Thank you for your interest in Earth System Science at UC Irvine. The department of Earth System Science at UC Irvine offers graduate students a unique opportunity to study the Earth as a system, which encompasses the transfers of energy, water and elements among the atmosphere, land, ocean, and cryosphere, with emphasis on the recent impacts of human activity.  Doctoral students engage in a variety of activities, including field research in diverse global locations, advanced computer modeling, cutting-edge techniques in modern laboratory environments, and interactions with recognized experts in atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemical cycles and physical climate.

The graduate program in Earth System Science is both exciting and challenging. Graduate coursework includes a multidisciplinary curriculum covering physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the Earth system. Coursework develops a mechanistic understanding of Earth systems, and provides the conceptual and analytical tools needed for research in this rapidly growing field. The graduate student body is diverse and includes students with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and engineering. This reflects the wide range of disciplines involved in Earth System Science.

Research is the most important element of our graduate program. The  department has a wide spectrum of active research programs, ranging from supercomputer simulations of global climate and biogeochemical systems, to remote sensing observations of changes in the hydrological cycle, to field studies of carbon cycling in the remote Amazon jungle, to analysis of Antarctic ice cores.

Admission to the doctorate program in Earth System Science includes full financial support, so long as good academic standing is maintained.  The financial package includes a monthly stipend, as well as tuition, fees, and health insurance.  During graduate studies, student research is typically funded primarily by research assistantships and teaching fellowships.

We encourage you to explore our website and contact us if you have any questions.  You are welcome to contact either the department or any of our faculty members directly.

Sincerely,

Michael Goulden
Professor & Chair