Program Requirements

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Sand Beach, Acadia National Park

The School of Earth and Climate Sciences offers a B.A. degree in Earth Sciences and a B.S. degree in Earth Sciences with an Earth Sciences or Climate Sciences concentration.  We also offer an Earth and Environmental Sciences Concentration through the B.S. in the Ecology and Environmental Sciences program. Our program also provides a wide range of courses accessible to the non-major interested in the Earth and our environment,and we offer a minor in Earth and Climate Science. Our curriculum is designed to prepare majors for careers in Earth Science-related fields, as well as to provide all students with the knowledge they need to address future environmental challenges. B.A. or B.S. Earth Sciences graduates from our program are prepared to enter directly into education, industry, or federal and state agencies. A B.S. is typically required to enter graduate school in Earth Sciences.

For complete details on program requirements, refer to the Undergraduate Catalog.  Contact Alice Doughty (alice.doughty@maine.edu) to switch majors or add a minor.

B.S.

To earn a B.S. in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, you must complete the requirements of the core courses, including those in the supporting sciences, and those of one of the two concentrations (Earth Sciences or Climate Sciences), in addition to the University-wide requirements. Only courses for which you earn a C- or higher count toward the major.

Minimum number of credits to graduate: 120

Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0

Core

NFA 117

One of ERS 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 121, or 151

ERS 200, 201, 312, 315, 317, 320, 330, 361, 410/499

Ancillary requirements

STS 132 (formerly known as STS 232, either counts)

MAT 116+117 or 126+127

CHY 121+123 and 122+124

PHY 111+122 or 121+122

At least one of: COS 125, COS 215, ERS 301, ERS 350, ERS 420 (If an ERS course is used, it may not also be used to satisfy the ERS elective requirement).

Earth Sciences Concentration

ERS 316

12 additional credits of ERS courses at the 200 level or above.

 

Climate Sciences Concentration

ERS 121 or 152

ERS 240

SMS 100 or 110

12 credits of electives from the following list:

ERS 323, 350, 401, 420, 425, 441, 444, 460, 480, 542, 553

ECO 381

EES 324

SMS 230

B.A.

To earn a B.A. in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, you must complete the following courses, in addition to the University-wide General Education and graduation requirements. Aside from the Gen Ed requirements, only courses for which you earn a C- or higher count toward the major.

Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 120

Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0

Core

NFA 117

One of ERS 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 121, or 151

ERS 200, 201, 312, 315, 316, 317, 320, 330, 361, 410/499

12 additional credits of ERS courses at the 200 level or above

Ancillary requirements

STS 132 (formerly known as STS 232, either counts)

MAT 116 or 126

CHY 121+123

PHY 111 or PHY 121

Minimum of 72 credits outside the major. (If a particular major requires courses in another discipline, either within the same department or in another department, those credits may still count toward the 72 credits.)

27 credits in the Human Values and Social Context area with at least 12 credits at the 200 level or above

Minors

Earth Sciences Minor

You must complete a minimum of 18 credits of ERS courses in the department, no more than 2 courses at the 100 level. No grade below a C- will be accepted toward these requirements. Only 9 transfer credits can be used toward the minor.

Climate Sciences Minor

You must complete a minimum of 18 credits of courses listed below, no more than 2 courses at the 100 level. No grade below a C- will be accepted toward these requirements. Only 9 transfer credits can be used toward the minor.

100 level: ERS 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 121, 152

Upper level: ERS 200, 201, 240, 301, 310, 312, 315, 323, 330, 350, 361, 401, 410, 420, 425, 441, 444, 460, 480, EES 398, EES 598

B.S. Ecology and Environmental Science, concentration in Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Environmental Sciences is an interdisciplinary program offered cooperatively by the faculties of the Department of Anthropology, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, School of Earth and Climate Sciences, School of Food andAgriculture; School of Biology and Ecology; School of Economics; and School of Forest Resources.

Six Ecology and Environmental Sciences concentrations allow a student to pursue a particular aspect of natural resources in depth with an eye toward future employment or postgraduate study. At a minimum, a concentration will entail 21 credits of course work with at least 15 credits being 300 or 400 level (Junior or Senior) courses. Courses taken as part of the core curriculum cannot be counted towards concentration requirements.

Students in the Earth and Environmental Sciences concentration will study environmental processes in depth from an earth science perspective with a focus on the physical and chemical processes associated with freshwater systems. Knowledge gained through this concentration will be applicable to many socially relevant environmental challenges including: climate and land use change, water quality problems, and water supply issues. This concentration is intended to prepare students for careers in environmental consulting, regulatory or conservation work in both government and NGO sectors, or to prepare students for graduate study in related areas.

Courses are listed below. Please see the EES website or UMaine Undergraduate Catalog for course titles and descriptions.

Core

Ecology and Environmental Sciences (15 credits)

EES 100, 117, 217, 489, 490

PSE 121

PHI 232

ECO 381

Biological and Ecological Sciences (7 credits)

EES 324

SFR 446

SMS 230

SFR 220

ECO 180

Physical and Chemical Sciences (16 credits)

CHY 121, 123, 122, 124

ERS 101, 102, 108

SMS 108

EES 140, 141

Quantitative and Information Skills (6-7 credits)

STS 232

WLE 220

SFR 205

SFR 400

ERS 230

Communication Skills (9 credits)

ENG 101, 212, 315, 317

CMJ 103, 107

SFR 222

Example Schedule

First year fall

  • ELH 117
  • ENG 101
  • ERS 101 or ERS 102
  • MAT 111 or MAT 122
  • Gen Ed

First year spring

  • ERS elective #1
  • MAT class
  • Gen Ed

Second year fall

  • CHY 121
  • MAT 126
  • ERS 200
  • ERS computational requirement
  • Gen Ed

Second year spring

  • CHY 122
  • MAT 127
  • ERS 201
  • ERS 330
  • Gen Ed

Third year fall

  • PHY 121
  • STS 132
  • ERS 315
  • ERS 316
  • ERS 320
  • ERS elective #2

Third year spring

  • PHY 122
  • ERS 312
  • ERS 317
  • ERS 410 (Capstone)

Fourth year fall

  • ERS 361
  • ERS elective #3
  • Gen Ed

Fourth year spring

  • ERS elective #4
  • Gen Ed