Hydrologic Sciences

Type of degree: B.S.

Brief overview of program: Hydrology is a science dealing with the occurrence, circulation, distribution, and properties of the waters of the earth and its atmosphere. Many of the significant environmental problems that society is facing today are related to hydrologic or water issues. These include the hydrologic impact of climate change; the transportation of hazardous materials in both ground and surface water; the maintenance of high quality water for human consumption, industry, irrigation, recreation, energy generation, and agriculture; the understanding of geological hazards; and the management of important aquatic environments. Because water is important to and affected by physical, chemical, and biological principles, the curriculum of the B.S. degree in hydrologic sciences is multidisciplinary. The main focus of the hydrologic sciences program and major is to provide students with the scientific training needed to understand and solve complex hydrologic problems at local, regional, and global levels. The goal of the hydrologic sciences curriculum is to provide a rigorous framework for students to examine the hydrologic process in our environment. Although the program is housed within the Environmental Studies Program, the curriculum for this degree is offered cooperatively by the departments of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology; Chemistry; Geography; and Geological Sciences. Lower-division courses concentrate on the physical and natural sciences. In the upper-division, students complete a core group of hydrology courses and then select one of the following four science concentrations to complement their hydrology emphasis: biology, chemistry, geography, or geology.

Website: Click here for program website

Program Point of Contact: Jordan F. Clark

Email: jfclark@geol.ucsb.edu