{"id":3604,"date":"2023-11-08T12:10:12","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T20:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/?page_id=3604"},"modified":"2025-07-21T15:46:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T22:46:55","slug":"earth-sciences","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/undergraduate-programs\/earth-sciences\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth Sciences"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wsu-hero wsu-width--full wsu-pattern--wsu-light-radial-left wsu-hero--size-small wsu-notch--medium wsu-spacing-after--none wsu-zindex--level-7 \">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image-frame--fill\">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg\"\n\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg 1545w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Student_Earth-Science-Lee-Tatum-e1699488552135.jpg 1536w\"\n\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\"\n\t\talt=\"Woman sitting on edge of a ledge.\"\n\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 58% 41%\"\n\t\t\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wsu-overlay wsu-pattern-after wsu-overlay--dark-left wsu-pattern--none\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-eyebrow-header\">\n\t\t\t\tSchool of the Environment\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 id=\"title-id-69d2b88834990\" class=\"wsu-title wsu-hero__title\"><span>Earth Sciences<\/span><\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-caption wsu-hero__copy\">\n\t\t\t\tEarth scientists study our planet\u2019s processes and how they work\u201a as well as the natural processes of global change, to understand our current environmental conditions.\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-container  wsu-position--relative wsu-width--full wsu-color-background--white\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-block-gray-wsu\" style=\"top:-112px;bottom:0px;left:0;right:0;height:200px;width:100%\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs \" typeof=\"BreadcrumbList\" vocab=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/\"><span property=\"itemListElement\" typeof=\"ListItem\"><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to CAHNRS.\" href=\"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/\" class=\"main-home\" ><span property=\"name\">CAHNRS<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/span> &gt; <span property=\"itemListElement\" typeof=\"ListItem\"><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Academics.\" href=\"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\" class=\"home\" aria-current=\"page\"><span property=\"name\">Academics<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"2\"><\/span><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row wsu-spacing-before--xmedium wsu-row--sidebar-right\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Explore the Possibilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" wsu-font-size--large\">Earth Sciences is an interdisciplinary geology and geosciences major that allows you to explore and understand the processes that support life on Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This knowledge is urgently needed to tackle such problems as sustainably exploring for natural resources, understanding global climate change, and reducing suffering and loss from natural hazards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an <strong>Earth Sciences<\/strong> major you will explore the environmental and physical processes of the Earth, experience the latest in science and technology, and with WSU professors as mentors, conduct your own research in geosciences and geology. Upon graduation you will be prepared to begin work as a geologist, geochemist, exploration scientist (for petroleum, natural gas, and mineral deposits), climatologist, hydrologist, mineralogist, oceanographer or in a related career path.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n<div class=\"wsu-container wsu-position--relative wsu-spacing-after--none wsu-color-background--white wsu-dropshadow--medium wsu-spacing-bottom--xxmedium wsu-spacing-margin-left--none wsu-spacing-margin-right--none wsu-spacing-padding-left--none wsu-spacing-padding-right--none\" >\r\n    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"787\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1-1024x787.jpg\" alt=\"Group of students on hike.\" class=\"wp-image-3633\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1-1024x787.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1-300x230.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1-768x590.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1-1536x1180.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students_Earth-Sci_Choice1-Lee-Tatum-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-container wsu-spacing-padding-left--xmedium wsu-spacing-padding-right--xmedium\" >\r\n    \n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading wsu-font-size--xxmedium wsu-spacing-before--xmedium\">Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" wsu-font-size--small\">509-335-3009<br><a href=\"mailto:soe.academics@wsu.edu\">soe.academics@wsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-cta \" >\n\t<a \t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/environment.wsu.edu\/undergraduate-studies\/earth-science\/\"\t\n\t\tclass=\"wsu-button  wsu-button--size-small wsu-button--style-action\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\tSchool of the Environment website\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-block-crimson-light\" style=\"top:0;left:0;right:0;height:10px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-container wsu-spacing-padding-left--medium wsu-spacing-padding-right--medium wsu-spacing-bottom--small wsu-position--relative wsu-spacing-top--none wsu-color-background--white\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-lines-gray\" style=\"bottom:0px;right:0px;height:25px;width:100%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row  wsu-color-background--gray-0 wsu-row--single\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Career Opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\" wsu-list--columns-3\">\n<li>Exploration Geoscientist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Petroleum or Mining Geologists<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Geochemist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Geophysicist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earth Science Educator<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Geotechnical Specialist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hydrologist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mineralogist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Planetary Geologist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volcanologist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-overlap wsu-overlap-spotlight  wsu-overlap-spotlight--style-right-middle\">\r\n    <div class=\"wsu-overlap__container\">\r\n        <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column\">\r\n            <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column-inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"wsu-overlap-spotlight__image  wsu-image--style-framed\">\r\n                    <div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image--ratio-1-1\">\r\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Control-room.jpg\"\r\n                        srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Control-room.jpg 550w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Control-room-289x300.jpg 289w\"\r\n                        sizes=\"(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\"\r\n                        alt=\"Student working in lab on the computer.