Mar 28, 2024  
2013-2014 Catalog 
    
2013-2014 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Earth Systems Science, B.S.


Earth Systems Science Requirements (80-90 units): To receive the B.S. in Earth Systems Sciences students must adhere to all UC Merced and School of Natural Sciences General Education and Courses Required Outside of Natural Sciences and Engineering. The Earth Systems Science program consists of a minimum of 14 courses (6 lower division and 8 upper division plus a seminar course) designed to give all students a common foundation of core knowledge specific to the discipline.

Upper Division Elective Courses [9-12 Units]


Complete three elective courses in ESS or related fields. Elective courses in the major can be selected from among upper division ESS courses (3 or 4 units) or from related courses offered in other areas, such as Biology (BIO), Environmental Engineering (ENVE), Engineering (ENGR), geography (GEOG), and management (MGMT). A list of approved courses offered each semester is available in the Natural Sciences office. Example elective courses include:

Additional Degree Requirements [10-13 Units]


Transfer Students


To be admitted to the Earth Systems Science major transfer students must meet the following requirements:

Applicants will, at the time of admission have completed at minimum each of the following courses (or their equivalent) with a “C-” or better:

Additional Information


Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.8 in transferable courses. Any outstanding General Education and Major preparation coursework will be completed at UC Merced. Students should also consult the Information for Prospective Students link on the School of Natural Sciences website naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu for more information.

Program Learning Outcomes for Earth Systems Science Major


Students in the Earth Systems Science major will achieve the following:

  1. Foundational knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics related to Earth systems that supports a working knowledge of basic research methodologies, data analysis, and interpretation for a variety of Earth-related data.
  2. Knowledge of major concepts, theoretical principles, experimental findings, and areas of study related to Earth systems science, and comprehension of the interactions between natural Earth systems and human economic, political, and social systems.
  3. An ability to employ critical thinking, quantitative and numerical analyses, and hypothesis-driven methods of scientific inquiry in the formulation of research questions, experimental design, application and use of laboratory and field instrumentation, and analysis and interpretation of data related to Earth systems.
  4. Effective written and oral communication skills, especially the ability to transmit complex technical information.
  5. An ability to work effectively individually and in teams in classroom, laboratory, and field settings.

Sample plans of study for the Earth Systems Science degree may be found in the School of Natural Sciences website naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu.