2025-2026
Expand the sections below to view course schedules and descriptions for the specified time period for academic year 2025-2026Full Year
Jump to
- Academic Year 2025-2026 Class Schedule
- Course Descriptions: 100-Level Courses for Undergraduates
- Course Descriptions: 200-Level Courses for Undergraduates
- Course Descriptions: 300-Level Courses for Undergraduates and Graduate Students
- Course Descriptions: 400-Level Courses for Graduate Students
Academic year 2025-2026 class Schedule
100-LEVEL COURSES FOR UNDERGRADUATES
102-7 – Gaia Hypothesis
Despite massive external changes, Earth's surface has remained suitable for life for most of its history. For instance, the sun emitted about 30% less heat energy when the Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago, and calculations suggest that the Earth's surface should have remained frozen until approximately 2 billion years ago. However, geologic evidence supports the existence of liquid water and life since at least 3.8 billion years ago. This seminar will explore the Gaia hypothesis, developed by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, which asserts that the Earth functions as a self-regulating system, with life playing a central role in sustaining the planet's habitability.
102-8 – Sustainability and Social Justice
The challenge of sustainability to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" has evolved over the past few decades. This course will introduce fundamental concepts of sustainability, consider the application of these concepts in diverse societal, economic, and cultural settings, and explore the potential of climate science and sustainable development to act as forces for environmental and social justice.
105 –Climate Catastrophes in Earth History
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental components of the Earth system--the atmosphere, hydrosphere and solid Earth--and more importantly, examine how these components interact in response to internal and external influences to control climate. Within this Earth systems context, we will explore how climate is changing today, how it has changed (sometimes catastrophically) in the geologic past, and how it may change in the future.
106 – Ocean, Atmosphere & Climate
Most of our planet's surface is blanketed by ocean. The dynamic nature of the oceanic environment and how it influences the Earth as a whole will be explored in this course. The interconnectivity of ocean characteristics (chemistry, physics, geology, biology) will be stressed. This course includes short walking field trips to the lake front during class time
114 – Evolution and the Scientific Method
The scientific method is explored through the role it has played in the development of evolutionary thought. The course tracks the history of evolutionary theory from its earliest origins to the modern consensus, and in so doing, provides examples of scientific method as practiced in biology, geology, physics, and chemistry. It is the story of one of the greatest paradigm shifts in the history of human thought, and is designed to serve the needs of a broad spectrum of non-science majors seeking to satisfy the Area I distribution requirement. Review of evolutionary theory and its scientific, philosophical, social and religious impacts. Pre-lecture quizzes (CANVAS) and two exams
170 – Earth and the Biosphere - New
TBD
180 – Fantasy Worlds
The formation and evolution of rocky planets. Introduction of physical concepts common in the lives of planets as they are in our everyday lives: gravity, heat transport, magnetism, and others. Students will apply these concepts to build their own unique planet, and will present their creation at a culminating poster presentation.
200-LEVEL COURSES FOR UNDERGRADUATES
201-0 – Earth Systems Science - wEARTH 203. Will be 210
This introductory course will cover Earth systems: atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere, and their interactions at local and global scales. With an emphasis on systems thinking, we will learn 1) how physical, chemical, and biological processes formed and modify the Earth’s surface and climate; 2) the history of those processes and their regulation of global climate over the lifetime of our planet; and 3) how human activity now impacts these systems. Topics include Earth’s energy sources and how they drive processes from plate tectonics to global wind patterns, the co-evolution of life with Earth’s surface atmosphere, and environmental issues such as water resources and climate change. This is a required course for both Environmental Science and Earth and Planetary Sciences students.
EARTH 202 – Earth's Interior - Will be 215
Mechanics of plate tectonics; past plate motions; seismic waves; earthquake mechanisms; earth structure from seismology; shape, size, density, & gravity of the Earth; radiometric age dating; heat and temperature in the Earth; composition and dynamics of mantle and core; oceanic & continental lithosphere, minerals & rocks; planetary formation. Students should be familiar with calculus, introductory physics, introductory chemistry. Some familiarity with computer programming or other ways to process and visualize data (e.g. spreadsheet) is also expected.
