Bachelor of Science - Earth Sciences - Snow Science Option

Program Description

The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences degree which may be earned in any one of five options (Geography, Geographic Information Science/Planning, Geology, Paleontology, and Snow science).

Snow Science Option

The Snow Science program in the Department of Earth Sciences provides a foundation for understanding the distribution of snow (geography), mechanics of snow (physics, engineering), composition of snow (chemistry), variability of snow (statistics), and ecological effects of snow (ecology, hydrology). Essentially, this degree is a strongly quantitative geo-science degree with a special emphasis on Snow Science and mountain system processes.

It is also one of the best pre-professional programs in the world for those who want to carry their interests in Snow Science into a professional career. Employment ranges from ski patrol, director of snow safety, avalanche-center employee, snow scientist with a federal agency, or consulting in the area of land use planning, transportation engineering, or avalanche protection.

The optimal degree for employment and advancement in snow science is the Master's Degree. Some students interested in college teaching or advanced research may require a Ph.D. degree. The snow science option is an excellent preparatory degree both for employment and for advanced graduate studies, especially in quantitative geo-science fields.

In the Snow Science Option, students progress through a broad-based core of courses that includes introductory geology and geography, calculus, chemistry, physics, weather and climate, geographic information systems (GIS), geomorphology, glacial geology, and mountain geography. In addition to the core of Snow Science courses, students examine spatial analysis of factors important to snow distribution, snow hydrology, snow melt, and the analysis of factors which influence the spatial distribution of snow or snow avalanches. The capstone course is snow dynamics and accumulation. Students are strongly encouraged to consider a graduate degree in snow science to prepare for professional jobs, but such training is not always required.