Stretch Alternatives

An Earth Sciences major may have commitments or constraints that make it difficult or impossible to participate in the Stretch (EARS 45, 46, 47). If this is the case, the Department of Earth Sciences provides a number of avenues to  complete the major. These include taking field-based courses at Dartmouth and transferring the course credits from another institution's field course.

Field Programs

Alternatives to the Stretch

The Department of Earth Sciences is committed to making the earth sciences accessible to all and encourages students who are unable to complete the Stretch to consider, as appropriate, summer field courses offered by other universities or the alternative accessible field course listed on the International Association for Geoscience Diversity website. Students anticipating difficulty scheduling the Stretch during their junior or senior fall term should speak with the Chair or the EARS academic advisor as soon as possible to explore the range of alternative plans.

THE NON-STRETCH EARS MAJOR

The Department of Earth Sciences is committed to making the Earth Sciences accessible to all interested students, so we encourage students who are unable to complete the Stretch to consider other options to satisfy the field requirement for the Earth Sciences and Environmental Earth Sciences majors.  In lieu of the Stretch, students may take any three of the following courses having significant field components: EARS 33, EARS 38, EARS 52, EARS 58, EARS 59, EARS 71, or other course(s) approved by the Chair. None of these courses may also be used to satisfy another requirement for the major. This course list may be superseded by a more up-to-date list in the ORC so be sure to check there.

ADDITIONAL FIELD PROGRAMS

Another option for EARS students who have conflicts with the Stretch is to consider field-based courses offered by other universities or alternative accessible field courses listed on the International Association for Geoscience Diversity website. Substitute field methods courses offered at other institutions must be approved in advance by the Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences. Since substitute courses will likely receive one or two Dartmouth transfer credits, a student will usually need one or two additional Earth Sciences courses numbered 30 or above to meet Dartmouth's eight course major requirement. Be advised that the registrar charges a fee to transfer credits to Dartmouth. 

In recent years students have participated in the Juneau Ice Field Program and SEA Semester.