211-0 – Data Analysis for Earth & Environmental Sciences - New
Overview of quantitative methods and modeling approaches for earth, environmental and planetary sciences, including data standards, environmental statistics, box modeling, geospatial and geo-temporal analyses. Teaching methods focus on skill-mastery, and teamwork. The data sets used span sub-disciplines, such as population, climate, solid earth, and water science.
212-0 – Health of the Biosphere - Prev. ENVR_SCI 202
This course studies the growth of populations and their interactions in ecological communities. Topics include: the ecological niche; projections of population growth, including the history of human growth, harvesting populations, and population viability analysis of endangered species; interactions among species, including competition, predation, and disease transmission; measuring the diversity of ecological communities; the effects of diversity on energy flow. More advanced topics will also be addressed, including the biodiversity-stability relationship, the economic values of biodiversity and ecosystem function, and the biology and management of metapopulations in fragmented habitats.
213-0 – Humans and the Environment - Prev. ENVR_SCI 203
Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of how humans interact with the living and nonliving parts of their environment. In this course, we will examine current environmental challenges, such as climate change, the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable production of energy, and the implications of human population growth. A case study approach will be used bringing in dimensions of ethics, justice, law, economics, policy, culture, and more, in compliment to the understanding of the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere functions and condition.
214-0 –Physical Earth Science - Prev. EARTH 201
Introduction to Physical Geology: The study of Earth systems and their interactions. This course will approach the study of Earth systems from two perspectives: 1) description and classification of Earth's features, including Earth materials, internal structure, and landforms and 2) description and explanation of the physical, chemical and biological processes that form and modify these features. Topics include minerals; sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks; the interior Earth, oceans, and atmosphere; solid Earth processes, such as volcanism, seismicity, and plate tectonics and their interactions with the atmosphere and hydrosphere to drive surface Earth processes, such as climate, weathering, and glaciation; geologic time; global change. This course includes a mandatory field trip to Baraboo, Wisconsin (see registration requirements for details).
300-LEVEL COURSES FOR UNDERGRADUATES AND GRADUATE STUDENTS
312 – Stable Isotope Geochemistry
A survey of the chemical, physical and biological mechanisms and fundamental concepts of stable isotope fractionation. The course will focus on applications of H, O, C, S, N and trace metal (i.e., Fe and Mo) isotopes to geologic problems with an emphasis on climate change and ancient ocean chemistries.
331 – Field Problems in Sedimentary Geology
Enforced Pre-requisite - EARTH 330 or approval of the instructor. Includes 3½-week late-summer field trip to Colorado and Utah. Field methods in stratigraphy and sedimentology; interpretation of depositional systems, facies models, and sequence stratigraphy based on field observations.
340 – Physics of Weather and Climate
An investigation of atmospheric processes and the physical laws that govern them. Topics covered include atmospheric composition and structure, radiative transfer, thermodynamics, convection, precipitation, and the general circulation of the three-dimensional atmosphere. When possible course content will engage with contemporaneous atmospheric conditions, and provide students with a better understanding of their meteorological and climatic environments. Completion of introductory calculus and physics are required prior to enrollment.
344 - Scientific Foundations of Decarbonization
The Scientific Foundations of Decarbonization will address the fundamental scientific understanding of how biogeochemical cycles moderate greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and marine realm, how changes in these gases control Earth climate on short and long timescales, and how human activities have rapidly altered the geologic balance of the carbon cycle. This knowledge base provides the foundation to understand decarbonization. Because most decarbonization strategies target different aspects of the carbon cycle, the core content of the course will review the geochemistry of carbon on land, in the lithosphere, and in the atmosphere, oceans, and other waters. This background will prepare students for a series of guest lectures from alumni of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences that will present the most recent advances in decarbonization being investigated and/or implemented in the U.S. and abroad.
