Academic Programs
> Undergraduate > Earth Systems Science
Purpose: Earth Systems Science examines modern environmental problems through quantitative methods, analysis, and modeling grounded in basic and applied science and research. The goal of the program is to provide specialized training in watershed processes, terrestrial ecology, hydrology, natural resources, and land management at a variety of scales. Students will learn marketable skills based on interdisciplinary knowledge necessary for careers in environmental sciences and/or the pursuit of graduate education.
Entry Requirements: To become an undergraduate in the Geography department a student should have completed TWO Geography courses with a QPA of 2.0 or better and must have an overall (UB) QPA of 2.0 or better. Applicants with an overall UB average of less that 2.0 will not be considered.
Certificate: For those who successfully complete this cluster a special department certificate is awarded, indicating that your specialty is in the area of Earth Systems Science
Grades: It is required that all Geography courses be taken for a letter grade. The only exception is GEO440, Geography Internship, which must be taken as Pass/Fail (P/F) grading. In addition, all non-departmental courses needed to complete the certificate program must be taken for a letter grade. New majors who have previously taken any required course for S/U grades must petition for restoration of the letter grade to their transcript.
Transfer Credit: Students who wish to transfer credit for a course taken at another institution must provide a transcript AND a course description or outline of the course. This should be presented to the Director of Undergraduate Studies or a Physical Geography advisor for consideration and possible approval.
For more information, contact Dr. Sean Bennett, Director of Undergraduate Studies at 645-0490, or an advisor from the list below. Office hours will be posted the first week of each semester.
Advisors - 645-2722
| Sean J. Bennett | 126 Wilkeson | 645-0490 |
seanb@buffalo.edu |
| Chris P.S. Larsen | 124 Wilkeson | 645-0488 | larsen@buffalo.edu |
| D. Scott Mackay | 113 Wilkeson | 645-0477 | dsmackay@buffalo.edu |
| Chris S. Renschler | 116 Wilkeson | 645-0480 | rensch@buffalo.edu |
Required Courses for Specialization in Earth Systems Science:
GEO 101 - Earth Systems Science I
GEO 102 - Introduction to Human Geography -OR- GEO 103 - Geography of Economic Systems
GEO 106 - Earth Systems Science II
GEO 120 - Maps and Mapping
GEO 347 - Climatic Geomorphology -OR- GEO 348 - Landform Development
GEO 350 - Landform Field and Lab Techniques
GEO 352 - Introduction to Soils -OR- GEO 356 - Forest Ecology
GEO 435 - Conservation Biogeography -OR- GEO 470 - Integrated Environmental Management
GEO 410 - Univariate Statistics in Geography (or approved equivalent*)
GEO 481 - Geographic Information Systems
Two (2) additional electives courses from the following:
GEO 200 - The Ocean World
GEO 201 - Disasters: A Study of Hazards
GEO 345 - Water Resources
GEO 347 - Climatic Geomorphology
GEO 348 - Landform Development
GEO 352 - Introduction to Soils
GEO 356 - Forest Ecology
GEO 435 - Conservation Biogeography
GEO 444 - Advanced Earth Systems Sciences
GEO 445 - Restoration Ecology
GEO 449 - Fluvial Geomorphology
GEO 454 - Soils Laboratory Methods
GEO 470 - Integrated Environ. Management
GEO 479 - GIS and Environmental Modeling
GEO 483 - Remote Sensing
GEO 496 - Geography Internship
GEO 499 - Independent Study
One Urban and Regional Studies course:
GEO 366 - Urban Systems Geography
GEO 367 - Urban-Social Geography
GEO 412 - Geography of Health
GEO 418 - Population Geography
GEO 419 - Transportation and Society
GEO 460 - Geography of Development
One Int'l Business and World Trade course:
GEO 330 - Dynamics of International Business
GEO 333 - Bases of World Commerce
GEO 334 - Intl. Environments/Commercial Problems
GEO 419 - Transportation and Society
One Math course from the following:
MTH 121 Survey of Calculus/Applications I
MTH 141 College Calculus I
Any two-courses from the following:
Biology 200
Biology 201
Chemistry 101
Chemister 102
Physics 101
Physics 102
IMPORTANT: Completion of courses on more than one list fulfills only ONE requirement.
*Approved substitutes for GEO410: PSC408, PSY207, SOC294, STA119, ECO480, or EAS308.