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Stanford University
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Earth Systems
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
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  • MS
  • Coterm
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  1. Home
  2. Programs
  3. Graduate
  4. Earth Systems
  5. Master of Science

Master of Science

MSCoterm
  • Earth Systems opens in a new tab
Program Minimum Units
45 Units
University Minimum Units
45 Units
Program Length
2 Years
Interests
Ecology & Environment, Sustainability
Academic Areas
Sustainability, Earth & Energy

Overview

The Earth Systems Program offers current Stanford University undergraduates the opportunity to apply for a one-year coterminal master’s program. The Earth Systems Program is interdisciplinary. Students may select the topic area where they’d like to advance their knowledge in consultation with their master’s advisor. Students learn about and investigate complex environmental problems caused by human activities in conjunction with natural changes in the Earth system. Earth Systems Coterm students gain advanced knowledge to tackle the world’s most pressing social-environmental problems and sustainability challenges.

Requirements

Pre-requisite Coursework

Core Pre-requisite

Complete any of the following course(s):
EARTHSYS 108

Environmental Wayfinding: Cultural, Artistic, and Spiritual Approaches to Life on a Changing Planet

3 Units
EARTHSYS 111

Biology and Global Change

4 Units
EARTHSYS 112

Human Society and Environmental Change

4 Units
EARTHSYS 115

Science for Sustainable Solutions

4 Units
EBS 123

The Social Science of Sustainability

3 Units
GEOPHYS 115

Taking the Pulse of the Planet

3 Units
SUSTAIN 101C

Climate 101

3 Units

Natural Science Pre-requisite


Complete at least 1 of the following courses:
BIO 81

Introduction to Ecology

4 Units
BIO 82

Genetics

4 Units
BIO 83

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

4 Units
BIO 84

Physiology

4 Units
BIO 85

Evolution

4 Units
EARTHSYS 127A

The Sixth Extinction (and the Other Five)

3 Units
EARTHSYS 128

Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems

4 Units
EPS 1

Introduction to Geology

5 Units
EPS 4

Coevolution of Earth and Life

3 Units

Environmental Justice, Human Rights, and Environmental Ethics Pre-requisite

Complete any of the following course(s):
EARTHSYS 120

Environmental Justice in California

3 Units
EARTHSYS 125

Shades of Green: Exploring and Expanding Environmental Justice in Practice

3-4 Units
EARTHSYS 179C

History and Ethics of the Global Climate Crisis

3-5 Units
EARTHSYS 194

Introduction to Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Gender and Place

4 Units
EPS 20

The Geoscience of Environmental Justice

3 Units
ETHICSOC 171

Justice

4-5 Units
LAW 2515

Environmental Justice

3 Units
NATIVEAM 115

Introduction to Native American History

5 Units
STS 190

Environment, Technoscience, and Society

4 Units

Path Specific Pre-Requisites

Complete at least 1 of the following:
OPTION 1
Complete all of the following requirements:
Chemistry or Physics Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
CHEM 31A

Chemical Principles I

5 Units
CHEM 31E

Chemical Foundations and 21st Century Problems

5 Units
EPS 2

Chemistry of the Earth and Planets

3 Units
EPS 3

Earth and Planetary Processes and Mechanics

3 Units
GEOPHYS 110

Introduction to the Foundations of Contemporary Geophysics

3 Units
PHYSICS 21

Mechanics and Fluids

4 Units
PHYSICS 22

Mechanics, Fluids, and Heat Laboratory

1 Units
PHYSICS 23

Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics

4 Units
PHYSICS 24

Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics Laboratory

1 Units
PHYSICS 25

Modern Physics

4 Units
PHYSICS 41

Mechanics

4 Units
PHYSICS 41E

Mechanics, Concepts, Calculations, and Context

5 Units
PHYSICS 45

Light and Heat

4 Units
PHYSICS 61

Mechanics and Special Relativity

4 Units
and
Statistics Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
BIO 131

Environmental Data Analysis

3 Units
CME 106

Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Engineers

4 Units
EARTHSYS 100A

Introduction to Data Science for Geoscience

3 Units
ECON 102A

Introduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists

5 Units
STATS 110

Introduction to Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences

5 Units
STATS 117

Introduction to Probability Theory

3-4 Units
or
STATS 118

Probability Theory for Statistical Inference

3-4 Units
STATS 141

Introduction to Statistics for Biology

5 Units
and
Math Pre-requsite

Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 100

Vector Calculus for Engineers

5 Units
MATH 51

Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and Modern Applications

5 Units
and
Economics Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
ECON 1

Principles of Economics

5 Units
GEP 29

Economics for Sustainability

4 Units
or
OPTION 2
Complete all of the following requirements:
Computer Science Pre-requisite
Complete all of the following course(s):
CS 106A

Programming Methodology

3-5 Units
and
Economics Pre-requisite
Complete all of the following course(s):
ECON 1

Principles of Economics

5 Units
or
GEP 29

Economics for Sustainability

4 Units
ECON 50

Economic Analysis I

5 Units
and
Statistics Pre-requisite
Complete all of the following course(s):
ECON 102A

Introduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists

5 Units
ECON 102B

Applied Econometrics

5 Units
and
Math Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 100

Vector Calculus for Engineers

5 Units
MATH 51

Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and Modern Applications

5 Units
or
OPTION 3
Complete all of the following requirements:
Math Pre-requisite
Complete all of the following course(s):
MATH 20

