Geological Sciences Major, B.A.–Earth Science Concentration
The B.A. in Geological Sciences provides an interdisciplinary understanding of how Earth’s systems operate and change, from mountains to oceans. The major emphasizes broad scientific literacy, environmental problem‑solving, and connections between natural processes and human society.
Students choose from a range of courses related to geology, hydrology, environmental change, coastal processes, and marine biology/ecology. Through these classes students develop skills in scientific reasoning, critical analysis, observation, and communication.
The curriculum prepares students for careers in environmental policy, conservation, sustainability, education, communication, nonprofit work, and resource management, as well as for environmentally focused graduate study. Grounded in a Mountains‑to‑Sea perspective, the program equips graduates to interpret environmental challenges, integrate diverse forms of evidence, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the geological sciences program (B.A.), students should be able to:
- Demonstrate broad knowledge of core geological concepts
- Produce written synthesis of professional journal articles dealing with topics covered in advanced courses
- Make a clear and effective oral presentation
- Apply knowledge and skills from coursework in a significant field experience in an area of geological sciences
In addition to the program requirements, students must
- earn a minimum final cumulative GPA of 2.000
- complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
- take at least half of their major core requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
- earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the major core requirements. Some programs may require higher standards for major or specific courses.
For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Choose two of the following: | 6 | |
 The Solid Earth | ||
| Earth's Surface: Processes, Landforms, and History | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| A minimum of 14 credits from the following EMES courses: | 14 | |
| Data Analysis for Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences | ||
| The Microbial World: Foundations in Structure, Metabolism, and Ecology | ||
| Earth's Critical Mineral Resources | ||
| Structural Geology | ||
| Sedimentology and Stratigraphy | ||
| Petrology and Plate Tectonics | ||
| Earth and Life through Time | ||
| Marine Life in a Fluid World | ||
| Water in Our World: Introduction to Hydrologic Science and Environmental Problems and Water in Our World Laboratory | ||
| Marine Ecology | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Earth and Marine Sciences Speaker Series | ||
| Applied Learning Experience (3-6 hr) | 3-6 | |
| Summer Field Course in Geology and Summer Field Course in Geology | ||
| Honors in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences and Honors in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences | ||
| Undergraduate Research in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences | ||
| Independent Study in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences | ||
| Principles and Methods of Teaching Earth Science | ||
| Capstone: Analysis and Solution of Environmental Problems | ||
Science-oriented Experiential Education (EE) courses (3 credits total). 1 | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| CHEM 101 & 101L | General Descriptive Chemistry I and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory I H, F | 4 |
| MATH 130 | Precalculus Mathematics F | 3 |
| At least three EMES and/or allied science electives not otherwise required for the major (see below chart) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 39-42 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
| F | FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute. |
- 1
Must be pre-approved by the director of undergraduate studies.
Geology and/or Allied Science Electives Not Otherwise Required for the Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 143 | Human Evolution and Adaptation | 3 |
| ANTH 220 | Principles of Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTH 315 | Human Genetics and Evolution | 3 |
| ANTH 412 | Paleoanthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 414 | Laboratory Methods: Human Osteology | 3 |
| ASTR --- | any Astronomy course | |
| BIOC --- | any Biochemistry course except BIOC 107 and BIOC 108 | |
| BIOL 101 & 101L | Principles of Biology and Introductory Biology Laboratory H, F | 4 |
| BIOL --- | any Biology course above BIOL 113 | |
| CHEM --- | any Chemistry course above CHEM 101 | |
| COMP --- | any Computer Science course except COMP 50, COMP 70, and COMP 380 | |
| ECON 101 | Introduction to Economics H, F | 4 |
| EMES --- | any Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences course numbered above EMES 105 | |
| ENEC 489 | Ecological Processes in Environmental Systems | 4 |
| ENEC 490 | Special Topics in Environmental Science and Studies H | 1-12 |
| ENVR --- | any Environmental Health Sciences course except ENVR 600 | |
| GEOG 370 | Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| GEOG 410 | Modeling of Environmental Systems | 3 |
| GEOG 412 | Synoptic Meteorology | 3 |
| GEOG 414 | Climate Change | 3 |
| GEOG 416 | Applied Climatology: The Impacts of Climate and Weather on Environmental and Social Systems | 3 |
| GEOG 440 | Earth Surface Processes | 3 |
| GEOG 441 | Introduction to Watershed Systems | 3 |
| GEOG 444 | Landscape Biogeography | 3 |
| GEOG --- | any Geography course above GEOG 477 | |
| GEOL --- | any Geological Sciences course | |
| MASC --- | any Marine Sciences course above MASC 101 | |
| MATH --- | any Mathematics course above MATH 130 | |
| PHYS --- | any Physics course except PHYS 101, PHYS 132, and PHYS 313 | |
| STOR --- | any Statistics and Operations Research course STOR 155 or above |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
| F | FY-Launch class sections may be available. A FY-Launch section fulfills the same requirements as a standard section of that course, but also fulfills the FY-SEMINAR/FY-LAUNCH First-Year Foundations requirement. Students can search for FY-Launch sections in ConnectCarolina using the FY-LAUNCH attribute. |
Students also must satisfy all General Education requirements.
