# Earth System Science (EARTHSS) courses UC Irvine · 2026-2027 Catalog · 81 courses Source: https://catalogue.uci.edu/allcourses/earthss/ "Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Fall 2026. ### EARTHSS 1 — Introduction to Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 6 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - (II and VA.) Covers the origin and evolution of the Earth, its atmosphere, and oceans, from the perspective of biogeochemical cycles, energy use, and human impacts on the Earth system. ### EARTHSS 2 — Coding for Climate - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - (II) Introduction to computing in the context of Earth's climate and through the lens of Python. ### EARTHSS 3 — Oceanography - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (II and Va) Examines circulation of the world oceans and ocean chemistry as it relates to river, hydrothermal vent, and atmospheric inputs. Geological features, the wide variety of biological organisms, and global climate changes, such as greenhouse warming, are also studied. ### EARTHSS 5 — The Atmosphere - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (II and VA.) The composition and circulation of the atmosphere with a focus on explaining the fundamentals of weather and climate. Topics include solar and terrestrial radiation, clouds, and weather patterns. ### EARTHSS 7 — Physical Geology - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (II and VA.) Introduction to Earth materials and processes. Topics include rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, Earth surface processes, Earth resources, geologic time, and Earth history. Laboratory work involves hands-on study of geologic materials, maps, and exercises pertaining to geologic processes. Materials Fee ### EARTHSS 15 — Introduction to Global Climate Change - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 5 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - (II and (VA or VIII).) Introduction of scientific, technological, environmental, economic, and social aspects underlying the threat and understanding of global climate change. Human and natural drivers of climate. Impacts of climate on natural, managed, and human systems, including their vulnerability and ability to adapt. ### EARTHSS 17 — Hurricanes, Tsunamis, and Other Catastrophes - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 4 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Overlaps with PUBHLTH 90 - (II and (VA or VIII).) Introduction to the basic science and state of predictability of various natural catastrophic events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, floods, hurricanes, fires, and asteroid impacts and their interactions and implications with human society in the U.S. and globally. ### EARTHSS 21 — On Thin Ice: Climate Change and the Cryosphere - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (II and (VA or VIII).) Introduction of the basic science that governs the cryosphere and its interaction with the climate system. Covers some of the significant economic, sociological, and political consequences of the recent melting of the cryosphere driven by anthropogenic climate change. ### EARTHSS 23 — Air Pollution: From Urban Smog to Global Change - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (II and (VA or VIII).) Air pollution occurs on regional to global scales. A wide range of air pollution sources and physical, chemical, and meteorological sciences behind air pollution are introduced. The consequences of air pollution to our society are also discussed. ### EARTHSS 40A — Earth System Chemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment - (II and VA.) To understand the cycling of matter on Earth, we need to learn about the chemistry of elements and molecules in the environment. Introduces students to the understanding of how chemical principles apply in context to their everyday lives. ### EARTHSS 40B — Earth System Biology - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment - (II) Earth System Science is a highly interdisciplinary field that requires knowledge of various components of the Earth as a system, including the biosphere. Students are introduced to several fundamental principles of biology, from the smallest cells to the largest ecosystems. ### EARTHSS 40C — Earth System Physics - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 3 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment - (II and VA.) Covers the fundamental physical forces and laws that affect the Earth system, such as electromagnetic radiation and energy transfer, atmospheric and ocean dynamics. Also covers aspects of physics related to environmental issues, such as electricity generation and transmission. ### EARTHSS 45 — New Student Seminar - **Units:** 1 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Grading Option: Pass/Not Pass only - Restrictions: Environmental Science majors and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment. New students only (freshman, transfer, and change of major) Weekly meetings led by faculty, current students, and staff, to provide information on the Department of Earth System Science, campus resources, and special programs and opportunities. Designed for students who recently joined the Earth System Science and Environmental Science majors. ### EARTHSS 50 — Introduction to Computational Problem Solving with Python - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors only Introduction to computation for mathematical problem solving in the physical sciences. Through computational problem-solving exercises, students gain fluency in using different representations of mathematical, geometrical, and physical