Calculus

3 Units
and
Computer Science Pre-requisite
Complete all of the following course(s):
CS 106A

Programming Methodology

3-5 Units
and
Economics Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
ECON 1

Principles of Economics

5 Units
GEP 29

Economics for Sustainability

4 Units
and
Natural and Environmental Science Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
BIO 81

Introduction to Ecology

4 Units
CEE 70

Environmental Science and Technology

3 Units
CEE 107A

Understand Energy

3-5 Units
EPS 1

Introduction to Geology

5 Units
EPS 2

Chemistry of the Earth and Planets

3 Units
EPS 4

Coevolution of Earth and Life

3 Units
EARTHSYS 101

Energy and the Environment

3 Units
EARTHSYS 105A

Ecology and Natural History of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve

4 Units
and
EARTHSYS 105B

Ecology and Natural History of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve

4 Units
EARTHSYS 123A

Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions

3-4 Units
EARTHSYS 127A

The Sixth Extinction (and the Other Five)

3 Units
EARTHSYS 128

Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems

4 Units
EARTHSYS 150

Wildfires in the Anthropocene

3 Units
EARTHSYS 155

Science of Soils

4-5 Units
OCEANS 125H

Environmental Change and Marine Biodiversity

3-4 Units
OSPAUSTL 28

Terrestrial Ecology and Conservation

3 Units
OSPSANTG 58

Global Change in Chile

5 Units
SUSTAIN 101C

Climate 101

3 Units
SUSTAIN 103

Human and Planetary Health

3 Units
and
Psychology Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
PSYCH 1

Introduction to Psychology

5 Units
PSYCH 70

Self and Society: Introduction to Social Psychology

4 Units
and
Statistics Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
BIO 131

Environmental Data Analysis

3 Units
CME 106

Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Engineers

4 Units
EARTHSYS 100A

Introduction to Data Science for Geoscience

3 Units
ECON 102A

Introduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists

5 Units
STATS 110

Introduction to Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences

5 Units
STATS 117

Introduction to Probability Theory

3-4 Units
or
STATS 118

Probability Theory for Statistical Inference

3-4 Units
STATS 141

Introduction to Statistics for Biology

5 Units
and
Qualitative Methods Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
ANTHRO 91

Method and Evidence in Anthropology

5 Units
CHPR 247

Pragmatic Skills for Mixed Methods Community Research

3 Units
CSRE 146A

Designing Research for Social Justice: Creating a Community Engaged Research Project

3 Units
HUMBIO 82A

Qualitative Research Methodology

3 Units
PEDS 202C

Qualitative Research Methods and Study Design

2-3 Units
SOC 180A

Foundations of Social Research

4 Units
URBANST 123B

Community Engaged Research - Principles, Ethics, and Design

3 Units
and
Quantitative Methods Pre-requisite
Complete any of the following course(s):
CEE 226

Life Cycle Assessment for Complex Systems

3-4 Units
CS 106B

Programming Abstractions

3-5 Units
DATASCI 112

Principles of Data Science

5 Units
EARTHSYS 100A

Introduction to Data Science for Geoscience

3 Units
EARTHSYS 141

Remote Sensing of the Oceans

3-4 Units
EARTHSYS 142

Remote Sensing of Land

3 Units
EARTHSYS 144

Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science (GIS)

3-4 Units
EARTHSYS 145

Advanced Concepts in Geographic Information Science

4 Units
EARTHSYS 153

Data Science for Social Impact

5 Units
EARTHSYS 213

Innovating for Climate and Sustainability

3 Units
EARTHSYS 240

Data Science for Geoscience

3 Units
ECON 102B

Applied Econometrics

5 Units
GEOPHYS 115

Taking the Pulse of the Planet

3 Units
OCEANS 140H

Statistical Modeling

3 Units
POLISCI 150A

Data Science for Politics

3-5 Units
POLISCI 150B

Machine Learning for Social Scientists

3-5 Units
POLISCI 150C

Causal Inference for Social Science

3-5 Units

Program Requirements

Master's Seminar

Complete all of the following course(s):
EARTHSYS 290

Master's Seminar

3 Units

Master's Thesis (Optional)

Students who choose to prepare an M.S. thesis, which is not required for the degree, may take up to 8 units of EARTHSYS 299 with their master's advisor and must complete 1 unit of EARTHSYS 299A.

Complete all of the following course(s):
EARTHSYS 299

M.S. Thesis

1-9 Units
EARTHSYS 299A

Earth Systems Thesis Workshop

1 Units

M.S. Thesis Resources

Application Process and Deadlines opens in a new tab
M.S. Thesis Guidelines opens in a new tab

Unit Requirement

The Master of Science degree in Earth Systems allows specialization through graduate-level coursework.

The following are required of all M.S. students:

  • A minimum of 45 units of coursework and/or research credit (upon approval).

  • At least 34 units of the student’s coursework for the master’s program must be at the 200-level or above. All remaining coursework must be at the 100-level or above.

  • Up to nine units of research (Earthsys 297 and/or Earthsys 250) may be completed with their Master’s Advisor. This will enrich building mastery in the field through regular communication with their Master's Advisor.

  • Students may use 8 units of Earthsys 323: Stanford at Sea towards the required 45 units. Please note- Although the entire 16 unit course must be in your graduate career, only 8 units will be applied towards the required 45 units.