College of Science

Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

  1. What sets Purdue's program apart?

  2. What can I do with an EAS degree from Purdue?

  3. How should I prepare for the EAS program in high school?

  4. What courses will I take as an EAS student?

1. What sets Purdue's program apart? (top)

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science at Purdue has many wonderful things to offer to its students. The faculty-to-student ratio is very high, and all undergraduates are encouraged to take part in research. Some majors offer summer field camps and trips as part of the course of study. Purdue also has a lot of spectacular equipment available for its students, including a state-of-the-art automated electron microprobe, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, an ion chromatograph, a gamma ray spectrometer, magnetometers, gravimeters, seismographs, a complete wet-chemical lab for analysis, and a low-level scintillation counter for age-dating ground-water recharge by tritium analysis. The program is set up to allow students a great deal of specialization in one of four majors:

2. What can I do with an EAS degree from Purdue? (top)

Atmospheric Science graduates often find work in broadcast meteorology, operational meteorology, climatology, and satellite meteorology. Earth Science graduates have job choices in places such as with NASA during planning of space missions, and with gas and oil companies locating and planning new fields. Students in both areas can find work as scientists, doing research, as engineers, environmental regulators, and with the government. In addition, graduates go directly on to graduate school for advanced study.

Read more about recent graduates from the Careers site.

3. How should I prepare for the EAS program in high school? (top)

Take as much calculus, additional math, chemistry, physics, and computer science as possible, as well as a variety of additional science courses. Continue taking your foreign language and writing courses. Those interested in meteorological broadcasting should take communications classes as well.

4. What courses will I take as an EAS student? (top)

In your first two years, you will take courses covering The Dynamic Earth, Physical Geology, and Science of the Atmosphere. You will also take three semesters of calculus, English composition, physics, and general chemistry. Later in the curriculum, you will also be required to take:

Typical Freshman Year Coursework

Semester one:

EAS 109, The Dynamic Earth, 3 credit hours

MA 161 or 165, Calculus I and Analytical Geometry, 4-5 credit hours

ENGL 106, English Composition, 4 credit hours

CHM 115, General Chemistry I, 4 credit hours

Total: 15 to 16 credit hours

Semester two:

EAS 112, Historical Geology, 4 credit hours (for Earth Science majors)

MA 162 or 166, Calculus II and Analytical Geometry, 4-5 credit hours

CHM 116, General Chemistry II, 4 credit hours

Foreign Language, 3 or 4 credit hours

General Education course, 3 credit hours (for Atmospheric Science majors)

Total: 14 to 17 credit hours

* Students must earn a minimum of 124 credit hours to graduate, which is an average of 15.5 credit hours / per semester.

 

Science at Purdue

By phone: 765.494.1771 or 800.804.8061
By web: www.science.purdue.edu
Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences: www.purdue.edu/eas/
By email: advising@science.purdue.edu (for advisors)
ScienceQuestion@purdue.edu (for current students)