objects in a computational setting. ### EARTHSS 51 — Land Interactions - **Units:** 4 - **Corequisite:** CHEM 1C - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science majors and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment The role of terrestrial processes in the Earth system. Provides an introduction to ecosystem processes that regulate the cycling of energy, water, carbon, and nutrients. Analysis of the impact of human activities. Materials Fee ### EARTHSS 53 — The Ocean System - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** CHEM 1C - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Offers an interdisciplinary and quantitative overview of oceanographic concepts, examining geological, chemical, physical, and biological processes and Earth system interactions. Topics include ocean origins, plate tectonics, marine sediments, seawater chemistry, circulation, life, biogeochemical cycles, and climate interactions. ### EARTHSS 55 — Earth's Atmosphere - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (MATH 2B or MATH 5B) and (PHYSICS 3B or PHYSICS 7C) - **Corequisite:** PHYSICS 3B or PHYSICS 7C - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Composition, physics, and circulation of Earth's atmosphere with an emphasis on explaining the role of atmospheric processes in shaping the climate system. Topics include atmospheric composition, the global energy balance, radiative transfer and climate, atmospheric circulation, and climate sensitivity. ### EARTHSS 70A — Sustainable Energy Systems - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 40C (may be taken concurrently) or PHYSICS 3C (may be taken concurrently) or PHYSICS 7E (may be taken concurrently) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Addresses how modern energy services can be provided sustainably and the challenges and barriers that must be overcome. Major environmental issues are discussed, such as climate change, air pollution, and resource demands. ### EARTHSS 70B — Sustainable Food and Water Systems - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 40B or (BIO SCI 93 and BIO SCI 94) - **Corequisite:** EARTHSS 40B - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors, Environmental Science majors, and Environmental Science and Policy majors have the first consideration for enrollment Explores the biophysical underpinnings of food production, the history of agricultural development, and a range of environmental issues facing agricultural systems, including water management, climate change, and land use. ### EARTHSS 112 — Global Climate Change and Impacts - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Observations over the 20th century show extensive changes in atmospheric composition, climate and weather, and biological systems that have paralleled industrial growth. Evidence of globally driven changes in these biogeochemical systems is studied, including projected impacts over the 21st century. ### EARTHSS 114 — Earth System Science Laboratory and Field Methods - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 5 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Introduction to methods used to measure exchange of gases and energy between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems. Laboratories include data acquisition and isotopic and chromatographic analysis. Field measurements at UCI's Marsh Reserve include microclimate, hydrology, trace-gas exchange, and plant growth. Materials Fee ### EARTHSS 115 — Aquatic Field Methods - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Students design sampling plans, conduct field research techniques, and carry out data analyses that are relevant to aquatic field research. Aquatic field sites covered in the course include marine, estuarine, and fluvial systems. Materials Fee ### EARTHSS 116 — Introduction to Environmental Data Science - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Analysis and interpretation of geophysical data, including functional fitting, probability density functions, and multidimensional time-series methods, with applications in atmospheric, oceanic, and biogeochemical sciences. ### EARTHSS 118 — Analysis, Modeling, and Visualization of Multidimensionnal Environmental Data - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** I&C SCI 31 or EARTHSS 116 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Students learn programming and numerical methods in Python with applications in Earth System Science and ecology. Topics include regression, uncertainty and significance, the development of simple box models, and the visualization of multi-dimensional climate and satellite datasets. ### EARTHSS 122 — Atmospheric Dynamics - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 55 and (PHYSICS 7C or PHYSICS 3B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science majors and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Fluid dynamical processes that determine the large-scale flow of the atmosphere and ocean. Most important are interactions between the density stratification and the Coriolis force associated with Earth's rotation. Topics include circulation, vorticity, planetary waves, and their role in climate. ### EARTHSS 124 — Weather Analysis - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 55 or EARTHSS 40C or (PHYSICS 3A and PHYSICS 3B and PHYSICS 3C) or (PHYSICS 7C and PHYSICS 7E) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Provides an overview of weather systems in midlatitudes and tropics. The fundamental dynamics possible for these weather systems are described. Elementary weather analysis and forecasting techniques are introduced. ### EARTHSS 125 — Global Climate System: Processes