2024-2025 Undergraduate Course Catalog 
    
    Nov 04, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Course Catalog

Earth Sciences, Minor


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: College of Arts and Sciences

Gregory D. Hoke, Chair
earthenvsciences@syr.edu
204 Heroy Geology Laboratory
315-443-2672

Faculty

Tripti Bhattacharya, Melissa Chipman, Daniel Curewitz, Gregory Hoke, Linda Ivany, Christopher Junium, Zunli Lu, Jessica Mejia, Aaron Mohammed, Robert Moucha, Cathryn Newton, Joshua Russell, Scott Samson, Christopher Scholz, Jay Thomas, John Tillotson, Sam Tuttle, Tao Wen

The Earth Sciences provide insights into some of humanity’s deepest questions. How was the planet Earth, our lifeboat in space, formed? What are the processes that have shaped the Earth - its surface and internal structure? How has life, of which humanity is a part, evolved? Why are there earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain chains, continents, and oceans? How has the surface of the Earth and its environments changed through time?

The department of Earth and Environmental Sciences welcomes majors from all departments to pursue this minor.  Students with majors in other areas may find that a minor in Earth Sciences provides a flexible way to satisfy their curiosity about our planet and can be an asset for those competing for admission to professional schools such as law and medicine. Alternatively, if you are a science major in Biology, Chemistry or Physics, you can use this minor to explore the application of your field to the Earth (e.g., geobiology, geochemistry or geophysics).

Student Learning Outcomes


  • Explain process-based linkages among tectonics, climate, and life as illustrated by the Earth system over time.
  • Understand the importance of Earth Science in society.
  • Effectively synthesize published literature related to geological sciences in a written report and/or a data product

Requirements for Minor in Earth Sciences


To complete a minor in Earth Sciences, students must take 20 credits in Earth Sciences which include:

Introductory Earth Science Courses


Sequence Earth Science Course


Department Electives


At least 12-credits of any upper-division EAR courses.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: College of Arts and Sciences