Earth and Climate Sciences (ECSEN-BS)

Duffield College of Engineering

Program Website

Program Description

The global-scale environmental challenges our society faces today demands a new generation of earth scientists who want to join in the effort to make a more sustainable planet. We work at spatial scales from atoms to solar systems and time scales from seconds to billions of years. Our aim is to understand the fundamental dynamics of our earth, ocean, and atmosphere in sufficient detail to fully reveal our planet's past and to reliably predict its future. We study a wide range of topics that include paleontology, earthquakes, volcanos, geophysics, climate change, melting ice sheets and changes in global ocean ecosystems. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department faculty members and graduate students carry out cutting-edge research on subjects as diverse as satellite monitoring of volcanic activity, the deep structure of the Andes Mountains and Tibetan Plateau, natural and man-made earthquakes, the nature of the earth's ionosphere, global ocean ecosystems and climate change.

The Earth and Climate Sciences (ECS) major is the undergraduate program offered by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to Cornell students in the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. We offer four concentrations within the ECS major: Environmental Science, Geological Science, Atmospheric Science and Ocean Science. Each concentration will prepare students with a tailored set of skills and provide the flexibility to choose different pathways depending on their interests.

An abundance of opportunities exists for geological, oceanographic, and climate research in the field and for nationwide and international travel as well as paid research experience. Students have worked with faculty members in the Andes, the Aleutians, the Rocky Mountains, the Atacama Desert, the Caribbean, Tibet, and Hawaii, and have spent a semester at sea in the Sea Semester Program. Students are also able to probe the ionosphere of Earth and the surface of Mars by utilizing techniques in remote sensing.

The ECS major provides a strong preparation for graduate school in any one of the earth sciences, such as climate science, geological science, geophysics, geochemistry, oceanography, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and environmental science. Students seeking employment with the B.A. or B.S. degree will have many options in a wide variety of careers related to energy, the environment, and critical resources in both the private sector and government. Students with the strong science background provided by the ECS major are also highly valued by graduate programs in environmental law, public affairs, economics, and public policy.

Academic Standards

Program Policies

  • All coursework for this major is in person, in Ithaca, unless otherwise noted
  • All major requirements must be taken for a letter grade
  • Students must have a C- or above in all courses taken for the Earth and Climate Sciences Major

Academic Standing

The criteria for good standing in the Earth and Climate Sciences major are as follows:

  • Semester GPA > 2.0
  • Cumulative GPA > 2.3

Honors Program

An honors program is offered by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences for qualified students. Students interested in applying should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies during the second semester of their junior year or very early in the first semester of their senior year.