B.A./B.S. in Earth and Climate Sciences

The Earth and Climate Sciences major is offered to students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Cornell Engineering.
Desert location with four people in the foreground and mountains in the background.

Why major in Earth and Climate Sciences?

This degree will prepare students to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Global warming, dwindling energy resources, inadequate water supplies, political strife over strategic minerals, and mega-disasters threatened by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunami, and hurricanes: these are but a few of the headlines that appear with increasing frequency.

The program features small classes and a high ratio of faculty to students, yet its location within Cornell allows students to choose among a rich variety of elective courses and extracurricular activities. In addition, the gorgeous landscape of upstate New York and the Cornell campus provides an incredible real-life laboratory to study the environment.

Unique Approach

The program is unique in that it incorporates fundamentals of earth science with the emergence of a new and more complete approach, encompassing all components of the earth system—air, life, rock, and water—to gain a comprehensive understanding of the world as we know it.

Students may choose to focus on one of a number of disciplinary specialties such as geophysics or tectonics, or develop the broad expertise needed to understand the interactions between the diverse elements of earth and life in the past, present and future.

EAS Professor Kade Keranan stands outside and looks at a handheld piece of electronic equipment.
Two Cornell researchers talk to two high school students in an entomology lab. One researcher is holding a clear box with termites in it.

Where a Degree in Earth and Climate Sciences Can Take You

Our graduates make an impact across diverse fields—environmental consulting, operational and broadcast meteorology, climate risk analysis, and cutting-edge research in industry, government, and academia. Others leverage their training to excel in environmental policy, law, medicine, science communication, and education. Whether you want to model future climate scenarios, advise on climate resilience, or tell the story of our changing planet, this degree gives you the scientific foundation and versatility to make a difference.

Concentrations

How to Affiliate

The Earth and Climate Sciences major is available to students in the colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering. Students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) declare their major upon admittance to Cornell. They do not need to go through a separate affiliation process to be accepted into the major.

Arts & Sciences students must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year, though they can apply as early as the second semester of their first year once they meet the prerequisites for their desired major. To declare, students must check the specific requirements for their chosen department, as some may require a meeting with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) to complete the application.

The courses required to affiliate or declare are as follows:

  • Math 1910
  • Math 1920
  • PHYS 2207 or 1112
  • PHYS 2208 or 2213
  • CHEM 2070, 2071, or 2090
  • CHEM 2080 or 1570, or PHYS 2214

These courses must be completed or in progress in order to affiliate or declare.

Students should visit their college’s advising center for more information.

Information for Transfer Students

You can join the Earth and Climate Science major if you transfer into Cornell as a sophomore as a junior. Information about the requirements for transfer students is on the Earth and Climate Science Transfer Requirements page.

Additional Opportunities

  • Tubular Icefin robot on a table in a lab. Outer shell is off and many wires and circuits are showing. Two researchers are at tables in the background.

    Centers, Facilities and Institutes

    The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences is home to several cutting-edge centers, labs, and institutes that drive our groundbreaking research.

  • Four students in heavy winter coats smile as they take field measurements.

    Student Groups and Organizations

    Explore the diverse range of student organizations and clubs available to enhance your academic journey and connect with peers who share your interests.

Contact

For further information about this major, contact the director of undergraduate studies or the undergraduate coordinator. Ready to declare the major? Visit us in 2160D Snee Hall!