The Department of Earth Sciences offers two major degrees and three minors. Current students interested in joining the Earth Sciences Department should review the below information and contact Student Services Advisor, Darlene Garza (garzadar@usc.edu) or Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. David Bottjer (dbottjer@usc.edu) in order to learn more and declare a new major or minor in the department. We support USC’s aims of interdisciplinary education, and many students pair an Earth Sciences degree with other majors.
For a list of when our courses are scheduled to be offered next through the Spring 2027 semester, please see Future GEOL Course Offerings (USC-only access).
Majors
The department offers a BS and BA, catering to diverse career goals in Earth and environmental sciences. Undergraduate majors emphasize experiential learning through capstone courses and field training in locations such as Catalina Island, Greece, Spain, Alaska and South America. Graduates pursue successful careers in academic research, industry, government, environmental consulting and education.
The BS degree prepares students for careers in geoscience industries, government agencies and graduate study, as well as business, law, medicine, teaching and public policy. The BA degree is suitable for students interested in geoscience and related careers in business, law, medicine or public policy. Both degrees offer similar elective course work, but with additional technical coursework, research and a Senior Thesis (GEOL-494) for the BS, as foundation for graduate degrees and some technical careers – our course work provides the necessary preparation, and analytical, research, and laboratory experience enhanced by a low student- to-faculty ratio.
Minors
Three minors are available. The Geohazards minor is recommended for those who wish to broaden their background in natural hazards, global change or environmental problems. It is accessible to both non-science and science majors. The Geobiology minor is recommended for those interested in interdisciplinary work in Earth and biological sciences. The Earth Sciences minor in Climate Change, Stewardship, and Resiliency is recommended for those interested in international relations, public policy, economics, business, management and/or politics. In addition, the department works closely with the Dornsife Environmental Studies program, offering science-focused course work for students in this program and facilitating joint degrees (double-major or major/minor combinations) for students seeking further scientific grounding in their study of the natural environment.