350 – Physics of the Earth for ISP
Introduction to geophysics for students with strong mathematics and physics backgrounds. Basic ideas in seismic wave propagation, plate tectonics, geomagnetism, geothermics, and gravity. Study of the earth's surface and the deep interior.
360 – Instrumentation and Field Methods
Theory and practicum on electronic instrumentation for monitoring and measurement in earth sciences, including data loggers, conceptual design and construction of electronic sensors, signal processing, data management, and network design. Recommended Background: 3 EARTH or ENVR SCI or BIOL SCI courses at the 300 level.
361 – Scientific Programming in Python
Introduction to coding, scientific computing, and visualization for analyzing data in the physical sciences. Emphasis on Python, but Unix, shell scripting, and Generic Mapping Tools are also introduced. Students undertake a significant final coding project individually or in pairs.
390 - Geographical Information Systems - GIS Level 1 - Will be 363-1
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an analytical tool for organizing, visualizing, creating, and analyzing geospatial and temporal data. Students with no prior GIS experience will learn core skills with lectures and labs, and also formulate hypotheses they will test using GIS to address real problems. This introductory course covers the theory and application of GIS. Topics include components of a GIS, the characteristics of spatial data, database models, vector operations, raster operations, and GIS applications. The course uses ESRI ArcGIS Pro.
363-2 – Geographical Information Systems - GIS Level 2
TBD
366 – Stable Isotope Analytical Methods
This class will include chemical and analytical techniques for stable isotope analysis of a variety of matrices and organic compounds. This will include hands-on laboratory experiments as well as some theoretical considerations. Extraction, chromatography, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, data processing, and other common techniques in organic and inorganic chemistry will be discussed.
371 – Biogeochemistry
The cycling of biogenic elements (C, N, S, Fe, Mn) in surficial environments is the focus of this course. Emphasis will be placed on microbial processes and isotopic signatures.Taught with CIV ENV 317; students may not earn credit for both courses.
373 – Microbial Ecology
This course will provide a framework for understanding the role of microbes in natural environments in terms of cell numbers, metabolisms, and interactions with geochemical cycles. We will delve deeply into the interactions between microbial populations, higher organisms, and even our own bodies. The course will finish on a survey of microbial composition and dynamics in key settings across the planet. Recommended Background: Basic understanding of chemistry, biology, and earth science.
390 – Marine Biogeochemical Cycles - New
TBD
397 – Science Writing for DEEPS - Prev. EARTH 204
This course will help undergraduate Earth Sciences majors hone their communication skills, and learn some specific communication styles applicable to our field. Science writing and scientific literature can be intimidating and obtuse. This course is designed to break manuscripts down into their base components, detailing the goal, style, and content required for each section. In addition we will cover verbal and visual forms of communication such as posters and talks. Writing is learned through practice, so this course will be hands on with weekly assignments, peer review, and required classroom engagement.
400/500-LEVEL COURSES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
DATA_SCI 401 – Data-driven Research
Major projects in earth sciences, physics, and astronomy have revolutionized research in these fields and have created major data challenges. In this course we will review the science motivation and goals and the relevant data challenges of the Earthscope, aLIGO, and LSST projects that represent large-scale investments in these research communities. Although the goals for the three projects may appear to overlap only partially, there are strong intellectual bridges and shared challenges because of the data-intensive science involved.
461 – Global Tectonics
TBD
519 – Responsible Conduct of Research Training
All Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Graduate Students and Post Doctoral Fellows must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training in their first year of the program. This course includes 6 online "CITI" modules as well as discussion sections. New students and fellows should contact the Assistant Chair with any questions.