and Change - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55 and EARTHSS 116 (may be taken concurrently) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Process-based study of Earth’s climate system, emphasizing coupling between atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere. Covers energy balance, circulation, feedbacks, past climates, and modeling, applying theory and data to understand climate change and inform decision-making. ### EARTHSS 130 — Physical Oceanography - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (PHYSICS 7C or PHYSICS 3B) and EARTHSS 53 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Physical processes that determine the distribution of water properties such as salt and temperature. Fluid-dynamical underpinnings of physical oceanography. Wave motions. The wind-driven and thermohaline circulation. Similarities and differences between ocean and atmosphere dynamics. ### EARTHSS 132 — Terrestrial Hydrology - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 40C and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Comprehensive treatment of modern conceptual and methodological approaches to hydrological science. Combines qualitative understanding of hydrological processes with quantitative representation, approaches to measurement, and treatment of uncertainty. Components of the hydrological cycle and their linkages within the coupled Earth system. ### EARTHSS 133 — Soil: It's the Good Dirt - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors only An introduction to the critical role soils play in sustaining land ecosystems and humans. Covers how soils form and how human actions contribute to the pollution and loss but also the health and productivity of soils. ### EARTHSS 134 — Fundamentals of GIS for Environmental Science - **Units:** 5 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Topics include fundamentals of cartography, creating/editing GIS data, linking spatial and tabular data, georeferencing, map projections, geospatial analysis, spatial statistics, and the development of GIS models. Examples from hydrology, ecology, and geology. ### EARTHSS 135W — Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Science - **Units:** 5 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 134 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - (Ib) Explores advanced GIS applications including geographic data analysis, spatial modeling, remote sensing, and time series analysis. Develops skills in documenting, analyzing, and communicating in the environmental sciences. ### EARTHSS 137 — Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 51 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Examines biological and chemical processes regulating terrestrial ecosystems and nutrient cycles. Topics include soil organic matter, plant–atmosphere interactions, disturbance, land-use change, and climate feedbacks, with emphasis on how human activity alters ecosystem function across scales. ### EARTHSS 138 — Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Satellite remote sensing data are increasingly used to study the Earth system. Provides an overview of the principles behind remote sensing, and the types of satellite data available for study of the oceans, land, and atmosphere. ### EARTHSS 140 — Advanced Geology - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 51 or EARTHSS 70B - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Overlaps with EARTHSS 7 - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Introduces students to the geological processes which have formed and continue to shape the Earth. Topics include geological time, minerals and the rock cycle, plate tectonics and associated geological hazards, earth resources, and earth surface processes. Materials Fee ### EARTHSS 141 — Air Quality Management - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 40A and EARTHSS 40B and EARTHSS 40C - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors have the first consideration for enrollment Fundamental science and terminology of regional air quality issues and developing and implementing the strategies used to prevent and mitigate air pollution impacts. Topics include setting regional air quality goals, applying measurements and numerical models, cost/benefits analysis, evaluation and enforcement. ### EARTHSS 142 — Atmospheric Chemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (CHEM 1C or CHEM M2C or CHEM H2C or CHEM M3C) and (PHYSICS 3C or PHYSICS 7E) and (MATH 2B or MATH 5B or AP Calculus BC with a minimum score of 4) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Chemistry of the troposphere and stratosphere. Topics include processes controlling the lifetime and reaction pathways of chemicals in the atmosphere, the role of the atmosphere in biogeochemical cycles, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the physical climate system. ### EARTHSS 144 — Marine Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 53 or CHEM 51C - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Environmental Science majors, Earth System Science majors, and School of Physical Sciences students have the first consideration for enrollment Processes controlling the major and minor element composition of seawater and element distributions in the ocean. Gas exchange, carbon dioxide system, stable isotopes, radionuclides as tracers and chronometers, particle fluxes, organic geochemistry, sediment geochemistry, global cycles of biogeochemically important elements. ### EARTHSS 146 — Consequences of Air Pollution - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 40C and EARTHSS 70A) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment From