Earth Sciences
Chair: Carl E. Renshaw
Professors J. L. Aronson, X. Feng, G. D. Johnson, C. E. Renshaw; Associate Professors W. B. Dade, M. Sharma, L. J. Sonder; Assistant Professors R. L. Hawley, M. A. Kelly, J. H. Scott; Research Assistant Professor B. P. Jackson; Visiting Professor E. S. Posmentier; Visiting Assistant Professors J. A. Mikucki, E. C. Osterberg; Adjunct Professors S. Bonis, G. R. Brakenridge, G. Eglinton, A. J. Friedland, D. E. Lawson, F. J. Magilligan, H. N. Mango, J. B. Thompson, R. A. Virginia; Adjunct Associate Professors E. P. Kvale, K. J. Peterson, S. Taylor; Adjunct Assistant Professor J. W. Chipman; Adjunct Instructor D. R. Spydell; Visiting Scholar D. Wunsch.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EARTH SCIENCES MAJOR, THE ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES MAJOR AND THE EARTH SCIENCES MINOR
The Earth Sciences Major
Prerequisites: Any one introductory Earth Science course (Earth Sciences 1-9 exclusive of Earth Sciences 7); Earth Sciences 40; Chemistry 5 (or 10); and any one of the following courses taken at Dartmouth: Mathematics 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, or 46.
Requirements: One Data Analysis course (Earth Sciences 10-19); Five Core Methods and Concepts courses (Earth Sciences 30-59), including Earth Sciences 45, 46, and 47 and at least one Advanced Core Methods and Concepts course (Earth Sciences 50-59); one Quantitative Analysis course (Earth Sciences 60-69); and one Advanced Topics course (Earth Sciences 70-79).
In addition, to fulfill the College’s culminating experience requirement, all students must complete Earth Sciences 87 or 88 or 89 and attend the weekly research seminar in Winter and Spring of their senior year.
The Environmental Earth Sciences Major
Prerequisites: Any one introductory Earth Science course (Earth Sciences 1-9, exclusive of Earth Sciences 7); Earth Sciences 40; Chemistry 5 (or 10); and any one of the following courses taken at Dartmouth: Mathematics 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, or 46.
Requirements: One Data Analysis course (Earth Sciences 10-19); Earth Sciences 45, 46, and 47; one Quantitative Analysis course (Earth Sciences 60-69); one Advanced Topics course (Earth Sciences 70-79); and at least two additional courses that are either Earth Sciences courses numbered 30 or higher or relevant courses above the introductory level from qualifying courses in Geography, Environmental Studies, Engineering, Chemistry or Biology. Such courses may include Geography 59; Chemistry 63; Engineering Sciences 37, 41, 43; Biology 24, 28, 53; Environmental Studies 25, 30, 89; Mathematics 53, or other courses with the permission of the Chair.
In addition, to fulfill the College’s culminating experience requirement, all students must complete Earth Sciences 87 or 88 or 89 and attend the weekly research seminar in Winter and Spring of their senior year.
**Advisory**
First-year students planning a major in either of the two above Earth Sciences majors are advised to complete the prerequisite courses, exclusive of Earth Sciences 40, by the end of their sophomore year. It is highly recommended that all majors take the required Earth Sciences 45, 46 and 47 sequence (the Fall F.S.P.). However, a student may substitute a summer field methods course offered by another institution and approved by the Chair. Since this course will likely receive one Dartmouth course credit, a student will usually need two additional Earth Sciences courses numbered 30 or above to meet Dartmouth’s eight course major requirement.
Students contemplating a professional career in earth sciences are advised that:
1. Training at the Master’s level or above is becoming increasingly necessary.
2. Most graduate schools have minimum entrance requirements equivalent to Mathematics 3 and 8, Chemistry 5-6, and Physics 3-4 or 13-14. Minimal expectations for Earth Sciences preparation include material taught in Earth Sciences 40, 51, 52, 68, and 69.
The Earth Sciences Minor
Prerequisite Courses: Any one introductory Earth Science course (Earth Sciences 1-9 exclusive of Earth Sciences 7); Earth Sciences 40; Chemistry 5 (or 10); and any one of Mathematics 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, or 46, taken at Dartmouth.
Requirements: Four Earth Sciences courses numbered above 10, of which three must be numbered 30 or higher.
The Environmental Earth Sciences Minor
Prerequisite courses: Any one of Earth Sciences 1-19 exclusive of Earth Sciences 7; any one of Math 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, or 46, taken at Dartmouth; Chemistry 5 (or 10) or Physics 13 (or 3 or 15) or Biology 16
Required courses: A total of 5 courses in addition to the prerequisite courses is required for the Environmental Earth Sciences minor. Three or more of these must be in Earth Sciences. The Earth Sciences courses must be numbered greater than 10; of these, two courses must be Core Methods and Concepts (Earth Sciences 30-59) and one must be numbered 60 or above (Quantitative Analysis of Earth Systems or Advanced Topics). Up to two of the five required courses may be from other departments; the following are specifically recommended for the Environmental Earth Sciences minor but other courses are permitted, subject to the permission of the Chair:
Chemistry 63 (Environmental Chemistry); Environmental Studies 20 (Conservation of Biodiversity) or 25 (Ecological Agriculture); Biology 21 (Population Ecology), 25 (Introductory Marine Biology and Ecology), 28 (Macroevolution), 51 (Advanced Population Ecology), or 53 (Aquatic Ecology); Engineering 37 (Introduction to Environmental Engineering) or 43 (Environmental Transport and Fate); Geography 31 (Forest Geography), 58 (Geographical Information Systems), or 59 (Environmental Applications of GIS)
The Modified Major
Modified Major with Earth Sciences as the primary department.
