Program Overview

Earth and Space Science is an interdisciplinary field which works to advance humanity’s understanding of the Earth and the wider universe.  Students are provided with a solid foundation in earth systems and processes (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere)  and  the impacts humans have on these systems, both past and present. Additionally, students will learn about the origins of the planets and the exploration of the solar system. All four tracks in ESS combine classroom, laboratory, and field experiences, as well as provide opportunities for mentored research projects and hands-on learning experiences.
Astrophysics is the study of planets, stars, galaxies and the universe itself. Planetary Geology is the study of planets beyond Earth, and to an extent the study of Earth as a planet.  This concentration offers students a set of foundational courses in astronomy, physics, mathematics, and geology, as well as principles of astronomical observation and experimental analyses. These principles are then applied to a student’s particular interests within the field of astronomy and space science. These programs provide students with the background and tools to be successful in academia, public and private research organizations, and space-related private industry.

Career Opportunities

Program of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core IMPACTS Area : Institutional Priorities 1		7
Take the following courses
PERS 1506	Perspectives 1-hour
RIVR 1101	Taking the Plunge
RIVR 2101	Navigating Deeper Waters
Core IMPACTS Area : Mathematics & Quantitative Skills 1		3-7
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science	3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning	3
MATH 1101	Introduction to Mathematical Modeling	3
MATH 1111	College Algebra	3
MATH 1113	Pre-Calculus	4
MATH 1125	Applied Calculus	3
MATH 1131	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
MATH 1132	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
MATH 1165	Computer-Assisted Problem Solving	3
MATH 1401	Introduction to Statistics	3
MATH 1501	Calculus I	4
MATH 2125	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Political Science and U.S. History		6
HIST 2111	U. S. History to 1865	3
or HIST 2112	U. S. History since 1865
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Arts, Humanities, and Ethics		6
Select one Fine Arts course		3
ARTH 1100	Art Appreciation
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
MUSC 1100	Music Appreciation
THEA 1100	Theatre Appreciation
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts 2
Select one Humanities course		3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ITDS 1155	The Western Intellectual Tradition
ITDS 1774	Introduction to Digital Humanities
PHIL 2010	Introduction to Philosophy
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts 2
Core IMPACTS Area : Communicating in Writing		6
ENGL 1101	English Composition I	3
ENGL 1102	English Composition II	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences 1,3		7-11
ANTH 1145	Human Origins	3
ASTR 1105	Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System	3
ASTR 1106	Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies	3
ASTR 1305	Descriptive Astronomy Lab	1
ATSC 1112	Understanding the Weather	3
ATSC 1112L	Understanding the Weather Lab	1
BIOL 1125	Contemporary Issues in Biology Non-Lab	3
BIOL 1215K	Introductory Biology	4
BIOL 1225K	Contemporary Issues in Biology with Lab	4
CHEM 1151 & 1151L	Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1152 & 1152L	Survey of Chemistry II and Survey of Chemistry II Lab	4
CHEM 1211 & 1211L	Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1212 & 1212L	Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab	4
CPSC 1105	Introduction to Computing Principles and Technology	3
CPSC 1301K	Computer Science I	4
ENVS 1105	Environmental Studies	3
ENVS 1105L	Environmental Studies Laboratory	1
ENVS 1205K	Sustainability and the Environment	4
GEOG 2215	Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems	3
GEOL 1110	Natural Disasters: Our Hazardous Environment	3
GEOL 1121	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology	3
GEOL 1121L	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 1122	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology	3
GEOL 1322	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 2225	The Fossil Record	4
PHYS 1111 & PHYS 1311	Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 1112 & PHYS 1312	Introductory Physics II and Introductory Physics II Lab	4
PHYS 1125	Physics of Color and Sound	3
PHYS 1325	Physics of Color and Sound Lab	1
PHYS 2211 & PHYS 2311	Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 2212 & PHYS 2312	Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics II Lab	4
Core IMPACTS Area : Social Sciences		3
Select one course
ECON 2105	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2106	Principles of Microeconomics
PHIL 2030	Moral Philosophy
PSYC 1101	Introduction to General Psychology
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology
ANTH 1107	Discovering Archaeology
ANTH 1105	Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 2105	Ancient World Civilizations
ANTH 2136	Language and Culture
ENGL 2136	Language and Culture
GEOG 1101	World Regional Geography
HIST 1111	World History to 1500
HIST 1112	World History since 1500
ITDS 1156	Understanding Non-Western Cultures
Core IMPACTS Total Hours		42

¹

The hours applied in the Institutional Priorities; Mathematics & Quantitative Skills; and Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences areas must add to 18 credit hours. 

