Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: CNS

(Revised Spring 2018)

Department of Geosciences

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How to Explore/Get Started in the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

Required prerequisites:

• 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 Leckie) 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.

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How to Declare the Major

Contact the Department for admission to the major

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Summary of Requirements for the Major

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? If so what are the requirements?
No.

For further information, contact:
Professor R. Mark Leckie
252 Morrill Science, 4 South
545-1948
mleckie@geo.umass.edu

or 

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