public health to the global climate system, this course explores the impacts of air pollution from the beginning of human history to current and emerging issues. Scientific concepts behind air pollution and solutions are discussed. ### EARTHSS 148 — Marine Ecosystems and Global Change - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 53 or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Presents an overview of marine ecosystem structure, diversity, and processes in the context of global change, including the impacts of climate warming, ocean acidification, marine fisheries, and anthropogenic additions of nutrients and pollutants. ### EARTHSS 154 — Ecosystem Services - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) or (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) Covers what ecosystem services are, how to classify them, what the impacts of land degradation are on ecosystem services, how to quantify and value them, and the importance of mainstreaming ecosystem services in decision-making. ### EARTHSS 156 — The Future of Forests - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) or (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment Introduces students to the determinants of global forest distribution; ecosystem services associated with forest functioning; threats to forests resulting from climate and land-use change; and, opportunities for conserving natural forests in the near future. ### EARTHSS 162 — The Impact of Climate Change on California's Landscape - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors, Environmental Science majors, and Environmental Science and Policy majors have the first consideration for enrollment Overview of anticipated impacts of climate change on California's landscape. Includes projections of future climate; anticipated impacts on ecology, hydrology, wildfire, coastal environment, and agriculture; and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or adapt to climate change through land management. ### EARTHSS 164 — Ecosystem Ecology - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** BIO SCI E106 or EARTHSS 51 or EARTHSS 60A or CHEM 51C - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Same as BIO SCI E118 - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology majors, and Environmental Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment A mechanistic perspective on ecosystem processes. Covers ecosystem development, element cycling, and interactions with plants and microbes. The role of ecosystems in environmental change is also addressed. ### EARTHSS 168 — Physiological Plant Ecology - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 51 or EARTHSS 40B or BIO SCI 94 or BIO SCI H94 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Same as BIO SCI E127 - Restrictions: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology majors, Earth System Science majors, and School of Biological Sciences students have the first consideration for enrollment An examination of the interactions between plants and their environment. Emphasis on the underlying physiological mechanisms of plant function, adaptations and responses to stress, and the basis of the distribution of plants and plant assemblages across the landscape. ### EARTHSS 177W — Documenting and Understanding Earth System Change - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B). Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors only - (Ib) Students select a time series of key environmental interest as the focus for their writing.They become familiar with common writing practices for the Earth Sciences, and exercise their ability to use the scientific method to produce reports. ### EARTHSS 179 — Climate Solutions - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Same as ENGRMAE 119, UPPP 111 Introduction to climate change science and impacts on the health of people and the planet with a focus on the multi-dimensional aspects of solutions to the climate crisis. ### EARTHSS 184 — Understanding the Carbon Cycle for Climate Change Solutions - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** (EARTHSS 51 and EARTHSS 53 and EARTHSS 55) or (EARTHSS 70A and EARTHSS 70B) or (CHEM 1C and MATH 2B) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Environmental Science and Policy majors have the first consideration for enrollment Covers the scientific principles of the carbon cycle and tools for climate change mitigation. Topics include carbon dioxide buildup, its relation to climate change, achieving net-zero emissions, and proposed sequestration technologies. Also explores economic and equity implications. ### EARTHSS 190A — Senior Seminar on Global Sustainability I - **Units:** 2 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Same as SOCECOL 186A, BIO SCI 191A - Restrictions: Seniors and Global Sustainability minors have the first consideration for enrollment Students attend weekly seminar to discuss current issues in global sustainability. Weekly attendance at Global Sustainability Forum is also required. Seminar utilized to analyze forum presentations. Prepare bibliography. ### EARTHSS 190B — Senior Seminar on Global Sustainability II - **Units:** 2 - **Prerequisite:** BIO SCI 191A or SOCECOL 186A or EARTHSS 190A - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Same as SOCECOL 186B, BIO SCI 191B - Restrictions: Seniors only Students attend weekly seminar to discuss current issues in global sustainability. Weekly attendance at Global Sustainability Forum is also required. Seminar utilized to analyze forum presentations. Prepare research proposal. ### EARTHSS 190CW — Writing/Senior Seminar on Global Sustainability III - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** BIO SCI 191B or EARTHSS 190B or SOCECOL 186B. BIO SCI 191B or EARTHSS 190B or SOCECOL 186B. