Earth and Ocean Science

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Earth and Ocean Science is designed to serve as a primary major for students who are seeking a future career in the earth sciences. This includes academia, industry, government laboratories, research institutes, NGOs, and K-12 Education. The B.S. curriculum thoroughly prepares students for graduate work in the earth sciences, including but not limited to fields such as geology, physical oceanography, climatology, hydrology, and environmental sciences.

Students who don’t go on to graduate school may also pursue careers in these areas:

• Petroleum or mineral exploration
• Research or policy making at government agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
• Research assistance at universities and institutes
• Environmental consulting, in areas such as hydrology and groundwater quality
• K-12 Education

Prerequisites

• EOS 101 and EOS 102
• Chemistry 21L and 22L or 101L and 210DL or any of the above plus 210DL
• Math 111 and 112L or equivalent
• Physics 141L or equivalent
• Biology 202L

Degree Requirements

• EOS 201 The Solid Earth: Minerals
• EOS 202 Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics
• EOS 203S The Surface of the Earth
• EOS 204 The Evolving Earth and Life
• five additional Earth and Ocean Sciences courses at the 200 level or above, including one field-oriented class.
• Up to two courses from a related field (Biology, Chemistry, Environment, Evolutionary Anthropology, Mathematics, Physics or Statistics) may be substituted with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

• Common Application or Coalition Application
• Early Decision Agreement
• Secondary School Report with Counselor Recommendation
• High School Transcript
• Two Teacher Recommendations
• First Quarter Grades
• Midyear Grade Report
• Final Transcript
• SAT (Two Subject Tests strongly recommended) or ACT with Writing
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Minimum band score expected: 7
• ​PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English) Minimum score expected: 70
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Minimum scores expected: 100 on the internet-based TOEFL, 600 on the paper-based TOEFL

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

Duke University will meet full demonstrated financial need for a limited number of international students. Each year Duke expects to enroll 20-25 first-year foreign citizens who receive need-based financial aid and/or merit-based scholarships. There is no need-based aid for international transfer applicants.