Earth and Environmental Sciences

San Diego State University

May 15, 2025

2025-2026 University Catalog

Undergraduate Information
Graduate Information
Faculty

OFFICE: Geology/Mathematics/Computer Science (GMCS) 237
TELEPHONE: 619-594-5586 / FAX: 619-594-4372
E-MAIL: geology@sdsu.edu
WEBSITE: https://earth.sdsu.edu

Geoscientists and environmental scientists apply physical, chemical, and biological principles to understand the complex history and dynamics of the Earth system, and seek to discover and manage our planet’s finite resources in clean and environmentally responsible ways. Degrees in the Earth and Environmental Sciences prepare students to address major societal issues including dwindling non-renewable energy resources, climate change, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and coastal subsidence. We welcome undergraduates and graduates who are curious about the planet on which we live, challenged by environmental problems facing humankind, and intrigued by subjects that span the arts and sciences. At the undergraduate level, the department offers a B.A. in Geological Sciences, a B.S. in Geological Sciences with three different emphases, and a B.S. in Environmental Sciences. At the graduate level, the department offers an M.S. in Geological Sciences, with optional specialization in geophysics and hydrogeology, and a joint-doctoral program in Earthquake Science and Applied Geophysics in partnership with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. We invite you to explore our degrees through the catalog content below, and to learn more about our department at https://earth.sdsu.edu/.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is a dynamic, engaged, and vibrant community that offers a weekly seminar series, clubs, and an active alumni network. Geology students can participate in clubs managed by a central board, including the Associated Geology Students (AGS), the Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG), and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). Furthermore, campus-wide sustainability initiatives and advocacy groups, such as Greenlove, Calpirg, and the Sierra Club San Diego chapter, are dedicated to promoting essential environmental causes.

Undergraduate Information

Geological Sciences Major

Geological sciences is the study of the Earth and its past, present, and future. Geoscientists apply physical, chemical, and biological principles to understand ongoing processes from the earth’s surface to its deep interior, and how these have evolved through Earth’s history. Their studies include topics as diverse as earthquakes, biogeochemical cycles, climate, rock and mineral properties, and paleobiology. The work of geoscientists is important for addressing major societal issues, including sustainable resource management, climate change, environmental pollution, and natural disasters including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and coastal erosion and sea level rise.

Students who are curious about the planet on which we live, challenged by the environmental problems facing humankind, and intrigued by a subject that combines the arts and sciences are invited to consider the geological sciences as a major. Job prospects are diverse and job growth is expected to follow broader trends from 2020 through 2039, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many job openings are expected in environmental consulting, resource management, engineering, data analysis, and research. Job opportunities should be excellent for geoscientists who graduate with a master’s degree. Most new jobs will be in management, scientific, and geotechnical consulting services. Many government agencies hire geoscientists, including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the California Department of Conservation, and regional planning offices.

The department offers two undergraduate degrees in Geological Sciences:

The Geological Sciences B.S. degree in Applied Arts and Sciences is designed for students who intend to become professional geologists and/or those who plan to attend graduate school in geosciences. The program includes courses normally expected of graduate school applicants and prepares students for the examination for professional geologic registration licensing. Students pursuing the Geological Sciences B.S. degree will focus on one of three emphases: Geology, Geophysics, or Environmental Geology.
The Geological Sciences B.A. degree in Applied Arts and Sciences is designed for students who seek a degree in the geological sciences as a foundation for careers in a variety of areas. This option leverages the strongly interdisciplinary and socially relevant aspects of the geosciences. The B.A. degree includes a broad range of potential courses, and focuses on information about the earth and how society makes decisions that affect the earth system. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Arts and Sciences meets the requirements of the California Community College Associate in Science (AS-T) in Geology for Transfer degree students completing the Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC).

Each of the required courses for these Geological Sciences degrees includes a set of Course Learning Outcomes in their syllabi. These outcomes identify some of the key knowledge areas, capabilities, skills, etc. that students should be able to demonstrate through successful completion of the course. In turn, these required courses contribute to the following set of broader Degree Learning Outcome that students will progressively develop over their program of study:

Effectively communicate geologic information through written and oral mediums, both as an individual and as part of a team.
Find, evaluate, synthesize, and critically assess information from a wide range of sources and in various formats.
Collect observational data in the field and laboratory, including the generation of accurate maps of surface and subsurface properties.
Analyze data of various spatial and temporal scales using modern computational and quantitative methods.
Apply the scientific method to interpret data and solve problems in geology and related disciplines.
Apply appropriate physical and chemical principles to quantify and predict the actions and rates of Earth’s processes.
Understand the evolution of the Earth, life and the environment over geologic time.
Understand the structure of the Earth, and the dynamic processes that affect it.
Understand the relationships between the basic chemical building blocks that make up materials that form the Earth, and how they interact with the different spheres of the Earth system.
Apply geologic information to address societal problems in an ethical and equitable manner, taking into account the context of multiethnic local, regional, and global communities.

