The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of California at Riverside offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Geophysics. These B.S. degree programs are designed for students with a strong interest in various aspects of the Earth sciences.

The programs in the Department of Earth Sciences place substantial emphasis on fieldwork with field courses, field trips in all appropriate courses (including dedicated field courses), and excursions between quarters. The Riverside campus is ideally situated within a day's drive of exposures of nearly the entire stratigraphic succession and some of the most outstanding field localities in the world.

In particular, the Geology major stresses features of the Earth's surface, and interactions between its atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, rocky crust and interior.

General Geology Option: Students entering the General Geology option study the nature, distribution, age and origin of minerals, rocks and their contained fossils, placed within a global framework of the Earth as an evolving geologic system.

Global Climate Change Option: The Global Climate Change option immerses students in the first principles of studying and interpreting the record of climate change. Students explore the sciences of climate change and its impact on society.

Geobiology Option: The Geobiology option offers broad-based geological training combined with a special emphasis on paleontology and organism/time interactions.

Geophysics Option: The Geophysics option is for geology students who wish to learn more about geophysical theories and techniques, and how they can be used to solve geological problems.