Earth Science is an all-embracing term for the multiple sciences related to the planet Earth. Also known as geoscience, the geosciences or the Earth Sciences, Earth Science at JMU has much to offer our majors. We urge students to go beyond the classroom and into the real world to explore their scientific interests. Because our geology department consists entirely of undergraduates, our majors receive more individualized instruction from our professionally recognized faculty. Our earth science major, specifically, is designed to integrate all the earth sciences in a systems approach to understanding the Earth. Majors can expect to explore subjects such as oceanography, meteorology and astronomy. The major prepares graduates for a wide range of professional public-sector service careers where earth science and communication of science to nonscientific audiences is a requirement or an asset.