\"\r\n                        style=\"object-position: 34% 44%\"\r\n                        \/>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column wsu-overlap--surface-column\">\r\n            <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column-inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"wsu-overlap-spotlight__caption  wsu-dropshadow--medium\">\r\n                    \n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-stat  wsu-stat--size-small\" >\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__decorator\"><\/span>\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value-wrapper\">\n\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value\">3:1<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__caption\">Student to faculty ratio<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-stat  wsu-stat--size-small\" >\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__decorator\"><\/span>\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value-wrapper\">\n\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value\">$45-65k +<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__caption\">Average starting salary for a geologist in Eastern WA (Sallary.com 2023)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-stat  wsu-stat--size-small\" >\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__decorator\"><\/span>\n\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value-wrapper\">\n\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__value\">240 k+<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-stat__caption\">Across the SoE system we award over $240,000 a year in scholarships<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row wsu-row--sidebar-right\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Major Requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minimum Total Credits: 120 credits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" wsu-font-size--medium\"><em>Your program may include different courses.\u00a0Consult with <a href=\"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/academic-advising\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/academic-advising\/\">your advisor<\/a> about the best combination and order of courses for you.<\/em> <em>Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.wsu.edu\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/catalog.wsu.edu\/\">WSU Catalog<\/a>\u00a0for a list of required courses for this major and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.wsu.edu\/Pullman\/Academics\/Courses\/SOE\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/catalog.wsu.edu\/Pullman\/Academics\/Courses\/SOE\">course descriptions<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">General Education and Introductory Science and Math Requirements: 50 credits<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SoE Core Requirements: 23\u201324 credits<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earth Sciences Major Core: 26\u201327 credits<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>SOE 340: Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics &#8211; 4 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 350: Earth Materials &#8211; 4 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select six (6) Earth Sciences electives from the list below:\n<ul>\n<li>SOE 303: Environmental Geology &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 320: Sedimentary Petrology and Sedimentation &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 356: Magmatic Processes &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 357: An Introduction to Metamorphic Rocks and Minerals and How They Impact Our World &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 405: Near Surface Geophysics &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 474: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth &#8211; 4 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 475: Groundwater &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOE 480: Building a Habitable Planet &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GEOLOGY 490: Field Camp II (at University of Idaho) &#8211; 3 credits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Professional Electives (taken for the major): 22 credits<\/h4>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-column  wsu-position--relative\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-container  wsu-position--relative\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-container wsu-notch--medium wsu-position--relative wsu-zindex--level-7 wsu-color-background--white wsu-spacing-padding-left--small wsu-spacing-padding-right--small wsu-spacing-bottom--xmedium wsu-spacing-before--default wsu-spacing-top--small\" >\r\n    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students-502x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Personnel inspecting ground, collecting samples.\" class=\"wp-image-872\" width=\"260\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students-502x1024.jpg 502w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students-147x300.jpg 147w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/cahnrs\/uploads\/sites\/11\/Back_Students.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-block-crimson-light wsu-zindex--level-3\" style=\"bottom:-20px;left:-20px;height:150px;width:150px\"><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-lines-gray\" style=\"bottom:0px;left:-20px;height:90%;width:350px\"><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-decorator  wsu-decorator--style-block-crimson-light wsu-zindex--level-3\" style=\"top:-20px;right:-20px;height:150px;width:150px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n        <div id=\"cahnrs-back-to-top\" class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top\" hidden aria-hidden=\"true\">\n            <a id=\"cahnrs-back-to-top-btn\" class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__btn\" href=\"#product-top\" aria-label=\"Back to top\">\n                <span class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2191<\/span>\n                <span class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__label\">Back to top<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2191 Back to top<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8270,"featured_media":0,"parent":656,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_expiration_date":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3604"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8270"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3604"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7963,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3604\/revisions\/7963"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cahnrs.wsu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}