The Department of Earth Science at UCSB conducts field studies in diverse regions ranging from the tallest mountain peaks of the Himalayas, the wilderness of Antarctica, to the vast undiscovered depths of the ocean floor. Our graduate and undergraduate students participate directly in the excitement of exploring terra incognita. Taught by a distinguished and dedicated faculty (including several members of the National Academy of Sciences, and winners of the UCSB Distinguished Teaching Award), students discover the unfolding planetary drama of which they are part.

Like all disciplines within MLPS, Earth Science students have a basic foundation in math, physics, chemistry and biology. From there the student branches into one of the various emphases within the major that that best suits their talents and interests.

The Earth Science undergraduate program offers a B.A., five B.S. degrees (five major emphases), a minor, and a five-year Bachelor/Masters degree.