Climate and other global changes are of increasing importance to humankind. This course covers these topics while providing a general introduction to features and processes on the Earth's surface. Specific topics include the hydrologic cycle, geomorphology (the changing surface of the Earth), sedimentology, stratigraphy, atmospheric science, oceanography, climatology, glaciers and glaciations, ecology and evolution. Where applicable, emphasis will be put on the impact of humankind on processes at the Earth's surface.

The course has a lab component with many hands-on experiments and problems in Earth and Environmental Sciences that apply to the Earth's surface. These include a wave-tank experiment, a flume experiment, working with remotely-sensed data (satellite imagery and air photographs), and working with various geological materials.

A Saturday field trip that explores local surficial processes, deposits, and landforms is also part of the program.