Earth and Environmental Science, BA
The Earth and Environmental Science major provides graduates with a broad understanding of the physical, chemical and biological processes that operate in and on the planet and how direct and indirect methods are used to examine, quantify and understand the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. Graduates appreciate how humans and ecosystems interact with the dynamic Earth, and how human activities such as non-sustainable resource extraction have generated climate change, exacerbated natural hazards, and disrupted hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles.
The minimum total course units for graduation in this major is 35. Double majors may entail more course units.
For more information: https://earth.sas.upenn.edu/undergraduate/majors/eesc
For information about the General Education requirements, please visit the College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum page.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| College General Education Requirements and Free Electives | ||
| Foundational Approaches + Sectors + Arts & Sciences CU + Electives | 20 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Gateway Course | ||
| EESC 1000 | Earth Systems Science | 1 |
| Math and Quantitative Analysis | 1 | |
| Quantitative Analysis of Anthropological Data | ||
| Statistics for Biologists | ||
| Calculus, Part I | ||
| Calculus, Part II | ||
| Calculus, Part II with Probability and Matrices | ||
| Calculus, Part III | ||
| Calculus, Part IV | ||
| Foundations of Data Science | ||
| Introductory Statistics | ||
| Physics, Chemistry, or Biology Take one course in two out of the three disciplines | 3 | |
| Introduction to Biology A | ||
| Introduction to Biology B | ||
| Introduction to Biology - The Molecular Biology of Life and Introductory Molecular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics, Heat and Sound | ||
| General Physics: Electromagnetism, Optics, and Modern Physics | ||
| Principles of Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion | ||
| Principles of Physics II: Electromagnetism and Radiation | ||
| Honors Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion | ||
| Honors Physics II: Electromagnetism and Radiation | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| Experiential Course | 1 | |
| Penn in the Alps | ||
| Earth's Surface | ||
| Urban Environments: Speaking About Lead in West Philadelphia | ||
| The Role of Water in Urban Sustainability and Resiliency | ||
| Air Pollution: Sources & Effects in Urban Environments | ||
| Penn Global Seminar: Case Studies in Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Wetlands | ||
| Field Botany | ||
| Freshwater Ecology | ||
| Deep Time | 1 | |
| Human Origins, Evolution and Diversity | ||
| Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Paleontology | ||
| Earth and Life Through Geologic Time | ||
| Climate Science | 1 | |
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Glaciers,Ice & Climate | ||
| Ocean-Atmosphere Dynamics and Implications for Future Climate Change | ||
| Spatial Analysis | 1 | |
| GIS: Mapping Places & Analyzing Spaces | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Modeling Geographical Objects | ||
| GIS Applications in Social Science | ||
| 6 Electives with attribute AERE | 6 | |
| Total Course Units | 35 | |
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Honors | ||
| GPA 3.25 | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | 2 | |
Two semesters of EESC 4997 (grade of B+ or higher) are required for Honors in the Major. | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.