Science Requirement

Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Requirement

Restricted Electives in Science and Technology (REST) Requirement [can be satisfied from among 12.001, 12.002, 12.003, 12.004, and 18.03 or 18.034 in the Departmental Program]

Laboratory Requirement

The program includes a Communication Requirement of 4 subjects:
2 subjects designated as Communication Intensive in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CI-H); and 2 subjects designated as Communication Intensive in the Major (CI-M).

Subject names below are followed by credit units, and by prerequisites, if any (corequisites in italics).

Two of the following core subjects:
12.001 Introduction to Geology, 12, REST (required for concentration Area 1 and Area 4 majors)
12.002 Physics and Chemistry of the Terrestrial Planets, 12, REST; 8.02, 18.02 (required for concentration Area 3 majors)
12.003 Physics of the Atmosphere and Ocean, 12, REST; 8.01, 18.02; (required for concentration Area 2 and Area 4 majors)
12.006J Nonlinear Dynamics I: Chaos, 12; 8.02, 18.03

One of the following mathematics subjects:
18.03 Differential Equations, 12, REST; 18.02* or 18.014
or
18.034 Differential Equations, 12, REST; 18.02* or 18.014

The following research subject:
12.TIP Thesis and Independent Study Preparation, 6
and one of the following:
12.IND Independent Study (at least 6 units), CI-M; 12.TIP
or
12.ThU Undergraduate Thesis (at least 6 units), CI-M; 12.TIP (required for concentration Area 3 and Area 4 majors)

12.005 Applications of Continuum Mechanics to Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 12; 8.02, 18.02, 18.03

12.108 Structure of Earth Materials, 12; 3.091*

12.113 Structural Geology, 12; 12.001, 12.005

5.60 Thermodynamics and Kinetics, 12, REST; 18.02, 5.111*

One of the following sets of field subjects:
12.221 Field Geophysics, 6
12.214 Environmental Geophysics, 12; 18.03
12.222 Field Geophysics Analysis, 6, CI-M; 12.221
or
12.114 Field Geology I, 6; 12.108, 12.113*
12.115 Field Geology II, 18, LAB, CI-M; 12.113, 12.114

5.60 Thermodynamics and Kinetics, 12, REST; 18.02, 5.111*

8.03 Physics III, 12, REST; 8.02*, 18.02

12.330J Fluid Physics, 12; 5.60*

12.333 Atmospheric and Ocean Circulations, 12; 12.003

Two of the following physics and mathematics subjects:
12.008 Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach, 12; 8.01, 18.03
or
8.09 Classical Mechanics II, 12; 8.01
8.04 Quantum Physics I, 12, REST; 8.03*, 18.03*
8.07 Electromagnetism II, 12; 8.03, 18.03
18.311 Principles of Applied Mathematics, 12; 18.03*

The following laboratory subject:
12.307 Weather and Climate Laboratory, LAB, CI-M , 12; 18.02, 8.01

AREA 3 Planetary Science and Planetary Astronomy

8.03 Physics III, 12, REST; 8.02*, 18.02

8.04 Quantum Physics I, 12, REST; 8.03*, 18.03*

8.044 Statistical Physics I, 12; 8.03, 18.03

12.008 Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach, 12; 8.01, 18.03

12.420 Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System, 12; 8.03, 12.002, or permission of instructor

The following laboratory subject:
12.410J Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy, 15, LAB, CI-M; 8.03

12.007 Geobiology, 12

12.102 Environmental Earth Science, 12, REST

12.103 Strange Bedfellows: Science and Environmental Policy, 12, CI-M

12.085 Seminar in Environmental Science, 9; 12.120 and 12.103 or permission of instructor

Biology focus:
1.018J/7.30J Fundamentals of Ecology, 12, REST; 7.012*
7.03 Genetics, 12, REST; 7.012*
5.12 Organic Chemistry I, 12, REST; 5.11*

Chemistry focus:
5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry I, 12; 5.12
5.12 Organic Chemistry I, 12, REST; 5.11*
5.60 Thermodynamics and Kinetics, 12, REST; 18.02, 5.11*

Earth Science focus:
12.110 Sedimentary Geology, 12; 12.001*
12.163 Surface Processes and Landscape Evolution, 12; 18.03*, 12.001
12.214 Environmental Geophysics, 12; 18.03

12 units from the following field or laboratory subjects:
5.310 Laboratory Chemistry, 12, LAB; 5.12
12.119 Analytical Technique for Studying Environmental and Geologic Samples, 12, LAB
12.105 Experimental Investigations of the Charles River, 12, LAB
12.120 Environmental Earth Science Field Course, 6; 12.001*
12.159 Sedimentary and Surfical Geology Investigations, 12; 12.110*
12.162 Geological Image Interpretations, 12; 12.001*
12.265J Techniques in Remote Sensing, 6
12.307 Weather and Climate Laboratory, 12, LAB, CI-M

One or two subjects selected with the approval of the faculty advisor from among EAPS concentration area electives, mathematics, and physics (24 units in Area 1, 6-12 units in Areas 2, and 24-27 units in Area 3).
AREA 1. Choose two: 12.102, 12.104, 12.109, 12.110, 12.119, 12.159, 12.162, 12.163, 12.201, 12.207J, 12.214, 12.215
AREA 2. Choose one: 12.300J, 12.301, 12.306, 12.310, 12.320J
AREA 3. Choose one: 1.00, 6.001; Choose one: 18.04, 18.05, 18.06, 18.075
AREA 4. Choose two from a focus:
Biology: 1.080, 5.07, 5.08, 5.13, 5.43, 9.20, 10.333J, 11.002J, 11.122, 12.000, 17.32
Chemistry: 20.104J, 1.080, 1.082, 5.04, 5.07, 5.13, 5.61, 5.310, 10.333, 11.002J, 11.122, 12.000, 12.300J, 17.32
Earth Science: 1.606, 1.061, 1.72, 10.333J, 10.391J, 11.002J, 11.122, 12.000, 12.002, 12.006J, 12.159, 12.213, 12.300J, 12.301, 12.320J, 12.330J, 12.333, 12.421J, 17.32

No subject can be counted both as part of the 17-subject GIRs and as part of the 180 units required beyond the GIRs. Every subject in the student's departmental program will count toward one or the other, but not both.

*Alternate prerequisites are listed in the subject description.

For an explanation of credit units, or hours, please refer to the Subject Key in Part 3 of this Bulletin.