B.Sc. in Earth System Science

• Programme Brochure

Earth System Science (ESSC) studies the dynamics of the Earth as an interrelated system that includes the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere, as well as human impacts. ESSC offers two streams, for students who want to pursue in-depth studies in either “Atmospheric Science” or “Geophysics”. Both streams provide students with training in the basics of these sub-disciplines and introduce useful quantitative tools.

Highlights

The ESSC programme provides students with solid scientific and mathematical foundation of the Earth System. The focus is on physical processes within different ‘spheres’, the interactions between them and how they shape the Earth's environment. Students who take this programme will be equipped with strong analytic and computational skills. They can build their research and career capacities via laboratory work, numerical modeling and programming, seminars, workshops and research projects.

Career Prospects

Students can pursue further studies in Earth System or related sciences, or they can embark on careers in education, weather and climate services in the government or private sector, NGOs, environmental consultancy, exploration of natural resources including petroleum and natural gas, geotechnical engineering, information technology, data analytics and other sectors requiring strong quantitative or analytic skills.

Alumnus Sharing

WONG Ho Yi

The academic training offered by the Earth System Science Programme covers not only knowledge in atmospheric science, but also multidisciplinary skills ranging from computer programming, statistics to mathematical skills. The comprehensive training has provided me with holistic understanding of climate change issue and equipped me with techniques for quantitative analysis which I can employ to analyse interesting topics like atmospheric science and meteorology. Apart from study, I also participated in various internship programmes such as the Hong Kong Observatory Summer Placement Programme. The precious work opportunities allowed me to apply skills that I have learnt in various courses and offered me hands-on experience to get ready for the transition from university to workplace.