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 including typical frequency and when our courses are likely to be offered next through the Spring 2027 semester, please see Future GEOL Course Offerings (USC-only access).
Majors
Our undergraduate majors offer student-focused, experiential training, with capstone experiences including a unifying course on Earth systems and field training in locations including Catalina Island, Spain, Alaska and Greece. Many graduates now hold positions in academia as faculty and researchers, in industry as environmental consultants or geologists, in government and private industry as managers or researchers, and as teachers. The BA degree is recommended for students interested in the Earth Sciences but who intend to pursue careers in other fields, such as business, law, medicine or education.
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.