Earth and Planetary Sciences Advising

Click on the drop-menus below for more information and documents related to the Earth Sciences majors.

• Change of Major Criteria for Earth & Planetary Sciences

  To declare a major, student must be in good academic standing (quarter and cumulative GPAs at 2.0 and above)  with no grades lower than a C- in any attempted major requirement.  If upper-division courses have been taken, a minimum upper-division GPA of a 2.0 is required.  Must be able to complete the degree within 216 units.  *AP/IB units or transfer units earned prior to graduating high school are excluded when determining unit range for change of major criteria and 216 unit maximum.
  Freshman (up to 44.9 units)	Sophomore (45 - 89.9  units)	Junior (90 - 134.9 units)	Senior (135 units & above)
  Completion of the following courses: One of GEO 001, 002, or 003 CHEM001A & CHEM01LA MATH009A	Completion of the following courses Two of GEO 001, 002, or 003 CHEM001C & CHEM01LC MATH009B	Completion of the following courses: CHEM001C & CHEM01LC MATH009C PHYS040A or PHYS002A & PHYS02LA GEO 002, 003 GEO115 or GEO122	Completion of the following courses: CHEM001C & CHEM01LC MATH009C PHYS040C or PHYS002C & PHYS02LC BIOL002 or BIOL005A & BIOL05LA STAT010 or STAT155 GEO 001, 003 GEO115 and GEO122 or GEO101

• Additional Information about the Earth & Planetary Science Major

  Earth and Planetary Sciences Additional Documents

  • Earth and Planetary Science Degree Requirements in the UCR Catalog
  • Special Studies or Senior Thesis Request Form
• Course Planning Materials for Earth & Planetary Science
  Earth and Planetary Sciences Degree Summary Sheets

  Degree Summary Sheets do not replace the UCR catalog. Consult with advisor for inquiries regarding major requirements. 

  • Earth and Planetary Sciences Major - Climate Change Option
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences Major - Geobiology Option
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences Major - Geophysics  Option
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences Major - Geosystems Option
  • Earth and Planetary Science Major - Planetary Science
  • Geology Major
  • Geophysics Major

   

  Earth and Planetary Sciences Sample Four-Year Course Plans

  • Earth and Planetary Science - Climate Change 
  • Earth and Planetary Science - Geobiology 
  • Earth and Planetary Science - Geophysics 
  • Earth and Planetary Science - Geosystems 
  • Earth and Planetary Science - Planetary Science 
  • Geology Sample 4-Year Plans
  • Geophysics Sample 4-Year Plans

   

  Earth and Planetary Sciences Schedule of Course Offerings

  • Lower Division and Upper Division EPS Course Offerings (2024-2025)

   

   

• Minors in Earth & Planetary Sciences

  To declare a minor, students must: be in good academic standing (quarter and cumulative GPAs at 2.0 and above); complete 2 upper-division courses required for the minor with a C or better; and be able to complete both your major and minor within the 216 unit maximum.  *AP/IB units or transfer units earned prior to graduating high school are excluded when determining 216 unit maximum.   Minors must be declared no later than 2 quarters prior to a student's expected graduation term.   A minimum of 16 upper-division units must be unique to the minor; additional upper-division units beyond those unique 16 may also be used toward major requirements if applicable.
  Earth & Planetary Science Minors requirements
  Students who wish to Minor in Geology, Geophysics, Global Climate Change or Planetary Sciences must complete 20-28 units of organized upper-division courses in Geosciences.  A minimum of 16 of these units must be unique to the minor and cannot be used to satisfy major requirements.  To satisfy prerequisites, additional preparatory coursework in Earth and Planetary Sciences and other sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) may be required. Before submitting a petition for a Minor to the college, students interested in pursuing a Minor in Geology or Geophysics or Global Climate Change or Planetary Sciences must consult with the undergraduate faculty advisor in Earth and Planetary Sciences. Minor in Geology GEO 001, GEO 115; plus 15-23 additional upper-division Geosciences units. Minor in Geophysics GEO 001; GEO 140; plus 16-24 additional units taken from GEO 115, GEO 116, GEO 132, GEO 144, GEO 145, and GEO 190. Minor in Global Climate Change GEO 001 or GEO 002; GEO 011; GEO 160; plus 16-24 additional upper-division Geosciences units. Minor in Planetary Sciences GEO 001 or GEO 002 or GEO 006 or GEO 009 or GEO 011; GEO 013 or GEO 080; GEO 180, GEO 181, GEO 182, and GEO 184; plus 4-5 units in any upper-division Geosciences course.

Earth and Planetary Sciences Academic Advisor

CNAS Professional Academic Advisors provide students with individual guidance throughout their academic careers at UCR and help them achieve realistic academic goals.  Professional Academic Advisors can assist you with declaring or changing your major or minor, course repeats, the process for taking courses outside of UCR, taking a leave from UCR, and questions about withdrawing or readmitting to UCR.

Earth and Planetary Sciences Lead Faculty Advisor

A Lead Faculty Advisor is assigned for each major.  Faculty advisors are available to assist students with guidance regarding graduate or professional school, opportunities to participate in research, independent study, or internships.  Faculty advisors also may provide students with advice and mentoring regarding career goals.