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, 12.003, or 12.004 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 three of the following: 136
Introduction to Geology
Introduction to Geophysics and Planetary Science
Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics
Introduction to the Global Carbon Cycle
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
Computational Science Subjects
Select one of the following:12
Computational Methods of Scientific Programming
MatLab, Statistics, Regression, Signal Processing
Real World Computation with Julia
Introduction to Computer Science Programming in Python
and Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science
Introduction to Computer Science Programming in Python
and Introduction to Computational Science and Engineering
Concentration Subjects36-39
Supporting Subjects36
Units in Major144-150
Unrestricted Electives48-72
Units in Major That Also Satisfy the GIRs(12-36)
Total Units Beyond the GIRs Required for SB Degree180-186

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 introductory subject may be replaced by one concentration subject that is not being used to fulfill the concentration 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—Earth Science 2
Select 36-39 units:
12.007Geobiology: History of Life on Earth12
12.100Plate Tectonics and Climate9
12.104Geochemistry of Natural Waters12
12.108Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks12
12.110ASedimentary Environments6
12.110BSedimentology in the Field9
12.113Structural Geology12
12.163Geomorphology12
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.178The Phylogenomic Planetary Record12
12.201Essentials of Global Geophysics12
12.202Flow, Deformation, and Fracture in Earth and Other Terrestrial Bodies12
12.203Mechanics of Earth12
12.210Introduction to Seismology12
12.211Field Geophysics6
12.214Essentials of Field Geophysics12
12.225Mechanisms of Faulting and Earthquakes12
12.377The History of Earth's Climate12
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
Area 2—Climate, Atmospheres, and Oceans 3
12.301Climate Science12
or 12.318 Introduction to Atmospheric Data and Large-scale Dynamics
Select 24-27 units:
12.006[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos12
12.086Modeling Environmental Complexity12
12.300[J]Global Change Science12
12.306Atmospheric Chemistry Models & Climate12
12.314[J]Ocean Chemistry Change Laboratory6
12.315Atmospheric Radiation and Convection12
12.320A[J]Introduction to Hydrology and Water Resources6
12.320B[J]Introduction to Hydrology Modeling6
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 24-27 units:
12.006[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos12
12.104Geochemistry of Natural Waters12
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.409Hands-On Astronomy: Observing Stars and Planets6
12.411Astronomy Field Camp9
12.412Meteorites, Cosmochemistry, and Solar System Formation12
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 Science 5
Select 36-39 units:
12.006[J]Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos12
12.007Geobiology: History of Life on Earth12
12.031[J]Fundamentals of Ecology12
12.086Modeling Environmental Complexity12
12.104Geochemistry of Natural Waters12
12.110ASedimentary Environments6
12.110BSedimentology in the Field9
12.163Geomorphology12
12.177Astrobiology, Origins and Early Evolution of Life12
12.301Climate Science12
12.348[J]Global Climate Change: Economics, Science, and Policy9
12.349Mechanisms and Models of the Global Carbon Cycle12
12.373Field Oceanography15
12.377The History of Earth's Climate12
12.384[J]Living Dangerously: Environmental Problems from 1900 to Today12
12.385Science, Politics, and Environmental Policy9
12.386[J]Environment and History12
12.387[J]People and the Planet: Environmental Governance and Science9
12.421Physical Principles of Remote Sensing12
1

With approval of the academic advisor, one Course 12 subject not in the concentration area may count as a concentration subject as long as it is not otherwise being used to fulfill the degree requirements.

2

Recommended supporting subjects: 5.601 & 5.602, 5.12, 7.05, 18.03, or 18.06.

3

Recommended supporting subjects: 5.601 & 5.602, 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 units:
1.C01
& 6.C01		Machine Learning for Sustainable Systems
and Modeling with Machine Learning: from Algorithms to Applications		12
1.060Fluid Mechanics12
1.060AFluid Mechanics I6
1.061A
& 1.106		Transport Processes in the Environment I
and Environmental Fluid Mechanics Lab		12
1.080Chemicals in the Environment12
2.001Mechanics and Materials I12
2.016Hydrodynamics12
3.010Structure of Materials12
3.020Thermodynamics of Materials12
5.601
& 5.602		Thermodynamics I
and Thermodynamics II and Kinetics		12
6.8711[J]Computational Systems Biology: Deep Learning in the Life Sciences12
6.1010Fundamentals of Programming12
6.1200[J]Mathematics for Computer Science12
6.3000Signal Processing12
6.3700Introduction to Probability12
6.3800Introduction to Inference12
6.3900Introduction to Machine Learning12
6.9080Introduction to EECS via Robotics12
7.05General Biochemistry12
8.03Physics III12
8.04Quantum Physics I12
8.044Statistical Physics I12
8.07Electromagnetism II12
8.223Classical Mechanics II6
12.320A[J]
& 12.320B[J]		Introduction to Hydrology and Water Resources
and Introduction to Hydrology Modeling		12
14.01Principles of Microeconomics12
18.C06[J]Linear Algebra and Optimization12
18.C20[J]Introduction to Computational Science and Engineering6
18.03Differential Equations 112
18.05Introduction to Probability and Statistics12
18.06Linear Algebra12
18.300Principles of Continuum Applied Mathematics12
1

With approval of the academic advisor, one subject from the computational requirement may be counted as a supporting subject so long as it is not also counting for the computational requirement.

2

18.032 is also an acceptable option.