A minimum of 10 approved graduate-level courses, including the course core curriculum, must be completed with a grade of B or better.  Courses completed with less than a “B” (e.g., B-minus or C-plus) are not considered satisfactory, and therefore, may not be counted towards degree requirements.  All courses must be approved by the student’s provisional or principal advisor.

Enrollment in a minimum of 12 units of graduate/upper division coursework per quarter is required.  After the first year, students may take up to 12 units of ESS 299, Research, or a combination or other courses and Research credit.  Course loads in excess of sixteen units per quarter require advance approval by the advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Registration in every regular academic session is necessary until all requirements for the degree have been completed, unless a formal Leave of Absence is granted by the Office of Graduate Studies.

Credit for no more than one fifth of the minimum number of courses required for the Ph.D. may be given for graduate-level work satisfactorily completed at another institution or through University Extension prior to first graduate enrollment at UCI.  Transfer of credit occurs after formal petition only, and must be approved by the Advisory Committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies.  Grade credit is not transferred. 

Courses offered by the Program in Earth System Science are described fully in the General Catalog.  The ESS core courses are:

Additional requirements, but not counted as part of the 10 courses:

• ESS 290 A-B-C Seminar in Earth System Science          
• ESS 299 A-B-C Research in Earth System Science   

Elective courses to complete or exceed the 10 course requirement should include graduate level and upper division undergraduate courses from other programs.  ESS maintains a strong interdisciplinary focus, and we encourage students to select from a range of courses offered in the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil Engineering.  Approval of the student’s advisor is required. 

Second Year students are expected to enroll in a combination of Special Topics Courses (ESS 282A,B,C and ESS 286A,B,C); ESS 299, Research; and ESS 399, University Teaching (when serving as a teaching assistant) to create a full course load of 12 units.