Undergraduate Program

The GPS undergraduate program is designed to provide its students with a thorough training in the geological and planetary sciences and, whenever possible, to integrate these studies with the core curriculum courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology that all students take during their first years at Caltech.

Active involvement in research, particularly during the summer, is encouraged for all of GPS's undergraduate students. For geologists, that research will include an emphasis on fieldwork, which the division believes provides the kind of firsthand experience with geological phenomena that cannot be fully gained in a classroom or laboratory.

Learning Outcomes in the GPS Division

The expectation for undergraduate students in the earth and planetary sciences in the GPS Division is that they will:

1. have a basic understanding of the relevant scientific principles and observations,
2. have the basic skills in geology, physics, chemistry, or biology to address problems in this science,
3. be able to communicate this scientific knowledge to scientists and the public, and
4. have had experience in doing research.

We offer a major and minor in Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS) that involves a number of core courses and various electives. Under the overarching Geological and Planetary Science major, students may elect to pursue a specialization track. If a student decides to pursue a focused track under the GPS major, they may choose from geology, geobiology, geochemistry, geophysics, and planetary science.

The GPS Division also offers an Environmental Science and Engineering major and minor. The ESE major intends to train students in the environmental sciences to pursue careers in academia, the public sector, or the private sector. Students can pursue this major along two tracks: environmental physics and environmental chemistry.

If you have a facility for the basic sciences and a compelling curiosity about the earth and other planets—and especially if you enjoy grappling with complex problems involving many variables—you're likely to find your niche in GPS. To apply for admission, visit undergraduate admissions.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

The Institute aims for these educational outcomes:

• Graduates can analyze, synthesize, and communicate ideas.
• Graduates demonstrate integrity, personal and professional responsibility, and respect for others.
• Bachelor of Science graduates can identify, analyze, and solve challenging problems within and across science and engineering disciplines.
• Bachelor of Science graduates can apply their analytic skills to other areas of knowledge and understand issues important in our society.
• Master of Science graduates can apply advanced knowledge in a specialized area in preparation for their professional careers.
• Doctor of Philosophy graduates can independently identify, analyze, and solve fundamental research problems with breadth and depth.