Environmental Earth Systems

Investigate and understand the Earth’s changes through USCA’s Environmental Earth Systems degree

Our planet is shaped and influenced by natural processes and human activities. As a major in Environmental Earth Systems (EES) at USCA, you’ll work toward a career focused on exploring the problems and interactions amongst the different systems of the Earth (the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere) and the complex society of people (the anthroposphere) that call the Earth home. 

The only one of its kind in South Carolina, USCA’s degree in Environmental Earth Systems provides you with a broad, intradisciplinary perspective on earth and environmental science through coursework, research experiences, and other hands-on learning opportunities—all with experts in the field who stay active both in their research areas and on the cutting edge of science pedagogy. After EES majors receive a broad overview of the processes, problems, and connections amongst the Earth’s systems, faculty advisors guide students into focused classes and areas that prepare them to explore more specialized areas of the Earth Sciences in their career or further study. These areas include but are not limited to hydrology and hydropower, nuclear and renewable energy development and resource management, carbon capture and technology development, paleoclimatology, geomorphology, geohazard mitigation, remote sensing and GIS, environmental protection and remediation, coastal management, oceanography and sea level rise, and science policy, outreach, and education.

When you graduate, you’ll be prepared for many careers spanning the geosciences or to take on graduate-level work at top universities here in the Palmetto State and beyond.

Program Highlights

With a degree in Environmental Earth Systems from USCA, you’ll explore biogeochemical, geophysical, and socio-environmental processes through EES major courses that address our ever-changing planet. Our program provides you with:

• A yearlong research capstone project. A requirement for all our EES majors, this is an opportunity to master a specific topic, push your learning to new heights, and experience what it’s like to work with scientists in the professional community.
• Experienced educators who are also changing the world. Our EES degree faculty members guide you to take a new look at our world through classroom, laboratory, and field experiences. They’re also published researchers. For instance, Professor Kelly Gibson’s research uses records of climate change in the geologic past to help understand how our oceans and global climate may respond in our current phase of climate change.
• Top-notch facilities. Within USCA’s Science Building, Environmental Earth Systems majors gain experience with a range of lab facilities, procedures, and equipment focused on understanding aspects of Earth Systems. Students can gain valuable experience in GPS, GIS, geochemical, and environmental procedures and analyses that translate directly to career-ready skills. EES majors have access to mass spectrometers, environmental analyzers, and a gamma counter both in-house and at USC Columbia. In addition to hands-on lab and field-work opportunities, EES majors can present their work at regional and national conferences and have been included as authors on EES faculty research papers.
• Opportunities to make your degree more affordable. Along with USCA’s low tuition rates, we also offer scholarships and other funding initiatives to Environmental Earth Systems majors. For example, the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization offers, on average, $5,000 scholarships to students—helping make your study of the Earth even more cost-effective.

Course Highlights

The processes and interactions related to the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere—and their interplay with human society—become second nature when you’re a USCA EES major.

After you complete broad-based, liberal arts coursework, you can expect to take on upper-level courses related to the study of the Earth, in subjects such as:

• Earth Systems Through Time
• Global Biogeochemical Cycles
• Oceanography
• Meteorology
• The Anthropocene
• GIS
• Southern Appalachian Field Geology

Along with a yearlong research capstone, you’ll also complete a senior seminar course—preparing you for wherever your Environmental Earth Systems degree takes you.

Student-to-faculty ratio for Environmental Earth Systems degree classes. 300 and above level classes are probably around 1:10 on average.