About the Earth Systems Program

Why study Earth Systems? Many of our most pressing and complicated environmental problems are caused by multiple and interacting human activities in interaction with natural changes in the Earth System; thus, these problems often lie outside the scope of any single discipline. To understand them and develop viable solutions, they must be viewed in an integrated way. The Earth Systems Program provides the opportunity to understand the natural workings of the Earth System and how it responds to change. Given below through a series of questions and answers is an outline of the knowledge and skills that you will gain in this major.

What are the fundamental components of the Earth System? If we want to understand current environmental problems against the backdrop of natural change, what are the components that need to be understood? The Earth Systems Program includes courses that describe the natural workings of the physical and the biological components of Earth as well as courses that describe the human dimensions that lead to change in the Earth system and its components.

Training in the fundamentals comes through introductory coursework in geology, biology, and economics. Depending on the Earth Systems track you have chosen, your training may also include introductions to the study of the oceans, soils, microbiology, or energy systems. As you begin to question the role that humans play in affecting these systems, you will find that Programs and Departments at Stanford such as Urban Studies, Human Biology, Anthropology, Public Policy, and Political Science offer courses that approach this question.
What are the critical system-level interactions in the Earth System, and how do they respond to anthropogenic change? Given the backdrop of natural variation and ever-changing human influences, what are the fundamental interactions among the physical, biological, and human components of the system that must be understood in order to define and solve environmental problems?

Several courses in the Earth Systems curriculum are designed to introduce you to the dynamic and multiple interactions that characterize global change problems. They include our introductory course, Introduction to Earth Systems, and all three of our core courses, namely the Geosphere, the Biosphere, and the Anthrosphere.

Competence in understanding system-level interactions is critical to your development as an Earth Systems thinker, so additional classes that meet this objective are excellent choices as electives. They include (but are not limited to) Ecosystem Physiology, World Food Economy, International Environmental & Resource Economics, International Economic Development, Biological Oceanography, Sustainable Water Resources Development, and Field Studies in Earth Systems.
How do we recognize, quantify, and report change in the environment? What are the key analytical and computational tools and measurement systems that offer insight into global and regional environmental change, and how are they used to identify change and develop solutions?

The test of your Earth Systems degree, post-Stanford, will be your ability to recognize, quantify, describe, and help solve some of the complex problems that face our society. Through required cognates and specific track classes you will build skills in these areas. For example, large-scale environmental change lends itself to assessment using the tools of satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems. Local or regional scale problems may be better addressed through field analysis. Training in each of these is either required or highly recommended. Quantification of problems affecting physical systems requires solid training in calculus, linear algebra, physics, chemistry, programming, and statistics. Specialized training, such as in laboratory or field methods, may be necessary and is recommended.

Finally, having the ability to effectively communicate ideas and research results is extremely important. Whether you will be teaching young students, working with professionals and academics, or setting policy with lawyers and politicians, working together toward solutions to our environmental problems begins with common understanding of the issues. Writing intensive courses will help you to improve your ability to communicate complex concepts to expert and non-expert audiences alike. Stanford requires that each student complete one writing intensive course in his or her major. The Earth Systems major requires two writing intensive courses, Biosphere and Senior Seminar, with an option for a third course for MS students through Master's Seminar.
How can we develop solutions to environmental problems that take into consideration natural processes as well as human needs? How can human needs be met in a sustainable way, i.e. in a way that avoids damage to the life support services that Earth provides for us?

Our senior capstone course, Earth Systems Senior Seminar, challenges you to use your Earth systems training to define, analyze, and offer workable solutions to multi-stakeholder interdisciplinary environmental problems. This class highlights the many challenges of complex environmental problem solving and directly connects your training with meeting those challenges.

Happily, many other courses at Stanford also focus on analysis and solutions. Advice on choosing problem solving courses is available in our Program office. Students also can review the quarterly Time Schedule for solution-based courses. Among others, the following subject areas may be a useful guide: Anthropology, Biology, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Earth Systems, Economics, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Geophysics, Human Biology, International Policy Studies, International Relations, Law, Petroleum Engineering, Political Science, Public Policy, and Urban Studies. The Earth Systems Program emphasizes the importance of workable solutions in several ways, including a required 9 unit internship, knowledge synthesis in the Senior Seminar, and the option to do honors research through the Earth Systems Honors Program or the Goldman Interschool Honors Program.


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