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Same as BIO SCI 191CW, SOCECOL 186CW - Restrictions: Seniors only - (Ib) Students attend weekly seminar to discuss current issues in global sustainability. Weekly attendance at Global Sustainability Forum also is required. Seminar utilized to analyze Forum presentations and to prepare senior research paper. Prepare/write research paper under direction of faculty member. ### EARTHSS 192 — Careers in Earth System Science - **Units:** 1 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Grading Option: Pass/Not Pass only - Restrictions: Environmental Science and Policy majors, Environmental Science majors, and Earth System Science majors have the first consideration for enrollment A weekly seminar course designed to help students transition to post-graduation career paths. Topics include designing effective resumes, applying to graduate school, and seeking employment. Also includes presentations by faculty, business, and government leaders describing potential environmental science career trajectories. ### EARTHSS 197 — Independent Study in Earth System Science - **Units:** .5-4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Grading Option: Pass/Not Pass only - Repeatability: May be taken for credit for 12 units Field study, educational outreach, or other independent projects under faculty direction. Interested students should arrange with an ESS faculty member to supervise and support an independent study project. A written summary is required at the end of each quarter. ### EARTHSS 198W — Senior Thesis in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** Two quarters of EARTHSS 199. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 28 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Overlaps with EARTHSS H198 - (Ib) Students receive guidance on the effective oral and written communication of research results. Students prepare and present a seminar, a poster, and a written thesis describing their research in Earth System Science. ### EARTHSS H198 — Honors Thesis in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 199A and EARTHSS 199B - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 28 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Consent of instructor to enroll and Prerequisite required - (Ib) Students receive guidance on effective written and oral communication of research results. Students prepare and present a seminar, poster, and written thesis describing their honors research in Earth System Science. Submission of the thesis and successful completion of this course will also satisfy the UCI upper-division writing requirement. ### EARTHSS 199 — Undergraduate Research - **Units:** 1-4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 29 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Repeatability: May be taken for credit for 12 units For undergraduates with majors in science or engineering. Interested students should arrange with an ESS faculty member to supervise and support a research project. A written summary is required at the end of each quarter. ### EARTHSS H199A — Honors Research in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 28 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Restrictions: Campuswide Honors Collegium only Undergraduate honors research in Earth System Science. A student commitment of 10-15 hours a week is expected, and a written report is required at the end of the quarter. ### EARTHSS H199B — Honors Research in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Campuswide Honors Collegium only Undergraduate honors research in Earth System Science. A student commitment of 10-15 hours a week is expected, and a written report is required at the end of the quarter. ### EARTHSS H199C — Honors Research in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Campuswide Honors Collegium only Undergraduate honors research in Earth System Science. A student commitment of 10-15 hours a week is expected, and a written report is required at the end of the quarter. ### EARTHSS 200 — Global Physical Climatology - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) A descriptive overview of Earth’s climate system and energy budget. Large-scale circulations, key physical processes, and climate sensitivity of the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and cryosphere. ### EARTHSS 204 — Humans in the Earth System - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors only Focuses on the human systems of energy and food production which have the greatest effects on the Earth system. Assess the physical mechanisms and feedbacks of human-nature interactions and consider approaches of mitigation, interventions, and adaptation. ### EARTHSS 212 — Geoscience Modeling and Data Analysis - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule Computer-based course. Fundamental statistical techniques needed to analyze Earth system data and models. Basic numerical techniques to solve Earth system models. Focuses on linear and non-linear ordinary differential equations, as well as simple partial differential equations. ### EARTHSS 215 — Cryosphere - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule A global perspective of the major components of the cryosphere. Includes current extent and trends, mass balance, energetics, and physical processes. Quantitative assessment of current state, in situ and remote observations, and interactions with climate. ### EARTHSS 225 — Marine Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Restrictions: Earth System Science majors and Doctor of Philosophy have