Earth Science, B.S. - Natural Resources

The graduation requirements are listed below. In addition, students select free electives to reach 120 credits overall required for the degree, and this program requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA for graduation.  The department website provides an overview of the program, admission requirements for the major (when applicable), faculty biographies, learning outcomes, and careers: https://www.southernct.edu/academics/earth-science/programs. 

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (46 Credits)

All bachelor’s degree programs include liberal education (LEP) and writing (W) course requirements. To review more detailed information, please visit General Education (LEP) Degree Requirements.   

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (45 Credits)

Up to three courses in the major/cognate may also satisfy LEP requirements and will be indicated below; no more than two courses in the same subject may be used towards LEP Explorations.  

'C-' or better required.

ESC 200 – Physical Geology (T2PR)
ESC 201 – History of Earth and Life (T2LE)
ESC 205 – Principles of Meteorology (T2PR)
ESC 235 – Computation and Visualization of Data in the Earth Science
ESC 311 – Mineralogy
ESC 312 – Petrology  OR  ESC 325 – Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
ESC 332 – Invertebrate Paleontology  OR ESC 461 – Glacial Geology 
ESC 350 – Structural Geology and Tectonics
ESC 430 – Field Methods

Select 11 credits from: 
ESC 220 – Physical and Chemical Oceanography (T2PR)
ESC 303 – Environmental Earth Science
ESC 312 – Petrology
ESC 315 – Geomorphology and Natural Hazards
ESC 325 – Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 
ESC 420 – Earth Resources
ESC 421 – Marine Geology
ESC 457 – Hydrology
ESC 458 – Soil Science
ESC 459 – Engineering Geology

ESC 460 – Geochemistry

ESC 461 – Glacial Geology

Select one option from the following two:
ESC 492 – Undergraduate Thesis Proposal and ESC 493 – Undergraduate Thesis
Two additional ESC courses at the 200-level or above

COGNATE REQUIREMENTS (32 Credits)

BIO 102 – Biology I 
BIO 103 – Biology II (T2LE)
CHE 120 – General Chemistry I (T2PR)
CSC 152 or MAT 107 or MAT 221  – Computer Science/Mathematics 
MAT 120 or MAT 122 or MAT 150 – Mathematics Cognate (T1QR)
PHY 200 – General Physics I (T2PR)

Select three from:
BIO 202 – Ecology
BIO 210 – Environmental Biology and Conservation
BIO 215 – Animal Behavior
BIO 228 – Vertebrate Zoology
BIO 229 – Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 230 – Plant Anatomy and Morphology
BIO 232 – Morphology of Non-Vascular Plants
BIO 233 – Introductory Microbiology
BIO 250 – Plant Diversity
BIO 327 – Field Natural History
BIO 429 – Limnology

Non-Course Requirement:
Pass Praxis® II with a score of 157 or higher

ACCELERATED PATHWAY OPTION (12 Credits)

Students with an overall 3.0 GPA may be approved to complete an accelerated pathway. Graduate courses may be completed during their senior year when a student has earned at least 90 credits. Courses successfully completed with a grade of 'C' or higher will earn dual credit to be applied to both the undergraduate and graduate transcript. Approval to start graduate coursework does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

Accelerated Pathway to Graduate Program
In consultation with their advisor, students may select up to 12 credits of graduate level coursework (500-level or higher) appropriate to their intended graduate program of study.