Course descriptions for:
Special Opportunities
Honors in Geological Sciences
The honors program is open to undergraduates with an overall grade point average of 3.3 or better as of the beginning of the fall semester of the senior year. To participate in this program, the student chooses a research topic in consultation with a chosen faculty sponsor and conducts the research during the last two semesters in residence. The research project should represent the equivalent time expenditure of six hours of course credit and is taken as EMES 691H (fall semester) and EMES 692H (spring semester).
Upon recommendation of the faculty, students may be awarded the degree with honors or highest honors. Highest honors is reserved for students who have distinguished themselves in both coursework and independent research. In order to obtain this distinction the student must maintain a grade point average of 3.60 or higher and complete a research project that is worthy of peer-reviewed publication.
Departmental Involvement
The department encourages all undergraduates to engage actively in its research, teaching, and community engagement activities. Opportunities include:
- Undergraduate research with faculty labs and field teams
- Peer teaching and outreach activities
- Student groups such as the Geology Club, TriBeta Biological Honors Society, Epsilon Eta Environmental Sciences Fraternity, and interdisciplinary environmental student communities
- Departmental seminar series, networking opportunities, annual spring research symposium, and social events
Information about events is posted on the department website and in Murray and Mitchell Halls.
Experiential Education
Many department courses emphasize experiential learning through opportunities to learn how to collect and analyze data from the field, learn laboratory-based skills (ex. mass spec, microscopy, identification/classification of biotic or abiotic samples), and data analysis. Students also have multiple options to complete a capstone or applied learning experience both on campus and at the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) in Morehead City, NC.
Teaching Opportunities
Undergraduates can earn course credit (EMES 291) while serving as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant (ULA), take pedagogy classes (ex. EMES 412), or participate in the BEST Minor program that offers a path for undergraduates to gain the knowledge and licensure to become a high-school teacher.
Study Abroad
The UNC Study Abroad program has both international and domestic opportunities for students to extend their experience beyond Carolina. The Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) hosts a fall field site where EMES faculty offer a full semester of in-residence course offerings and experiential learning at the marine station. Other programs with EMES-affiliated courses include the Sustainable Triangle field site, as well as international locations including Galapagos, Florida, and Belize. For non-EMES courses affiliated with a study abroad program, students must receive approval from the director of undergraduate studies prior to taking courses abroad for EMES credit. More information about current and future programs can be found at the UNC Study Abroad website.
Undergraduate Awards
Majors are eligible for multiple awards and scholarships in recognition of their outstanding performance or to provide financial assistance to support independent research projects, travel for research, presenting at scientific conferences, attending geology field camp, or tuition support. Applications for these awards and fellowships are typically considered once or twice a year.
Undergraduate Research
Students are encouraged to pursue independent research under the guidance of a faculty mentor on campus or at the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS). Research may be taken for 1–4 credit hours through EMES 395 or as part of an Honors thesis. Research topics span the full breadth of Earth, marine, and environmental sciences, ranging from climate and ocean processes to ecology, geomorphology, tectonics, environmental health, geochemistry, hydrology, and more.
Department Programs
Majors
Minors
Graduate Programs
Courses
Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences
Murray and Mitchell Halls
