UCSB的地球科学系在从喜马拉雅山的最高山峰，南极洲的旷野到尚未发现的海底深处的各个地区进行了实地研究。我们的研究生和本科生直接参与探索隐喻的兴奋。由杰出和敬业的教师授课（包括美国国家科学院的几名成员，以及UCSB杰出教学奖的获得者），学生们将发现正在展开的行星戏剧。本专业将地球的整体视图作为动态链接的系统。学生修读传统的地质学课程，同时继续学习相关学科的课程，例如海洋，大气和地表过程。
The Climate and Environment Emphasis focuses on the study of Earth's climate system in the broad context of the environment, including the analysis of past, present, and future changes, often drawing on the record of past and present processes preserved in continental and oceanic deposits. We address questions such as: How has climate changed in the past, and how do those changes compare to human-caused global warming How do climate and surface environments interact with each other, and how have processes such as plate tectonics, carbon cycle and ocean-atmosphere evolution influenced environmental change What tools are available to read the record of past and present climate and environments We train students in a range of skills, including geochemistry and geophysics, computer programming and modeling, spatial thinking, and appreciation for the societal dimensions of climate and environmental crises.