the first consideration for enrollment Overview of ocean biology and biogeochemistry, with a focus on lower trophic levels and the roles of biota in the marine biogeochemical cycles of key elements. ### EARTHSS 226 — Land Surface Processes - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule A mechanistic perspective of the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Includes processes such as nutrient cycling, biogeochemical cycling, mass balance, energetics, terrestrial hydrology, and water cycle. ### EARTHSS 230 — Physical Oceanography - **Units:** 4 - **Prerequisite:** MATH 2D and PHYSICS 7A and PHYSICS 7B and PHYSICS 7E - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule Physical processes that determine the distribution of water properties such as salt and temperature. Fluid-dynamical underpinnings of physical oceanography. Wave motions. The wind-driven and thermohaline circulation. Similarities and differences between ocean and atmosphere dynamics. ### EARTHSS 238 — Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) Satellite remote sensing data are increasingly used to study the Earth system. Provides an overview of the principles behind remote sensing, and the types of satellite data available for study of the oceans, land, and atmosphere. ### EARTHSS 242 — Advanced Atmospheric Chemistry - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) Chemistry of the troposphere and stratosphere. Topics include: processes controlling the lifetime and reaction pathways of chemicals in the atmosphere, the role of the atmosphere in biogeochemical cycles, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and the physical climate system. ### EARTHSS 244 — Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule Covers fundamentals of atmospheric dynamics including thermodynamics, quasi-geostrophy, the weak-temperature gradient of the tropics, and the turbulent boundary layer. ### EARTHSS 256 — Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanography - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule Explores past changes in Earth's climate. Topics include tools and techniques used to reconstruct past climate from natural archives; records and mechanisms of past climate changes throughout Earth history; and lessons learned from the paleo-record for prediction of future climate. ### EARTHSS 266 — Global Biogeochemical Cycles - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) Global biogeochemical cycling of the elements. Topics include global cycling of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur; impact of human activities on biogeochemical processes. ### EARTHSS 280A — Special Topics in Earth System Science - **Units:** 1-4 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 7 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to current topics in the field of Earth System Science. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 280B — Special Topics in Earth System Science - **Units:** 1-4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 280A with a minimum grade of B- - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to current topics in the field of Earth System Science. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 280C — Special Topics in Earth System Science - **Units:** 1-4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 280B with a minimum grade of B- - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to current topics in the field of Earth System Science. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 286A — Special Topics in Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 1-4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to in-depth analysis of a subarea in biogeochemistry which is undergoing rapid development. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 286B — Special Topics in Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 1-4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 286A with a minimum grade of B- - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to in-depth analysis of a subarea in biogeochemistry which is undergoing rapid development. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 286C — Special Topics in Biogeochemistry - **Units:** 1-4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 286B with a minimum grade of B- - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to in-depth analysis of a subarea in biogeochemistry which is undergoing rapid development. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 288C — Special Topics in Ecosystems - **Units:** 1-4 - **Prerequisite:** EARTHSS 288B with a minimum grade of B- - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Each quarter is devoted to current topics relating to Ecosystems. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 290 — Seminar - **Units:** 1 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Grading Option: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times as topics vary Weekly seminars and discussions on topics of general and current interest in Earth System Science. Topics addressed vary each quarter. ### EARTHSS 298 — Practicum in Earth System Science - **Units:** 4 - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026 schedule Designed to introduce first-year graduate students to research. Students explore research opportunities and develop a proposal for a summer research project under the direction of a faculty mentor. ### EARTHSS 299 — Research - **Units:** 2-12 - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 27 sections (/c/uc-irvine/schedule/fall-2026/earthss.md) - Repeatability: May be taken unlimited times Supervised original research in areas of Earth System Science.