Fall 2025
Jump to
Fall 2025 class Schedule
Fall 2025 course descriptions
102-7 – Gaia Hypothesis
Despite massive external changes, Earth's surface has remained suitable for life for most of its history. For instance, the sun emitted about 30% less heat energy when the Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago, and calculations suggest that the Earth's surface should have remained frozen until approximately 2 billion years ago. However, geologic evidence supports the existence of liquid water and life since at least 3.8 billion years ago. This seminar will explore the Gaia hypothesis, developed by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, which asserts that the Earth functions as a self-regulating system, with life playing a central role in sustaining the planet's habitability.
106 – Ocean, Atmosphere, & Climate
Most of our planet's surface is blanketed by ocean. The dynamic nature of the oceanic environment and how it influences the Earth as a whole will be explored in this course. The interconnectivity of ocean characteristics (chemistry, physics, geology, biology) will be stressed. This course includes short walking field trips to the lake front during class time
210-0 – Earth Systems Science - Prev. ENVR_SCI 201 or EARTH 203
This introductory course will cover Earth systems: atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere, and their interactions at local and global scales. With an emphasis on systems thinking, we will learn 1) how physical, chemical, and biological processes formed and modify the Earth’s surface and climate; 2) the history of those processes and their regulation of global climate over the lifetime of our planet; and 3) how human activity now impacts these systems. Topics include Earth’s energy sources and how they drive processes from plate tectonics to global wind patterns, the co-evolution of life with Earth’s surface atmosphere, and environmental issues such as water resources and climate change. This is a required course for both Environmental Science and Earth and Planetary Sciences students.
215-0 – Earth's Interior - Prev. EARTH 202
Mechanics of plate tectonics; past plate motions; seismic waves; earthquake mechanisms; earth structure from seismology; shape, size, density, & gravity of the Earth; radiometric age dating; heat and temperature in the Earth; composition and dynamics of mantle and core; oceanic & continental lithosphere, minerals & rocks; planetary formation. Students should be familiar with calculus, introductory physics, introductory chemistry. Some familiarity with computer programming or other ways to process and visualize data (e.g. spreadsheet) is also expected.
331 – Field Problems in Sedimentary Geology
Enforced Pre-requisite - EARTH 330 or approval of the instructor. Includes 3½-week late-summer field trip to Colorado and Utah. Field methods in stratigraphy and sedimentology; interpretation of depositional systems, facies models, and sequence stratigraphy based on field observations.
361 – Scientific Programming in Python
Introduction to coding, scientific computing, and visualization for analyzing data in the physical sciences. Emphasis on Python, but Unix, shell scripting, and Generic Mapping Tools are also introduced. Students undertake a significant final coding project individually or in pairs.
390 - Geographical Information Systems - GIS Level 1 - Will be 363-1
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an analytical tool for organizing, visualizing, creating, and analyzing geospatial and temporal data. Students with no prior GIS experience will learn core skills with lectures and labs, and also formulate hypotheses they will test using GIS to address real problems. This introductory course covers the theory and application of GIS. Topics include components of a GIS, the characteristics of spatial data, database models, vector operations, raster operations, and GIS applications. The course uses ESRI ArcGIS Pro.
461 – Global Tectonics
TBD
Winter 2026
Jump to
Winter 2026 class Schedule
Winter 2026 course descriptions
102-8 – First Year Seminar (Topic TBD)
TBD
105 –Climate Catastrophes in Earth History
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental components of the Earth system--the atmosphere, hydrosphere and solid Earth--and more importantly, examine how these components interact in response to internal and external influences to control climate. Within this Earth systems context, we will explore how climate is changing today, how it has changed (sometimes catastrophically) in the geologic past, and how it may change in the future.
