General Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Earth and Environmental Sciences
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About the Department
Dr. Mara Brady, Chair
Science II Building, Room 114
559.278.3086
csm.fresnostate.edu/ees/
Do you want to have a career that has a positive impact and helps your community? A major in the Earth and Environmental Sciences prepares you for a career where you can explore, understand, and monitor the earth to protect it and the people who live on it. The Earth and Environmental Sciences are interdisciplinary, integrating principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics, as well as quantitative and critical thinking skills, to address geological and environmental challenges. Our close-knit department gives students the chance to get to know faculty personally and every student has the opportunity to conduct research or complete an internship before they graduate. Our program emphasizes field and laboratory investigations of the environment and its geological context and history. Over 18 courses include field trips where we take advantage of the university’s proximity to the Sierra Nevadas, the California Coast Ranges, coastal California, and the desert provinces. Our unique location gives faculty and students access to an unparalleled outdoor laboratory, all within short trips from the university.
Degree Programs
Environmental Sciences, B.S. offers an interdisciplinary approach to the natural sciences with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, and geology. This degree is designed for students interested in areas such as soils, pollution abatement, water resources, ecosystem protection, restoration, or management. Coursework and research emphasizes field and laboratory investigations of the environment. We take advantage of the university’s proximity to the Sierra Nevadas, the California Coast Ranges, coastal California, and the desert provinces. Our unique location gives faculty and students access to an unparalleled outdoor laboratory, all within short trips from the university. Every student has an opportunity to complete a research project before they graduate.The department’s close relationship with state agencies and the private sector enables many students to pursue internships or part-time employment in geologic and environmental work while they complete their degrees.
Interesting Classes You Might Take
- Natural Disasters and Earth Resources
- Geochemistry
- Sedimentology
- Environmental Sampling
What You Can Learn
- Applied skills for employment in the wide variety of career paths (policy, planning, governmental monitoring, restoration etc.)
- Quantitative approaches and solutions to environmental challenges
- Improve critical thinking skills and their application to scientific questions and approaches
Geology, B.S. prepares students for employment in petroleum geology, mineral exploration, land-use planning, environmental assessment, hydrology, and engineering geology, or for teaching earth science or physical science at the secondary level. Coursework and research emphasizes field and laboratory investigations of the environment and its geological context and history.
Interesting Classes You Might Take
- Natural Disasters and Earth Resources
- Geochemistry
- Sedimentology
- Environmental Sampling
What You Can Learn
- Applied skills for employment in the wide variety of career paths (policy, planning, governmental monitoring, restoration, consulting, petroleum etc.)
- Quantitative approaches and solutions to environmental challenges
- Improve critical thinking skills and their application to scientific questions and approaches
Geology, M.S. program provides a graduate degree for students who want to work in industry or government on the professional level, for students who want to teach earth science in junior college, or for students who wish to pursue further graduate study.
Water Resources Management, M.S. is an online degree program offered through the Division of Continuing and Global Education. This program is designed to meet the growing demand for advanced knowledge in water resources and their use in the urban, industrial, and agricultural environment. The degree includes political and policy aspects of water use as well as an understanding of the economics involved.
A Minor in Geology is available to students in all fields who want to enhance their degrees with additional training in earth sciences.
Career Opportunities
Environmental Sciences
Do you want to have a career that has a positive impact and helps your community? The major prepares you for a career where you can explore, understand, and monitor the earth to protect it and the people who live on it. Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary approach to the natural sciences with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, and geology. This degree is designed for students interested in areas such as soils, pollution abatement, water resources, ecosystem protection, restoration, or management.
What You Can Earn
- Environmental Consultant (entry-level), $65,000 (in this region)
- Environmental Manager, $101,507 (in this region)
- Air Quality Specialist, $60,000-84,000 (CA State Position, this region)
Source: Qualified job postings as of February 2021
Geology
Geology is an interdisciplinary discipline, integrating principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics, as well as quantitative and critical thinking skills, to address geological and environmental challenges. The department’s close relationship with state agencies and the private sector enables many students to pursue internships or part-time employment in geologic and environmental work while they complete their degrees.
What You Can Earn
- Geologist I, $61,000 (in this region)
- Petroleum Geologist II, $94,000 (in this region)
- Environmental Consultant (entry-level), $65,000 (in this region)
- Environmental Manager, $101,507 (in this region)
- Air Quality Specialist, $60,000-84,000 (CA State Position, this region)
Source: Qualified job postings as of February 2021
ProgramsCertificatesBachelorMasterCredentialMinor
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