Planetary Science Minor
Program Requirements
- Total Units Required: 15-17
- Grade Requirement: The minimum grade required for coursework to count toward the minor is a C– or better.
Required Courses
Students must complete the following two courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EEPS 2020 | Introduction to Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences | 3 |
| EEPS 3730 | Fundamentals of Planetary Science | 3 |
Students select one of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EEPS 3400 | Minerals, Rocks, and the Environment* | 3 |
| EEPS 3410 | Introduction to Geochemistry | 3 |
| EEPS 3530 | Earth Forces | 3 |
- *
Planetary Science Minors enrolled between Fall 2025 and Fall 2028 may fulfill their disciplinary requirement with EEPS 3400 Minerals, Rocks, and the Environment or with EEPS 3410 Introduction to Geochemistry, while students enrolled in the programs in Fall 2028 and beyond must satisfy their disciplinary requirement with EEPS 3410 Introduction to Geochemistry.
Disciplinary Electives
Students select two of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EEPS 4074 | Remote Sensing | 3 |
| EEPS 4374 | Petrology | 4 |
| EEPS 4594 | Geodynamics | 3 |
| EEPS 4604 | Introduction to Structural Geology | 4 |
| EEPS 4674 | Planetary Mission Design | 3 |
| EEPS 4734 | Planetary Geology | 3 |
| EEPS 4744 | Planetary Geochemistry | 3 |
| EEPS 5670 | Planetary Materials | 3 |
| EEPS 5680 | Scientific Exploration of the Moon | 3 |
| EEPS 5700 | Planetary Geophysics & Dynamics | 3 |
| EEPS 5760 | Advanced Planetary Geology: Ice Worlds | 3 |
Additional Information
- A grade of C– (C for summer field camp) is the minimum acceptable performance for each unit of credit for each required course, including those in mathematics, chemistry, and physics. A grade of C– is also the minimum acceptable performance for each unit of credit for any course required as a prerequisite to enrolling in advanced or sequential courses.
- Credits to be transferred from another institution must have prior approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the relevant Arts & Sciences department.
- Students may transfer up to 3 credits (or one course, whichever is greater) of advanced course work (course numbers of 3000 or above) toward the completion of a minor in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. This policy includes credit earned for courses taken while studying abroad or at another U.S. institution. Credits earned through the completion of an approved field camp do not count toward this limit.
- Students may not place out of the chemistry, physics, or math requirements for the Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences major. These courses must be taken at Washington University or at another accredited institution.
Contact Info
| Website: | https://eeps.wustl.edu/ |