²

ITDS 1145 Comparative Arts, though listed under both Fine Arts and Humanities, may be taken only once. 

³

At least 4 of the credit hours in this area must be in a lab science course.

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Requirements
Complete the core requirements for this program		42
Core Total		42
Field of Study Requirements
Minimum grade of C is required
ASTR 1105	Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System	3
ATSC 1112	Understanding the Weather	3
ENVS 1205K	Sustainability and the Environment	4
GEOL 1121	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology ("C" or better required in each course)	3
GEOL 1121L	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab ("C" or better required in each course)	1
Select one of the following sequences:		4
Sequence 1:
PHYS 1111	Introductory Physics I
PHYS 1311	Introductory Physics I Lab
Sequence 2:
PHYS 2211	Principles of Physics I
PHYS 2311	Principles of Physics I Lab
Field of Study Requirements Total		18
Required for the Major
Minimum grade of C is required
ASTR 1106	Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies	3
ASTR 1305	Descriptive Astronomy Lab	1
ASTR 3105	Physics, Chemistry, and Geology of the Solar System	3
ASTR 3115	Introduction to Astrophysics	3
ASTR 3205	Observational Techniques for Astrophysics	4
ENGR 2165	Thermodynamics	3
GEOL 3201	Mineralogy and Petrology I	4
Select one of the following PHYS sequences:		4
Sequence 1:
PHYS 1112	Introductory Physics II
PHYS 1312	Introductory Physics II Lab
Sequence 2:
PHYS 2212	Principles of Physics II
PHYS 2312	Principles of Physics II Lab
PHYS 3100	Waves and Optics	3
PHYS 3200	Twentieth Century Physics	4
PHYS 4100	Survey of Quantum Mechanics	3
Required for the Major Total		35
Major Electives
Select at least 25 credits in Program Electives		25
ATSC 5117U	Global and Climate Change
MATH 1132	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II (if not taken in Area D)
ATSC 5116U	Meteorology
ASTR 4899	Undergraduate Research in Astronomy
ASTR 5555U	Special Topics in Astronomy and Astrophysics
ASTR 4960	Astronomy Senior Thesis
ANTH 5226U	Culture and Environment
BIOL 3215K	Cell Biology
BIOL 3216K	Genetics
DATA 3111	Data Mining I
DATA 3112	Data Mining II
GEOL 3201	Mineralogy and Petrology I
GEOL 4201	Mineralogy and Petrology II
GEOL 3201	Mineralogy and Petrology I
GEOL 3265	Stratigraphy and Basin Analysis
GEOL 3275	Mapping and Field Geology
GEOL 4275	Structural Geology
GEOL 4795	Senior Geology Seminar
GEOL 5115U	Geochemistry
GEOL 5135U	Oceanography
GEOL 5258U	Field Methods in the Earth and Environmental Sciences
GEOL 5165U	Hydrology
GEOL 5215U	Geomorphology
GEOL 5555U	Selected Topics in Geology
ISCI 5555U	Contemporary Topics in Science
MATH 3107	Differential Equations
MATH 5175U	Mathematical Statistics
PHYS 4899	Undergraduate Research in Physics
STAT 3127	Statistical Computing
UTCH 3215	Research Methods
The following courses may be taken in Major Electives provided the required minimum of 39 upper level credit hours has been met:
ATSC 1112L	Understanding the Weather Lab
BIOL 1215K	Introductory Biology
CHEM 2115	Quantitative Chemical Analysis
CHEM 2315	Quantitative Chemical Analysis Lab
CPSC 1301K	Computer Science I
CPSC 1302K	Computer Science II
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science
ENGR 2206	Digital Logic
ENGR 2217	Robotics Engineering Design
GEOG 2215	Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems
MATH 2115	Introduction to Linear Algebra
MATH 2135	Calculus with Analytic Geometry 3
PHYS 1125	Physics of Color and Sound
PHYS 1325	Physics of Color and Sound Lab
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics
Other PHYS, GEOL, ENVS, ASTR, ATSC, CHEM, ENGR, CPSC or MATH courses may be used toward Major Electives requirements as approved by the student's advisor.
Major Electives Total		25
Total Credit Hours		120

Admission Requirements

Students are presumed to enter the program with the equivalent of MATH 1111 College Algebra. Students without that background may need to take additional classes to meet course prerequisites.

Additional Program Requirements

There are no program specific academic regulations.