Major in Earth and Planetary Sciences - PRE FALL 2025
Our new DEEPS.northwestern.edu webpage has the new curriculum required of first year students starting Fall 2025.
The following is posted for students in program prior to Fall 2025.
major requirements
You need to earn at least a C- in all major courses and all minor courses, including all related courses for the major. If your major or minor is one that has prerequisites, you must earn at least a C- in these courses too.
EARTH courses: (12 required)
- Four 200-level core EARTH courses: 201; 202; 203; 204
- Eight 300-level advanced studies EARTH courses
- Advanced studies courses are divided into seven sub-disciplines, listed below. Students must take at least one course from four of the following seven sub-disciplines:
- Earth Materials: 300; 301
- Geochemistry: 310; 312; 313; 314
- Seismology: 323; 324; 327
- Sedimentation and Stratigraphy: 330; 331
- Climate/Paleoclimate: 340; 341; 342; 343
- Geophysics & Planetary: 350; 352; 353; 354
- Geobiology/Paleobiology: 370; 371; 373; 390-Paleobiology
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Students should consult with the EARTH-DUS about advanced studies courses that they wish to count toward the major. Only one EARTH 399-0 Independent Study may be counted, but under certain circumstances an additional 399 may be added, with DUS approval.
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- Advanced studies courses are also divided into three skill areas. Students must take at least one course from each skill area, listed below. No course may be counted for more than one skills category.
- Quantitative: 310; 327; 343; 353; 361; 390-3 Hydrology; 390-8 R-Datascience
- Spatial Reasoning: 300; 330; 361; GIS Level 1
- Analytical/Instrumentation/Field: 331; 343; 360; 373; 390-Stable Isotope Methods
- Consult with DUS regarding EARTH 390s that may meet Skills or Sub-Discipline requirements.
- Advanced studies courses are divided into seven sub-disciplines, listed below. Students must take at least one course from four of the following seven sub-disciplines:
Non-EARTH math and science courses: 9 required
- Three math courses
- MATH 220-1 & 220-2 (or equivalents)
- And 1 of the following: MATH 226-0; 230-1; or 240-0 (or equivalents)
- Six additional math or science courses with associated labs. Max of 3 courses in any one subject.
- MATH: 226-0; 230-2; 240-0; 250-0 (or equivalents)
- BIOL_SCI: 201-0, 202-0 w/232-0, 203-0 w/233-0, 215-0 w/220-0; 219-0 w/221-0
- PHYSICS: 135-1 w/136-1, 135-2 w/136-2, 135-3 w/136-3
- CHEM: 131-0 w/141-0, 132-0 w/142-0, 151-0 w/161-0, 152-0 w/162-0, 171-0 w/181-0, 172-0 w/182-0, 210-1, 210-2 w/230-2, 210-3 w/220-3
Earth and Planetary Sciences Second Major for ISP Students
The Integrated Science Program (ISP) is a highly selective program within Weinberg College. Students majoring in ISP who wish also to complete a major in Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) must fulfill the following requirements:
- EARTH 201 & 350
- Three 300-level EARTH courses (excluding 399) including one from the Analytical/Instrumentation/Field or the Spatial Reasoning course list.
- One additional 300- or 400- level course, or independent study (EARTH 399).
- These requirements replace the usual major requirements noted above.
See our advising page for more information about declaring a major in Earth and Planetary Sciences.
Access curriculum requirements from previous years.