114 – Evolution and the Scientific Method
The scientific method is explored through the role it has played in the development of evolutionary thought. The course tracks the history of evolutionary theory from its earliest origins to the modern consensus, and in so doing, provides examples of scientific method as practiced in biology, geology, physics, and chemistry. It is the story of one of the greatest paradigm shifts in the history of human thought, and is designed to serve the needs of a broad spectrum of non-science majors seeking to satisfy the Area I distribution requirement. Review of evolutionary theory and its scientific, philosophical, social and religious impacts. Pre-lecture quizzes (CANVAS) and two exams
212-0 – Health of the Biosphere - Prev. ENVR_SCI 202
This course studies the growth of populations and their interactions in ecological communities. Topics include: the ecological niche; projections of population growth, including the history of human growth, harvesting populations, and population viability analysis of endangered species; interactions among species, including competition, predation, and disease transmission; measuring the diversity of ecological communities; the effects of diversity on energy flow. More advanced topics will also be addressed, including the biodiversity-stability relationship, the economic values of biodiversity and ecosystem function, and the biology and management of metapopulations in fragmented habitats.
312 – Stable Isotope Geochemistry
A survey of the chemical, physical and biological mechanisms and fundamental concepts of stable isotope fractionation. The course will focus on applications of H, O, C, S, N and trace metal (i.e., Fe and Mo) isotopes to geologic problems with an emphasis on climate change and ancient ocean chemistries.
350 – Physics of the Earth for ISP
Introduction to geophysics for students with strong mathematics and physics backgrounds. Basic ideas in seismic wave propagation, plate tectonics, geomagnetism, geothermics, and gravity. Study of the earth's surface and the deep interior.
360 – Instrumentation and Field Methods
Theory and practicum on electronic instrumentation for monitoring and measurement in earth sciences, including data loggers, conceptual design and construction of electronic sensors, signal processing, data management, and network design. Recommended Background: 3 EARTH or ENVR SCI or BIOL SCI courses at the 300 level.
363-1 – Geographical Information Systems - GIS Level 1
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an analytical tool for organizing, visualizing, creating, and analyzing geospatial and temporal data. Students with no prior GIS experience will learn core skills with lectures and labs, and also formulate hypotheses they will test using GIS to address real problems. This introductory course covers the theory and application of GIS. Topics include components of a GIS, the characteristics of spatial data, database models, vector operations, raster operations, and GIS applications. The course uses ESRI ArcGIS Pro.
371 – Biogeochemistry
The cycling of biogenic elements (C, N, S, Fe, Mn) in surficial environments is the focus of this course. Emphasis will be placed on microbial processes and isotopic signatures.Taught with CIV ENV 317; students may not earn credit for both courses.
397 – Science Writing for DEEPS - Prev. EARTH 204
This course will help undergraduate Earth Sciences majors hone their communication skills, and learn some specific communication styles applicable to our field. Science writing and scientific literature can be intimidating and obtuse. This course is designed to break manuscripts down into their base components, detailing the goal, style, and content required for each section. In addition we will cover verbal and visual forms of communication such as posters and talks. Writing is learned through practice, so this course will be hands on with weekly assignments, peer review, and required classroom engagement.
519 – Responsible Conduct of Research Training
All Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Graduate Students and Post Doctoral Fellows must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training in their first year of the program. This course includes 6 online "CITI" modules as well as discussion sections. New students and fellows should contact the Assistant Chair with any questions.
Spring 2026
Jump to
Spring 2026 class Schedule
Spring 2026 course descriptions
102-8 – Sustainability and Social Justice
The challenge of sustainability to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" has evolved over the past few decades. This course will introduce fundamental concepts of sustainability, consider the application of these concepts in diverse societal, economic, and cultural settings, and explore the potential of climate science and sustainable development to act as forces for environmental and social justice.
170 – Earth and the Biosphere - New
TBD
180 – Fantasy Worlds
The formation and evolution of rocky planets. Introduction of physical concepts common in the lives of planets as they are in our everyday lives: gravity, heat transport, magnetism, and others. Students will apply these concepts to build their own unique planet, and will present their creation at a culminating poster presentation.
