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Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Science

Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 requirements ATSCIBS

The B.S. in Atmospheric Science degree is designed for students who plan to pursue advanced study or professional employment in the atmospheric sciences. Atmospheric Sciences is a wide-ranging discipline that includes topics as diverse as weather forecasting, global warming, air quality, environmental impacts, the ozone hole, and the study of past, present, and future climates. It considers problems that are both scientifically challenging and critical for the welfare of modern society.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours (54 with the Addenda Requirements), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Course. One (1) course:
    • EAS-E 104 Evolution of the Earth
    • EAS-E 105 Earth: Our Habitable Planet
    • EAS-E 111 Journey to the Center of the Earth
    • EAS-E 116 Our Planet and Its Future
    • EAS-E 118 Sustainability in Water Resources
    • EAS-E 121 Origin and Evolution of Mars and Rocky Planetary Bodies
    • EAS-E 122 Earth's Dynamic Atmosphere
    • EAS-E 131 Oceans and Our Global Environment
    • EAS-E 138 Geology of State and National Parks Revealed
    • EAS-E 141 Earthquakes and Volcanoes
    • EAS-E 144 Extreme Weather and Its Impacts
    • EAS-E 171 Environmental Geology in the Twenty-first Century
  2. Physical Meteorology, Climate, and Paleoclimate. One (1) course:
    • EAS-A 315 Climate Engineering
    • EAS-A 340 Physical Meteorology and Climatology
    • EAS-A 476 Climate Change Science
  3. Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science. One (1) course:
    • EAS-A 332 Atmospheric Thermodynamics & Cloud Processes
  4. Advanced Atmospheric Science. One (1) course:
    • EAS-A 364 Dynamic Meteorology 1
    • EAS-A 434 Dynamic Meteorology 2
  5. Atmospheric Science Electives. 12 credit hours:
    • EAS-A 332 Atmospheric Thermodynamics & Cloud Processes
    • EAS-A 339 Weather Analysis and Forecasting
    • EAS-A 347 Instrumentation for Atmospheric Science
    • EAS-A 364 Dynamic Meteorology 1
    • EAS-A 434 Dynamic Meteorology 2
    • EAS-A 437 Advanced Synoptic Meteorology and Climatology
    • EAS-A 460 Mesoscale Meteorology
    • EAS-A 466 Hydrometeorology
    • EAS-A 474 Topics in Atmospheric Science (Topics approved by Director of Undergraduate Studies)
    • EAS-A 476 Climate Change Science
    • EAS-E 470 Micrometeorology
    • With approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for a topic related to atmospheric science:
      • EAS-X 498 Undergraduate Research in Geology
  6. Earth Science Electives. Two (2) courses:
    • EAS-E 225 Earth Materials
    • EAS-E 226 Earth Processes
    • EAS-E 227 Earth Climate and History
    • EAS-E 314 Data Analysis for Earth Science
    • EAS-E 333 Sedimentation and Tectonics
    • EAS-E 341 Natural History of Coral Reefs
    • EAS-E 406 Introduction to Geochemistry
    • EAS-E 411 Invertebrate Paleontology
    • EAS-E 412 Introduction to Vertebrate Paleontology
    • EAS-E 415 Principles of Geomorphology
    • EAS-E 416 Economic Geology
    • EAS-E 417 Optical Mineralogy
    • EAS-E 418 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
    • EAS-E 423 Methods in Applied Geophysics
    • EAS-E 427
    • EAS-E 435 Glacial and Quaternary Geology
    • EAS-E 444 Methods in Analytical Geochemistry
    • EAS-E 451 Principles of Hydrogeology
    • EAS-E 488 Paleoclimatology: A Geological Record of Earth's Climate History
    • EAS-X 420 Regional Geology Field Trip
  7. Addenda Requirements*. Complete each of the following
    1. Mathematics.
      1. Calculus I. One (1) course:
        • MATH-M 211 Calculus I
        • MATH-S 211 Honors Calculus I
      2. Calculus II. One (1) course:
        • MATH-M 212 Calculus II
        • MATH-S 212 Honors Calculus II
    2. Physics.
      1. Physics I. One (1) course:
        • PHYS-H 221 Honors Physics I
        • PHYS-P 201 General Physics I
        • PHYS-P 221 Physics I
      2. Physics II. One (1) course:
        • PHYS-H 222 Honors Physics II
        • PHYS-P 202 General Physics II
        • PHYS-P 222 Physics II
    3. Science Electives. Two (2) courses at the 300–499 level from any of the following departments:
      • Biology (BIOL)
      • Chemistry (CHEM)
      • Mathematics (MATH)
      • Physics (PHYS)
      • Statistics (STAT)
  8. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the EAS subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EASBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences (GEOLBA)
  • Bachelor of Science in Earth Science (EASCIBS)
  • Bachelor of Science in Earth Science and Master of Science in Secondary Education (EAS-BSMSED)
  • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geoscience (ENGEOSCBS)
  • Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences (GEOLBS)
  • Certificate in Atmospheric Science (ATMSCIACRT)
  • Minor in Atmospheric Science (ATSCIMIN)
  • Minor in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EASMIN)
  • Minor in Geological Sciences (GEOLMIN)
  • [Name unavailable] (GEOLSASCON)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.