Getting Started

College: CNS

Department of Geosciences

Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu to learn about the full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

Required prerequisites, including recommended sequence:

One of the following: GEOLOGY 101, 103* or 105*, or GEOGRAPHY 110*
Students enrolled in GEOLOGY 103 or 105, or GEOGRAPHY 110 should also enroll in *GEOLOGY 131 Experiencing Geology (The 1-credit lab part of GEOLOGY 101).
GEOGRAPHY 102
First-year students should complete any sequence of one physical geology/oceanography course (GEOLOGY 101, 103, or 105, or GEOGRAPHY 110) and Human Geography (GEOGRAPHY 102) in the Fall and Spring semesters of the first year. In addition, they should begin taking the eight supporting science courses in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Math (e.g., 2 to 4 supporting science courses in the first year). Please refer to the Earth Systems checklist available from an Earth Systems advisor (Professor Petsch) at Summer Orientation or in the Geosciences Main Office, Morrill 233, for a complete list of requirements.
Transfers should work toward completion of the General Education requirements, the supporting science requirements and the Earth Systems core courses.

How to Declare/Change into the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted which means any student can declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more.

Minimum total # of credits required: 42-44 plus the supporting science courses

Earth Systems is a B.S. degree.
Students must complete nine Earth Systems core courses in the Geosciences, a minimum of 28 credits in the supporting sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics), a minimum of 12 qualifying elective credits, and the Junior Year Writing and the Integrative Experience (I.E.) Requirement.

Is there a minor?
No! A minor is not available.

For further information, contact:
Professor Steve Petsch
265 Morrill Science, 4 South
545-4413
spetsch@geo.umass.edu

For students in the Commonwealth Honors College, contact:
Professor Bill Clement
wclement@geo.umass.edu