Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Program Learning Outcomes for the Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Upon completing the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the structure of the earth from core to atmosphere, and how it has changed over time.
- Acquire and demonstrate knowledge in a number of advanced earth, environmental, and planetary topics of their choosing.
Requirements for the Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Students pursuing the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences must complete:
- A minimum of 6 courses (19-24 credit hours, depending on course selection), to satisfy minor requirements.
- A minimum of 5 courses (15 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) to satisfy the Core Requirements.
- A minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) to satisfy the Elective Requirements.
- A maximum of 1 course (3 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. No courses for study abroad or other transfer credit will be accepted for upper-level coursework (taken at the 300-level or above). For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this minor. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the minor’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the Program Director. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the minor's Official Certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences | 19-24 | |
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| THE EARTH | ||
| INVESTIGATING EARTH'S SURFACE | ||
| CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME WEATHER | ||
| NATURAL DISASTERS | ||
| OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| THE EARTH SYSTEM, ENVIRONMENT, AND SOCIETY | ||
| INHABITING PLANET EARTH | ||
| THE PLANETS | ||
| THE EARTH AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM | ||
| Select 2 courses from the following: | 7-8 | |
| EARTH AND PLANETARY SURFACE ENVIRONMENTS | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS | ||
| EARTH AND PLANETARY STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS | ||
| OCEANS, ATMOSPHERES AND CLIMATE | ||
| THE EARTH LABORATORY | ||
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 courses from Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences (EEPS) departmental course offerings at the 300-level or above. 1 | 9-12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 19-24 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Courses not used to fulfill Core Requirements may be used to meet Elective Requirements. A minimum of 5 courses (15 credit hours) must be taken at the 300-level or above. |
Policies for the Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences should be aware of the following program restrictions:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, i.) students may declare their intent to pursue a minor only after they have first declared a major, and ii.) students may not major and minor in the same subject.
- Students pursuing the BA Degree or the BS Degree with a major in Environmental Sciences and a major concentration in Earth Science may not additionally declare the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 1 course (3 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the minor.
- No courses for study abroad or other transfer credit will be accepted for upper-level coursework (taken at the 300-level or above).
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences website: https://eeps.rice.edu/undergraduate/.
Opportunities for the Minor in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences website: https://eeps.rice.edu/undergraduate/.