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Department Information and Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree & Qualifications1 of faculty within Earth and Environment

The environmental problems facing our society today require that tomorrow's leaders are well equipped to make the science-based decisions necessary to tackle these issues. Toward that end, the Departments of Earth Science and Environmental Studies officially merged in January of 2009 to create the Department of Earth & Environment. In addition to maintaining all the strengths of the two previous departments, the new department will create synergies in water and water policy, climate change and climate policy, and in the fields of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems.

The new department will still offer the same degree programs that made the individual departments successful, but our students and faculty will benefit from the efficiencies and dynamic interactions created by bringing these degree programs into one department. The Department of Earth & Environment is one of two signature departments in FIU's College of Arts and Sciences and as such is slated for continued investment and development.

Degrees offered

The Earth Sciences Department offers these programs:

  • BA in Earth Sciences
  • BA in Environmental Studies
  • BS in Environmental Studies
  • BA in Geosciences
  • BS in Geosciences
  • BA in Sustainability and the Environment
  • Combined BS/MS in Geosciences
  • Combined BS/MS or BA/MS in Environmental Studies
  • MS in Environmental Studies
  • MS in Geosciences
  • Professional Science Master's (PSM) in Environmental Policy and Management
  • Combined MS in Environmental Studies/Juris Doctorate
  • PHD in Earth Systems Science
  • Ph.D. in Geosciences

Terminal Degree2 for each discipline taught in Earth and Environment

  • Ph.D. in Geology/Earth Science (40.0601) for Earth Sciences
  • Ph.D. in Environmental Studies (03.0103) for Environmental Studies

Related Disciplines3

  • Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (40.0401) - all Earth Sciences courses and ISC 5150
  • Agricultural Economics (01.0103) - all AGR courses
  • Agricultural Engineering (14.0301) - all Environmental Studies courses, AGR 4240, 5241 and ISC 5150
  • Agriculture, General (01.0000) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Ecology (26.1301) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Forestry (03.0501) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Geography (45.0701) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Geology (40.0601) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Microbiology (26.0502) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150
  • Natural Resources Management and Policy (03.0201) - all EVR courses and ISC 5150
  • Oceanography, Chemical and Physical (40.0607) - all Earth Sciences courses and ISC 5150
  • Soil Science and Agronomy (01.1201) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150, 6152, 6153
  • Soil Microbiology (01.1203) - all Environmental Studies courses and ISC 5150

Related Disciplines3 for specific courses

  • Anthropology (45.0201) - EVR 1017, 3013, 4411, 4415, 4934, 5061, 5332
  • Biology/Biological Sciences (26.0101) - EVR 1001, 3013, 4934, 5061, 5409, 5935
  • Botany/Plant Biology (26.0301) - EVR 5069
  • Environmental Studies (03.0103) - GIS 3043
  • Geography (45.0701) - GEO 2200, GIS 3043, 5050, GLY 3754, 5754
  • Oceanography, Chemical and Physical (40.0607) - EVR 1001, 1001L, 5215, 5332, 5935, 7329
  • Plant Pathology/Phytopathology (26.0305) AGR 3930, 6255, EVR 3013, 4272, 4592, 4594, 5061, 5409, EVS 6194, SWS 4303, 5305
  • Science Teacher Education (13.1316) - ESC 3050, 4052
  • Urban Studies/Affairs (45.1201) - EVR 1017, 4112, 4351, 4352, 4905, 4920, 4934, 5355, 5935
  • Water, Wetlands and Marine Resources Management (03.0205) - EVR 4356

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the programs in Earth and Environment)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional industry experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught.

Notes

1Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor's qualifications to teach this/these course(s). Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor's academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University. These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned.

The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor's teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this:

Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline

2The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline

3For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level

4(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.

Current/Effective Date 04/01/2020