restricted Electives in Science and Technology (REST) Requirement [can be satisfied by 12.001, 12.002, or 12.003, and 18.03 in the Departmental Program] 2
Laboratory Requirement (12 units) [can be satisfied by a laboratory/field subject in the Departmental Program] 1
Total GIR Subjects Required for SB Degree 17
Physical Education Requirement
Swimming requirement, plus four physical education courses for eight points.

Departmental Program

Choose at least two subjects in the major that are designated as communication-intensive (CI-M) to fulfill the Communication Requirement.

General Department RequirementsUnits
Introductory Subjects
Select two of the following: 124
Introduction to Geology
Introduction to Geophysics and Planetary Science
Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics
Geobiology: History of Life on Earth
12.TIPThesis Preparation6
12.THUUndergraduate Thesis (at least 6 units, CI-M)6
Laboratory/Field Subjects
Select one of the following:12-15
Field Geology
and Analysis of Geologic Data (CI-M) 2
Weather and Climate Laboratory (CI-M) 3
Experimental Atmospheric Chemistry (CI-M) 3
Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy (CI-M) 4
Concentration Subjects60-63
Supporting Subjects36-42
Units in Major144-156
Unrestricted Electives48-72
Units in Major That Also Satisfy the GIRs(12-36)
Total Units Beyond the GIRs Required for SB Degree180-192

The units for any subject that counts as one of the 17 GIR subjects cannot also be counted as units required beyond the GIRs.

1

With approval of the advisor, one subject may be counted toward concentration coursework if not taken as a General Departmental Requirement.

2

Recommended for concentration area 1. May also be applicable to areas 3 and 4.

3

Recommended for concentration areas 2 and 4.

4

Recommended for concentration area 3.

Areas of Concentration 1

Area 1—Geoscience: Geology, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geobiology 2
Select 60-63 units:
12.104Geochemistry of Natural Waters12
12.108Structure of Earth Materials12
12.109Petrology15
12.110ASedimentary Environments6
12.110BSedimentology in the Field9
12.113Structural Geology12
12.117AField Geobiology I6
12.117BField Geobiology II9
12.163Geomorphology12
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.178The Phylogenomic Planetary Record12
12.201Essentials of Global Geophysics12
12.214Essentials of Field Geophysics12
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
Area 2—Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate 3
12.301Climate Science12
or 12.318 Introduction to Atmospheric Data and Large-scale Dynamics
Select 48 units:
12.009[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: The Natural Environment12
12.086Modeling Environmental Complexity12
12.300[J]Global Change Science12
12.306Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry12
12.315Atmospheric Radiation and Convection12
12.320A[J]Introduction to Hydrology and Water Resources6
12.320B[J]Introduction to Hydrology Modeling6
12.336[J]Air Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry12
12.338Aerosol and Cloud Microphysics and Chemistry12
12.349Mechanisms and Models of the Global Carbon Cycle12
12.372Elements of Modern Oceanography12
12.373Field Oceanography15
12.377The History of Earth's Climate12
12.390Fluid Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean12
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
12.422Planetary Atmospheres12
Area 3—Planetary Science and Astronomy 4
12.420Essentials of Planetary Science12
Select 48-51 units:
12.006[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos12
12.104Geochemistry of Natural Waters12
12.108Structure of Earth Materials12
12.109Petrology15
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
12.422Planetary Atmospheres12
12.425[J]Extrasolar Planets: Physics and Detection Techniques12
12.43[J]Space Systems Engineering12
Area 4—Environmental Systems 5
Select 60-63 units:
12.009[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: The Natural Environment12
12.021Earth Science, Energy, and the Environment12
12.031[J]Fundamentals of Ecology12
12.086Modeling Environmental Complexity12
12.110ASedimentary Environments6
12.110BSedimentology in the Field9
12.117AField Geobiology I6
12.117BField Geobiology II9
12.119Harnessing Power from Environmental Microbes and Chemical Gradients9
12.158Molecular Biogeochemistry9
12.163Geomorphology12
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.301Climate Science12
12.346[J]Global Environmental Negotiations6
12.348[J]Global Climate Change: Economics, Science, and Policy9
12.349Mechanisms and Models of the Global Carbon Cycle12
12.377The History of Earth's Climate12
12.385Science, Politics, and Environmental Policy9
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
1

With approval of the academic advisor, students may count one subject from list of General Department Requirements as long as it is also not counting toward the General Department Requirement. Students may also substitute one subject from off of the degree chart if approved by the academic advisor.

2

Recommended supporting subjects: 5.60, 5.12, 7.05, 18.03 or 18.06.

3

Recommended supporting subjects: 5.60, 8.03, 18.03.

4

Recommended supporting subjects: 8.03, 8.04, 8.044, 18.03.

5

Recommended supporting subjects: 5.12, 6.8711[J], 8.03, 18.03 or 18.06.

Supporting Subjects

Select 36-42 units:
1.060AFluid Mechanics I6
1.061A
1.106
Transport Processes in the Environment I
and Environmental Fluid Transport Processes and Hydrology Laboratory
12
1.080Environmental Chemistry12
2.001Mechanics and Materials I12
2.016Hydrodynamics12
3.010Structure of Materials12
3.020Thermodynamics of Materials12
or 5.60 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
5.12Organic Chemistry I12
6.100A
6.100B
Introduction to Computer Science Programming in Python
and Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science
12
6.8711[J]Computational Systems Biology: Deep Learning in the Life Sciences12
6.9080Introduction to EECS via Robotics12
7.05General Biochemistry12
8.03Physics III12
8.04Quantum Physics I12
8.044Statistical Physics I12
8.07Electromagnetism II12
8.09Classical Mechanics III12
12.010Computational Methods of Scientific Programming12
12.012MatLab, Statistics, Regression, Signal Processing12
12.320A[J]
12.320B[J]
Introduction to Hydrology and Water Resources
and Introduction to Hydrology Modeling
12
14.01Principles of Microeconomics12
18.03Differential Equations 112
18.05Introduction to Probability and Statistics12
18.06Linear Algebra12
18.300Principles of Continuum Applied Mathematics12
1

18.032 Differential Equations is also an acceptable option.