Environmental Sciences Major

Environmental Sciences is an interdisciplinary program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Arts and Sciences. The program provides students with a rigorous and broad foundation in those sciences most relevant to environmental issues. Thematic areas of focused study include land, water, and food security; coastal environments and resources; climate and energy; environmental restoration, conservation, and management; and health and the environment, requiring coursework in biology, computer science, geography, statistics, and other disciplines.

Upon completion of the degree, students will be prepared to understand and contribute to a broad range of environmental problems confronting society. This major should be especially attractive to students who wish a broader background in the environmental sciences compared to other degrees across the sciences. The major will prepare the student for employment in the dynamic and ever-changing environmental sciences job market and provide preparation to enter graduate school in the environmental sciences.

Each of the major-required courses in the Environmental Sciences degree include a set of Course Learning Outcomes in their syllabi. These outcomes identify some of the key knowledge areas, capabilities, skills, etc. that students should be able to demonstrate through successful completion of the course. In turn, these required courses contribute to the following set of broader Degree Learning Outcome that students will progressively develop over their program of study:

Understand the Environment at the Systems Level
Use Quantitative Data to Address Environmental Problems
Use Spatial Data to Address Environmental Problems
Apply Science to Address Environmental Policy Issues

In addition to the courses taken by all majors, completion of the Environmental Sciences degree includes a significant number of approved major electives that are distributed across five broad thematic areas described above. Students work with the undergraduate adviser to tailor a program of study that will best prepare them to pursue their professional interests.

Impacted Program

All majors are impacted programs. Pre-majors must meet the following criteria to be admitted to the departmental degree program, students must meet the following criteria:

Complete preparation for the major;
Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Advising

Undergraduate majors meet at least once a semester with the undergraduate advisor to plan for and ensure a timely graduation. To make an advising appointment, please visit the Navigate advising system at https://sdsu.campus.eab.com/home.

Geological Sciences Minor

The Geological Sciences minor is designed for students with an interest in the history and dynamics of the earth system, and requires a minimum of 15-16 upper division units. Courses used for the minor may not be counted toward the major, but may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and General Education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six of the upper-division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University. Interested students are encouraged to contact the department’s undergraduate adviser.

Oceanography Minor

The Oceanography minor is designed for students with an interest in the global ocean system and a strong background in the sciences. The minor requires a minimum of 15-16 upper division units, and courses used for the minor may not be counted toward the major, but may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and General Education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six of the upper-division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University. Interested students are encouraged to contact the department’s undergraduate adviser.

Energy Studies Minor

The Energy Studies minor is designed for students with broad interest in the nature of energy and society’s manipulation and application of it across our planet. The minor requires a minimum of 15 units, 12 of which must be upper-division. Courses used for the minor may not be counted toward the major, but may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and General Education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six of the upper-division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University. Interested students are encouraged to contact the department’s undergraduate adviser.

The Rollin and Caroline Eckis Chair in Seismology

A gift from Rollin and Caroline Eckis, combined with matching funds from the Atlantic Richfield Company and contributions from SDSU faculty and staff, was established in 1986. The late Rollin Eckis was former president of Richfield Oil Company and vice chairman of the board of Atlantic Richfield Company. The inaugural appointee to the chair, Professor Emeritus Steven M. Day, conducted research on the mechanics of earthquakes and earthquake hazards. The current appointee, Professor Kim Bak Olsen, conducts research on seismic wave propagation as well as earthquake source descriptions and hazards.

Graduate Information

Master’s Degree Program

General Information

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in Geological Sciences. The program emphasizes research and an advanced set of courses. Faculty research activities comprise a broad spectrum of expertise, including both theoretical and applied interests. Opportunities exist for integrated field and laboratory research. The department is equipped to support research in groundwater hydrology, marine geology, paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, and geochemistry, and geophysics, as well as the classic areas of mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, stratigraphy and paleontology. Laboratories devoted to geochronology, isotopes, aqueous and organic geochemistry, clay mineral analysis, soils, paleomagnetism, and whole rock analysis, support the graduate research program.

The San Diego area enjoys a mild climate which permits year round field activity. An interesting and diverse geological environment provides many opportunities for research in the local area. Many graduate students are supported in their work by grants and contracts from government and industry.

Admission to Graduate Study for M.S. Degree

All students must satisfy the general requirements for admission to classified graduate standing as described in Admission and Registration. In addition, all students should satisfy the following requirements in order to achieve classified standing and enroll in graduate courses.

Have preparation in geological sciences, mathematics, chemistry, and physics deemed equivalent to the bachelor’s degree in geological sciences at San Diego State University. Candidates whose preparation is deemed insufficient by the master’s program committee may be required to complete specified courses in addition to the minimum 30 units required for the degree. Undergraduate grade point average should be at least 2.5 overall and 2.85 in the last 60 units.
Have successfully completed all courses listed as deficiencies.
Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in any courses taken as a post baccalaureate student at San Diego State University.

Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee.

All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the Department of Geological Sciences.

Graduate Admissions

Applying to the Geological Sciences MS program involves completing five steps by their stated deadlines available at https://earth.sdsu.edu/ms/applicants/.

All applications for graduate study in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences are assessed on a competitive basis. There are no fixed numerical criteria that automatically qualify or disqualify candidates. Admission is based on merit, considering available space and faculty. A limited number of qualified students receive graduate teaching assistantships. Additionally, in the past seven years, more than 30 MS students have received scholarships from our generous Geology alumni.

Doctoral Program

The Joint Doctoral Program (JDP) in Geophysics, with emphasis in Earthquake Science and Applied Geophysics, is an educational and research partnership between the San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). The JDP combines the strengths of SDSU (earthquake geology, rupture dynamics, numerical modeling of strong ground motions, water resources, induced seismicity, subsurface imaging, and reflection seismology) and SIO (geodesy, remote sensing, earthquake source physics, and observational seismology) and to produce a unique Ph.D program in the US. JDP students start by taking the same core curriculum courses as SIO Ph.D. students in their first year, after which they closely work with SDSU and SIO advisors to continue more specialized coursework and complete their dissertation research. Graduates from the program hold positions at federal research institutions (e.g., U.S. Geological Survey), prominent universities (e.g., Colorado School of Mines), or private tech companies (e.g., Microsoft, Google).

WEBSITE: https://earth.sdsu.edu/jdp/

Faculty

Chair: Whiteside, Jessica H., Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., Mount Holyoke College; M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Columbia University at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory)

Undergraduate Adviser: Schellenberg, Stephen A., Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., M.S., University of South Florida; Ph.D., University of Southern California)

Graduate Adviser: Maloney, Jillian M., Associate Professor of Geological Sciences (B.S., University of Southern California; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego)

The Rollin and Caroline Eckis Chair in Seismology: Olsen, Kim Bak, Professor of Geological Sciences, The Rollin and Caroline Eckis Chair in Seismology (B.S., M.S., University Aarhus, Denmark; Ph.D., University of Utah)

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty:

Kimbrough, David L., Professor of Geological Sciences (B.S., University of California, Santa Cruz; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara)

Ma, Shuo, Professor of Geological Sciences (B.S., Tongji University, China; M.S., Colorado School of Mines; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara)

Olsen, Kim Bak, Professor of Geological Sciences, The Rollin and Caroline Eckis Chair in Seismology (B.S., M.S., University Aarhus, Denmark; Ph.D., University of Utah)

Schellenberg, Stephen A., Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., M.S., University of South Florida; Ph.D., University of Southern California)

Whiteside, Jessica H., Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., Mount Holyoke College; M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Columbia University at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory)

Maloney, Jillian M., Associate Professor of Geological Sciences (B.S., University of Southern California; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego)

Weingarten, Matthew, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison; Ph.D., University of Colorado, Boulder)

Almeida, Rafael, Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences (B.S., Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela; M.S., Texas A & M University; Ph.D., Columbia University)

Bova, Samantha, Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences (B.A., Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis; M.S. and Ph.D., Brown University)

Research Professor:

Hanan, Barry B., (B.S., University of Kansas; M.S., Ph.D., Virginia Tech)

Lecturers:

Foster, Anna (B.A., Marist College; M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Columbia University)

Robinson, Kevin L., M.S., San Diego State University

Sacramento-McJilton, Isabelle, M.S., San Diego State University

Emeritus Faculty:

Abbott, Patrick L., Ph.D., 1971-2003, Professor of Geological Sciences

Bertine, Kathe K., Ph.D., 1973-2000, Professor of Geological Sciences

Day, Steven M., Ph.D., 1988-2015, The Rollin and Caroline Eckis Chair in Seismology; Professor of Geological Sciences

Dorman, Clive E., Ph.D., 1974-2006, Professor of Geological Sciences

Frost, Eric G., Ph.D., 1981-2022, Professor of Geological Sciences

Girty, Gary H., Ph.D., 1984-2015, Professor of Geological Sciences [Senate Distinguished Professor]

Jiracek, George R., Ph.D., 1980-2004, Professor of Geological Sciences

Kern, Philip J., Ph.D., 1968-1994, Professor of Geological Sciences

Krummenacher, Daniel, Ph.D., 1968-1988, Professor of Geological Sciences

Marshall, C. Monte, Ph.D., 1975-2001, Professor of Geological Sciences

Miller, Richard H., Ph.D., 1977-2001, Professor of Geological Sciences

Peterson, Gary L., Ph.D., 1963-2007, Professor of Geological Sciences

Rockwell, Thomas K., Ph.D., 1983-2019, Professor of Geological Sciences

Thorbjarnarson, Kathryn W., Ph.D., 1991-2021, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences

Wallace, William J., Ph.D., 1969-2001, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences and Physics