Prerequisites: same as Earth Sciences Major
Required Courses: Earth Sciences 45, 46, 47 plus three additional courses above 10, of which 2 must be above 30.
Modified Major with Earth Sciences as the secondary department.
Prerequisites: same as Earth Sciences Major
Required Courses: four courses above 10 within the Earth Sciences major.
Modified Major with Environmental Earth Sciences as the primary department.
Prerequisites: same as Environmental Earth Sciences Major
Required Courses: six, of which 3 must include Earth Sciences 45, 46, 47. Of the other three, all must be above the introductory level and one may come from third department (neither the primary nor secondary department); the following courses are specifically recommended but others are permitted subject to the permission of the Chair:
Chemistry 63 (Environmental Chemistry); Environmental Studies 20 (Conservation of Biodiversity) or 25 (Ecological Agriculture); Biology 21 (Population Ecology), 23 (Aquatic Ecology), 25 (Introductory Marine Biology and Ecology), 28 (Macroevolution), or 51 (Advanced Population Ecology); Engineering 37 (Introduction to Environmental Engineering) or 43 (Environmental Transport and Fate); Geography 31 (Forest Geography), 58 (Geographical Information Systems), or 59 (Environmental Applications of GIS)
Modified Major with Environmental Earth Sciences as the secondary department.
Prerequisites: same as Environmental Earth Sciences Major
Required Courses: four courses numbered above 10 within the Environmental Earth Sciences Major. A maximum of one of these courses may come from a third department (neither the primary nor the secondary department).
EARTH SCIENCES HONORS PROGRAM
A candidate for the Honors Program in Earth Sciences must satisfy the College requirements of at least a 3.0 (B) overall grade point average and at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average in the major at the beginning of senior year. Those students who a) enroll in and satisfactorily complete Earth Sciences 89, b) satisfactorily complete and submit a written senior thesis and c) have a 3.3 (B+) average or higher in the 8 courses constituting their major will earn Honors or, in appropriate cases, High Honors, in Earth Sciences at the end of senior year. High Honors will be granted only by vote of the Department faculty on the basis of overall academic performance including both classroom and independent work. Earth Sciences 89 may be taken twice, both for course credit, but will only count once toward the major. An interim evaluation of Honors Students will be made after one term and continuation will be recommended for those students whose work demonstrates the capacity for satisfactory (B+) work. Note: enrollment in Earth Sciences 89 in and of itself does not constitute admission to the Honors Program, nor does completion of a senior thesis guarantee the awarding of Honors.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE
General requirements of the Master of Science (MS) degree at Dartmouth College include three terms of residence and seven courses of graduate level, not more than four of which may be replaced by research or special study approved and supervised by the department.
To be considered for admission to the MS program a prospective student must:
1) Complete the equivalent of the following Dartmouth Courses:
Math 3 and 8.
2) Complete the equivalent (or higher) of any two of the following Dartmouth course sequences:
Chemistry 5 and 6;
Physics 3 and 4 (or 13 and 14);
Biology 12 and 16.
In the case where a student is admitted into the MS program without having completed these prerequisites, the student must fulfill these prerequisites in addition to the specific degree requirements described below.
To fulfill the specific requirements of the Department of Earth Sciences for an MS degree, a student must:
1) Successfully complete seven courses eligible for graduate credit (EARS 100 and above) at the discretion of the thesis committee. These courses must include Earth Sciences 201, 202, and 203 and either EARS 117 or EARS 118. Courses not eligible for course credit toward a graduate degree include departmental seminar (EARS 121), special project research (EARS 131), thesis research (EARS 141-143), and teaching (EARS 149).
2) Complete the equivalent of three terms of thesis research for registered credit (EARS 141-143).
3) Complete a thesis of professional quality, with a view to scholarly publication, and pass a final oral examination on the topic of the thesis.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE
General requirements for the Ph.D. degree are given in the Regulations for Graduate Study section. In fulfillment of the specific requirements of the Department of Earth Sciences, the student must:
1. Satisfy all course requirements for the MS degree
2. Pass the following required courses or their equivalents, if not passed prior to entering the Ph.D. Program.
Mathematics 23. Differential Equations.
Earth Sciences 107. Mathematical Modeling in the Earth Sciences
Earth Sciences 118. Advanced Methods for Environmental Data Analysis
One upper level science or engineering course outside the department carrying graduate credit. This may include Chemistry 51 or 71, Biology 26, Engineering 24 or 34, or other courses approved by the Department.
3. Pass a minimum of nine courses carrying graduate credit, including those fulfilling the above requirements.
4. Submit a summer research proposal by May 1 of the first year in residence.
5. Pass a general oral exam and defense of results from a summer research project during Fall term of the second year.
6. At the end of the second year, present and defend a thesis proposal before the faculty.
7. An essential element of graduate education at Dartmouth is the experience gained in teaching other students. Therefore, at least one term of undergraduate teaching is required of all graduate students. Students may participate in more than one term of teaching. Each student’s program will be arranged, according to his/ her individual needs and interests, and the teaching needs of the Department.
A candidate who has satisfied the above requirements will receive a Ph.D. degree after he or she has:
1. Passed any additional graduate-level courses beyond those specified above, as prescribed by the Department.
2. Completed a thesis of professional quality. The thesis may be a series of publishable papers connected by appropriate text. The candidate must pass a final oral examination on the thesis.