Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University
Program Design & Assessment
Overview
Our department offers a B.A. and an M.A. in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The B.A. program is designed to give students flexibility to pursue interests across the earth, planetary and environmental sciences.
Strengths of this program
The B.A. program is designed to give students flexibility. Informal tracks, including Geology, Environmental Science/Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Science/Ecology, and Planetary Geology are enumerated on our department website.
Types of students served
Program Goals
The goals of this program are as follows:
The E&ES major is designed to prepare students for graduate school as well as provide a basis for a variety of careers in the private or public sectors. We seek to teach our students basic problem solving and quantitative skills and field and laboratory methods. We emphasize student research through tutorials and thesis work.
The learning goals were informed by the following resources:
How program goals are assessed
We primarily assess our program by talking with and tracking our graduates.
Design features that allow goals to be met
Alumni Careers
Graduation rate
Careers pursued by our alumni
Courses and Sequencing
Diagram of course sequencing and requirements
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Entry into the program
- Dynamic Earth
- Introduction to Oceanography
- Introduction to Planetary Geology
- Introduction to Environmental Studies
- Introduction to Environmental Science
Core courses
Students must take 3 of:- Mineralogy with Laboratory
- Geomorphology with Laboratory
- Structural Geology with Field Geology
- Sedimentology with Stratigraphic Techniques
- Geobiology with Laboratory
- Environmental Geochemistry with Laboratory
- Oceans and Climate with Techniques in Ocean and Climate Investigations
Electives
Students are required to take 4 elective courses, chosen from the following list:- Astrobiology
- Soils with Laboratory
- Tropical Ecology and the Environment
- Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems
- Marine Biogeochemistry
- Petrology with Laboratory
- Hydrology with Laboratory
- Quantitative Methods for the Biological and Environmental Sciences
- Introduction to GIS
- Remote Sensing with Laboratory
- Isotope Geochemistry: Tracers of Environmental Processes
- Global Climate Change
- Volcanology with Laboratory
- Planetary Geology Seminar
- Field Camp (taken elsewhere)
- Geodynamics
Other required courses
- One year of courses in each of 2 other science or mathematics disciplines.
Capstone
- Senior Seminar with Field Course. This course is offered in the Fall and followed by a field research course in Death Valley or Puerto Rico.
Other key features of this program:
Many of our elective courses are cross-listed as graduate level courses.