Major Requirements. The major requirements for the class of 2024 and beyond consist of 11 courses (9 core courses plus 2 electives) and a one- or two-semester thesis.  The major is somewhat flexible; students may design their major by choosing from a suite of courses at all levels of the curriculum.

Core Courses.

1. Introduction to Earth and Climate Sciences, 2 required

One of the following (“hard” rock introductory courses):

• EACS 104. Plate Tectonics and Tectonic Hazards
• EACS 107. Katahdin to Acadia: Field Geology in Maine/Lab

And one of the following (“soft” rock introductory courses):

• EACS 103. Earth Surface Environments and Environmental Change/La
• EACS 114. Water in Maine
• EACS 109. Earth’s Climate System/Lab
• EA/PH 119. The Anthropocene
• FYS 476. Coastal Hazards

2. Intermediate-Level Courses, 4 required.  Choose 4 from the following list of 5 options:

• EACS 210. Sedimentary Processes and Environments/Lab
• EACS 223. Earth Materials/Lab
• EACS 230. Earth Structure and Dynamics/Lab
• EACS 240. Environmental Geochemistry/Lab
• EA/PH 220. Dynamical Climate* or MAPH 255E, Nonlinear Models and Chaos; or PHYS 216 Computational Physics. (* For this option, the Department recommends EA/PH 220.)

3. Upper-Level Courses, 2 required.

One of the following (“hard” rock 300-level courses):

• EACS 302. Paleoseismology
• EACS 303*. Sedimentary Basins and Global Change
• EACS 304. Planetary Geology
• EACS 326. Igneous Petrology/Lab
• EACS 383. The Lithosphere/Lab
• EACS 391. Seminar in Appalachian Geology/Lab

And one of the following (“soft” rock 300-level courses):

• EACS 303*. Sedimentary Basins and Global Change
• EACS 307. Soils and Landscape Evolution
• EACS 310. Quaternary Paleoclimatology/Lab
• EACS 341. Stable Isotope Geochemistry
• EACS 305 Current Topics in Climate and Environmental Change
• ENVR 310. Soils

*EACS 303 can be used to fulfill either the “soft” or “hard” rock 300-level requirement, but not both.

4. Short Term EACS Course, 1 required.  Choose from any EACS short term.

Elective Courses (2 total). Choose two from the following list:

Senior Thesis.  A one-semester thesis (EACS 457) is required of all majors.  The two-semester thesis option (EACS 457 and EACS 458) is normally reserved for honors candidates and/or those students who plan to pursue a career or go to graduate school in the geological or earth and climate sciences. EACS 457 is offered in the fall semester and EACS 458 in the winter semester.

To qualify for doing an honors thesis in EACS, students must meet the following criteria: Support of their thesis advisor A GPA of 3.5 or better in the major, prior to the start of EACS 457 An A- or better in EACS 457

B.S. or B.A. Degree for EACS Majors. Students may get either a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in EACS.  Students planning careers or graduate work in the geological or earth and climate sciences are encouraged to complete a two-semester thesis (GEO 457 and 458), and to complete the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree requirements (2 semesters of introductory chemistry and physics and calculus.  See details in the Academic Program section of the catalog.)  All others are encouraged to complete a B.A. degree.

Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for any course used to fulfill the major requirements.

Interdisciplinary Interests. The departmental course offerings allow a maximum of flexibility to meet individual interests. Students with environmental science interests are encouraged to choose a major in EACS or Environmental Studies with a concentration in Ecology and Earth Systems or a double major involving EACS and another natural science such as biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics. Students contemplating a major in EACS or an interdisciplinary major or double major are strongly encouraged to consult with the EACS faculty during their second year to plan an appropriate program of study. All programs are subject to departmental approval.

Double Majors.  The connections between Earth and Climate Sciences and other fields of study within the sciences and  outside of the sciences are exciting.  Recent students have double majored in EACS and Biology, Politics, American Studies, French, and English, to name a few.  Students completing a major in Geology and environmental studies (Ecology and Earth Systems concentration) may count no more than one course toward both majors.

Study Abroad: Guidelines for Earth and Climate Sciences Majors Regarding Off-Campus Study.

“Whoever sees the most rocks, wins.”  the late Bates GEO/EACS Professor, John Creasy.

1) The department encourages students to spend time abroad and recommends that majors do so for only one semester. 2) The department expects that majors will have completed the following major requirements prior to the semester abroad: one 100-level course; a minimum of three 200-level courses and one EACS Short Term course. 3) The department expects that majors take all four 200-level courses at Bates. 4) The department expects that majors will have completed the following major requirements prior to their senior year: all four 200-level core courses and one 300-level course. 5) All applications for off-campus study require approval of the major advisor and the department chair. 6) Applications that involve exceptions to the above guidelines require a petition review and approval by the department. 7) The department accepts two non-Bates courses toward the major. These two courses are counted as electives in the major requirements.