210-0 – Earth Systems Science - Prev ENVR_SCI 201 or EARTH 203
This introductory course will cover Earth systems: atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere, and their interactions at local and global scales. With an emphasis on systems thinking, we will learn 1) how physical, chemical, and biological processes formed and modify the Earth’s surface and climate; 2) the history of those processes and their regulation of global climate over the lifetime of our planet; and 3) how human activity now impacts these systems. Topics include Earth’s energy sources and how they drive processes from plate tectonics to global wind patterns, the co-evolution of life with Earth’s surface atmosphere, and environmental issues such as water resources and climate change. This is a required course for both Environmental Science and Earth and Planetary Sciences students.
211-0 – Data Analysis for Earth & Environmental Sciences - New
Overview of quantitative methods and modeling approaches for earth, environmental and planetary sciences, including data standards, environmental statistics, box modeling, geospatial and geo-temporal analyses. Teaching methods focus on skill-mastery, and teamwork. The data sets used span sub-disciplines, such as population, climate, solid earth, and water science.
213-0 – Humans and the Environment - Prev. ENVR_SCI 203
Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of how humans interact with the living and nonliving parts of their environment. In this course, we will examine current environmental challenges, such as climate change, the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable production of energy, and the implications of human population growth. A case study approach will be used bringing in dimensions of ethics, justice, law, economics, policy, culture, and more, in compliment to the understanding of the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere functions and condition.
214-0 –Physical Earth Sciences - Prev. EARTH 201
Introduction to Physical Geology: The study of Earth systems and their interactions. This course will approach the study of Earth systems from two perspectives: 1) description and classification of Earth's features, including Earth materials, internal structure, and landforms and 2) description and explanation of the physical, chemical and biological processes that form and modify these features. Topics include minerals; sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks; the interior Earth, oceans, and atmosphere; solid Earth processes, such as volcanism, seismicity, and plate tectonics and their interactions with the atmosphere and hydrosphere to drive surface Earth processes, such as climate, weathering, and glaciation; geologic time; global change. This course includes a mandatory field trip to Baraboo, Wisconsin (see registration requirements for details).
340 – Physics of Weather and Climate
An investigation of atmospheric processes and the physical laws that govern them. Topics covered include atmospheric composition and structure, radiative transfer, thermodynamics, convection, precipitation, and the general circulation of the three-dimensional atmosphere. When possible course content will engage with contemporaneous atmospheric conditions, and provide students with a better understanding of their meteorological and climatic environments. Completion of introductory calculus and physics are required prior to enrollment.
344 –The Scientific Foundations of Decarbonization
The Scientific Foundations of Decarbonization will address the fundamental scientific understanding of how biogeochemical cycles moderate greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and marine realm, how changes in these gases control Earth climate on short and long timescales, and how human activities have rapidly altered the geologic balance of the carbon cycle. This knowledge base provides the foundation to understand decarbonization. Because most decarbonization strategies target different aspects of the carbon cycle, the core content of the course will review the geochemistry of carbon on land, in the lithosphere, and in the atmosphere, oceans, and other waters. This background will prepare students for a series of guest lectures from alumni of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences that will present the most recent advances in decarbonization being investigated and/or implemented in the U.S. and abroad.
363-2 – Geographical Information Systems - GIS Level 2
TBD
366 – Stable Isotope Analytical Methods
This class will include chemical and analytical techniques for stable isotope analysis of a variety of matrices and organic compounds. This will include hands-on laboratory experiments as well as some theoretical considerations. Extraction, chromatography, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, data processing, and other common techniques in organic and inorganic chemistry will be discussed.
390 – Biogeochemical Cycles - New
TBD
DATA_SCI 401 – Data-driven Research
Major projects in earth sciences, physics, and astronomy have revolutionized research in these fields and have created major data challenges. In this course we will review the science motivation and goals and the relevant data challenges of the Earthscope, aLIGO, and LSST projects that represent large-scale investments in these research communities. Although the goals for the three projects may appear to overlap only partially, there are strong intellectual bridges and shared challenges because of the data-intensive science involved.