# Geosciences Technician (Associate in Science in General Studies (26-30 Unit Emphasis))

Shasta College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Earth Sciences

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Each Geosciences Technician AS specialization infuses technical skills needed to enter the workforce while including enough flexibility to move toward a specific geoscience expertise that a technician could need to support other science professionals. For example, the Geologic Technician can develop a hydrologic or hazards focus with significant field experience while developing reporting skills representative of a characterized field site. The Weather Technician could center classes upon geospatial aspects of weather or atmospheric/climatologic monitoring with the intention of forecasting and/or modeling possible outcomes given a set of atmospheric conditions. The Coastal Marine Science Technician (“CMS Tech”) has options to consider habitat quality and geospatial relationships between watersheds and coastal environments. Further, the CMS Tech gathers experience in quantitative habitat evaluation, including data collection, analysis, and data interpretation.

This degree plan places a field emphasis around classes that provide the background necessary to apply basic scientific principles centered on the geological sciences. Classes support modern geologic theory and its application to field problems as well as lab experiences that produce a foundation for successful fieldwork. The degree core requires at least one chemistry course and a transfer-level math course, while at least one physics course is recommended for the degree, as well.

### Program learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this degree, the student should be able to:

1. Describe the fundamental materials of the Earth, inclusive of their origins and processes that manipulate them both within the Earth and upon Earth’s surface.
2. Explain the various scales used to study life from cellular, to species, to community and ecosystem levels, describing the importance of such scales in understanding interrelationships among organisms and the physical world.
3. Solve basic mathematical problems involving algebraic and geometric evaluations.
4. Describe qualities of atoms and molecules noting what makes them chemically reactive by stoichiometrically illustrating products and likely reactants.
5. Spatially relate different aspects of Earth, depending on emphasis, such as rock and soil maps, weather and forecast maps or habitat maps, to provide an analysis of local to regional interactions.
6. Compile a report on a field investigation that includes inventory, measured factors/qualities, graphics that support analysis of data, and interpretations supported by data and analysis.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Degree core** | |  |
| ESCI-1 | The Active Earth | 4 |
| **Choose one of the following** | |  |
| MATH-73 | Contemporary Mathematics for Technical Fields | 3 |
| or MATH-2 | Precalculus | 6 |
| or MATH-C2210 | Calculus I: Early Transcendentals | 4 |
| or MATH-6 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| or STAT-C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| or STAT-C1000E | Introduction to Statistics | 6 |
| or CIS-2 | Introduction to Computer Science | 4 |
| **Choose one of the following** | |  |
| CHEM-1A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM-1B | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM-2A | Introduction to Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM-2B | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | 5 |
| **Degree Emphasis (Choose one of the following)** | |  |
| **Emphasis in Geologic Technician** | |  |
| ESCI-2 | Earth: The History of Our Planet | 4 |
| ESCI-10 | Environmental Geology | 4 |
| or ESCI-7 | California Through Time, A Geologic Journey | 4 |
| or AGNR-50 | Natural Resources Measurements | 4 |
| **Select one of the following** | |  |
| ESCI-9 | Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Other Geologic Hazards | 3 |
| or AGNR-64 | Watershed Management and Ecology | 3 |
| or AGPS-24 | Soils | 3 |
| or AGPS-25 | California Water | 3 |
| or AGNR-1 | Introduction to Natural Resources | 3 |
| or GEOG-10 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| **Select 3 units from the following** | |  |
| AGNR-12 | Environmental Policy and Law | 2 |
| AGNR-66 | Watershed Restoration Practicum | 1 |
| ESCI-32 | The Northern Sierras |  |
| ESCI-32L | The Northern Sierras Lab and Field Studies |  |
| ESCI-33 | The Sacramento River Basin, From Source to Sea |  |
| ESCI-33L | The Sacramento River Basin Lab and Field Studies |  |
| ESCI-34 | The Modoc Plateau |  |
| ESCI-35 | Lassen Volcanic National Park |  |
| ESCI-35L | Lassen Volcanic National Park Lab and Field Studies |  |
| ESCI-36 | The Mount Shasta Region |  |
| ESCI-37 | The Northern California Coast |  |
| ESCI-37L | Northern California Coast Lab and Field Studies |  |
| ESCI-38 | Point Reyes National Seashore |  |
| ESCI-38L | Point Reyes National Seashore Lab and Field Studies |  |
| GEOG-1A | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-1AL | Physical Geography Lab | 1 |
| GEOG-2A | Field Studies in Physical Geography | 1 |
| GEOG-25 | GIS Projects | 1 |
| NHIS-65 | Natural History of the Redwood Coast 1) |  |

### Note

In addition to the courses above, there are specific Social Science and Ethnic Studies GE courses that can further support this degree emphasis. See Earth Science Department faculty or a counselor.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Emphasis in Weather Technician** | |  |
| ESCI-14 | Meteorology | 3 |
| ESCI-14L | Meteorology Laboratory | 1 |
| ESCI-15 | Oceanography | 4 |
| GEOG-9 | Map and Geospatial Principles | 3 |
| or GEOG-10 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| **Select 3 units from the following** | |  |
| ESCI-18 | Global Climate Change: Past, Present and Future | 3 |
| GEOG-1A | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-1AL | Physical Geography Lab | 1 |
| GEOG-2A | Field Studies in Physical Geography | 1 |
| GEOG-15 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG-25 | GIS Projects | 1 |
| GEOG-8 | World Regional Geography | 3 |

### Note

In addition to the courses above, there are specific Social Science courses that can further support this degree emphasis. See Earth Science Department faculty or a counselor.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Emphasis in Coastal Science Technician** | |  |
| ESCI-15 | Oceanography | 4 |
| ESCI-16 | Coastal Marine Sciences | 3 |
| ESCI-16L | Coastal Marine Sciences Laboratory | 1 |
| AGNR-1 | Introduction to Natural Resources | 3 |
| or AGNR-64 | Watershed Management and Ecology | 3 |
| or GEOG-10 | Intro to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| or NHIS-15 | Natural History of California | 3 |
| **Select 3 units from the following** | |  |
| AGNR-12 | Environmental Policy and Law | 2 |
| ESCI-37 | The Northern California Coast | 1.5 |
| ESCI-37L | Northern California Coast Lab and Field Studies | 0.5 |
| ESCI-38 | The Point Reyes National Seashore | 1.5 |
| ESCI-38L | Point Reyes National Seashore Lab and Field Studies | 0.5 |
| GEOG-1A | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-1AL | Physical Geography Lab | 1 |
| GEOG-2A | Field Studies in Physical Geography | 1 |
| GEOG-25 | GIS Projects | 1 |
| NHIS-65 | Natural History of the Redwood Coast | 1 |

### Note

In addition to the courses above, there are specific Humanities and Social Science courses that can further support this degree emphasis. See Earth Science Department faculty or a counselor.