Ways of Knowing Earth: Guide for Arts Breadth Courses

Explore Earth's Past, Present, and Future

Are you a student in the Faculty of Arts? Join us in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS) to gain practical knowledge about our planet's history and the critical environmental challenges we face today. Choose from our targeted course streams and study in formats that suit your lifestyle, from in-class sessions to hybrid courses. Start shaping your future by understanding the world around you.

*300-level courses not for credit for anyone in a EOAS specialization.

Stream 1 - Blue Planet

Discover why Earth is known as the Blue Planet, with its unique oxygen-rich atmosphere and expansive oceans. In Stream 1, learn about weather prediction, ocean exploration, and the challenges and implications of climate change. Select 1 to 3 courses from the list below. Synchronous-in-class and mostly online hybrid formats are available.

Note 1: Final exams for hybrid courses are in-person at UBC, not online.
Note 2: Synchronous and Hybrid versions of courses may run during different terms.

Stream 1 - Course List

ATSC 113 · Weather Science for Sailing, Flying, and Snow Sports (Hybrid only). NOTE: Your "Natural and Physical Sciences" credits must all be from the same course code. ATSC 113 cannot be combined with EOSC courses for 6 or 9 credits. See here for more information.
EOSC 112 · The Climate System (Synchronous only)
EOSC 114 · The Catastrophic Earth: Natural Disasters (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 314 · The Ocean Environment (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 315 · The Ocean Ecosystem (Synchronous and Hybrid)

Stream 2 - Earth Rocks

Explore the age and evolution of Earth, understand phenomena like volcanoes and earthquakes, trace the origins of life and its impact on our planet, identify Earth's valuable resources, and Earth’s Mass Extinctions in the Past. Stream 2 offers a comprehensive look into these topics and more.

By Icelandic Meteorological Office, Wikipedia

Note 1: Final exams for hybrid courses are in-person at UBC, not online.
Note 2: Synchronous and Hybrid versions of courses may run during different terms.
Note 3: EOSC310 cannot be taken with EOSC110

Stream 2 - Course List

EOSC 110 · The Solid Earth: A Dynamic Planet (Synchronous only)
EOSC 114 · The Catastrophic Earth: Natural Disasters (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 116 · Mesozoic Earth: Time of the Dinosaurs (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 118 · Earth's Treasures: Gold and Gems (Hybrid only)
EOSC 310 · The Earth and the Solar System (Hybrid only) - cannot be taken with EOSC 110
EOSC 311 · The Earth and its Resources (Hybrid only)

Ultimate Earth Guide

Interested in a diverse exploration of our dynamic planet? In Stream 3, mix and match courses from our lists to tailor your investigation of planet Earth.

Note 1: Final exams for hybrid courses are in-person at UBC, not online.
Note 2: Synchronous and Hybrid versions of courses may run during different terms.
Note 3: EOSC310 cannot be taken with EOSC110

Stream 3 - Course List

ATSC 113 · Weather Science for Sailing, Flying, and Snow Sports (Hybrid only). NOTE: Your "Natural and Physical Sciences" credits must all be from the same course code. ATSC 113 cannot be combined with EOSC courses for 6 or 9 credits. See here for more information.
EOSC 112 · The Climate System (Synchronous only)
EOSC 110 · The Solid Earth: A Dynamic Planet (Synchronous only)
EOSC 114 · The Catastrophic Earth: Natural Disasters (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 116 · Mesozoic Earth: Time of the Dinosaurs (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 118 · Earth's Treasures: Gold and Gems (Hybrid only)
EOSC 310 · The Earth and the Solar System (Hybrid only) - cannot be taken with EOSC 110
EOSC 311 · The Earth and its Resources (Hybrid only)
EOSC 314 · The Ocean Environment (Synchronous and Hybrid)
EOSC 315 · The Ocean Ecosystem (Synchronous and Hybrid)

To learn about all of our course offerings, visit the UBC Academic Calendar (ATSC, ENVR, and EOSC).

Learning Goals for Non-Specialist Courses

Knowledge and Major Concepts

Students taking a non-specialist course in EOAS will learn about:

• The spatial and temporal scales at which Earth's processes operate.
• How Earth changes through time.
• Earth's materials and their properties.
• Earth's systems and complex interactions.
• How Earth and humans are inextricably linked.
• The methods Earth scientists use to collect and analyze evidence.
• How to use evidence to evaluate Earth science concepts and draw conclusions.

Skills

Students taking a non-specialist course in EOAS will develop their abilities to:

• Read, visualize, and interpret spatial representations of Earth science data.
• Apply high school-level math and science skills to real-world settings.
• Distinguish among evidence (data), models, assumptions, hypotheses, theories, interpretations, and predictions/recommendations in non-specialist readings or other media.
• Reason with incomplete information.
• Reason with and/or evaluate multiple working hypotheses.

Habits and Attitudes

Non-specialist courses in EOAS should actively help students to:

• Employ appropriate learning skills for the Earth, ocean, or atmospheric sciences, including:
  • Identifying and using learning goals for the course, module, or lesson.
  • Consciously assessing progress and modifying study actions.
  • Using feedback from instructors, peers, and/or self-reflection.
• Consider science as an ongoing endeavor that embraces curiosity, creativity, and societal needs, rather than just a set of facts.
• Recognize and experience two approaches used in the Earth system sciences, including:
  • Historical, descriptive, and systems-oriented approaches.
  • Experimental approaches.
• Ask questions such as "How do we know?", "Why do we accept it?", and "What is the evidence for it?"