Take a 1 semester GE course and get extra credit by doing research
Take any Earth Sciences GE class and get extra credit in the class by getting involved in Earth Sciences research. The amount of extra credit will be up to your Professor and should be clarified at the beginning of the course. You can get involved in research either by joining our Team Research community, by working with SCEC (see below), or by working with an individual faculty member. Please contact us if you need help making the right choice for you.
Work with an Earth Sciences faculty member
Research with Earth Science Faculty
All Earth Science faculty are involved in research and in most circumstances welcome the involvement of undergraduate students in these projects. If you are interested in working with an individual faculty member, we encourage you to visit their websites (link to faculty) and contact them once you find a good match. If you need help finding a match feel free to contact Doug Hammond dhammond@usc.edu (the Earth Science undergraduate advisor), or Scott Paterson paterson@usc.edu and Lawford Anderson anderson@usc.edu . These persons will help you get connected with an appropriate faculty member.
If you are interested in working in a research Team, we encourage you to consider working with SCEC or with ESTR.
Join our Team Research Program - 8 units
Any USC undergraduate can apply to join our year long research program “Geologic Wonders of Yosemite at Two Miles High”. A maximum of 15 students are admitted every year to this program, which includes two weeks of summer field work, participation in GEOL 385 in the fall semester, and completion of ongoing research in the fall and spring semesters for a total of 8 units. These units may be applied towards a 16 unit geology minor. One goal of this program is to present our research through scientific publications and presentations by the end of the spring semester (see Team Research Publications).
Study earthquakes with the Southern California Earthquake Center
If you are particularly interested in faults and earthquakes you may apply to work with the Southern California Earthquake Community (SCEC). Please see their website for further details.
Take GEOL 385, a 2 unit course on how to do research in the sciences
Any undergraduate is welcome to take GEOL 385, a class that will introduce you to the world of research with a focus on the history of and methods used in the physical sciences. A background in geology is not required for this course, but a passion for doing research is strongly recommended.
Get an Earth Science minor and use research to fulfill half the requirements
All USC students are enccouraged to consider a minor in Earth Sciences. We presently have three minors: Geohazards, Geobiology, and Geoinformatics. Each minor requires 16 additional units (4 classes). You can satisfy 8 of these units (1/2 a minor) by getting involved in the Earth Science Team Research (option #3 above).
Major in Earth Science and use research to fulfill some requirements
If you are an Earth Science major you are required to take GEOL 385 and strongly encouraged to get involved in undergraduate research. The latter may be used as the basis for a senior thesis. If you get involved in the Team Research option you may use this to satisfy your “field camp” requirement.