Department of Geological Sciences to become Department of Earth Science
Top image: a pool at Yellowstone National Park ( Photo: Denys Nevozhai/Unspalsh)
New name reflects more than a century of evolution and a commitment to understanding the whole planet
Beginning in August 2026, the University of Colorado Boulder's Department of Geological Sciences will become the Department of Earth Science, a change that reflects both the department's contemporary research capabilities and the evolution of the discipline itself.
The decision, unanimously approved by department faculty and endorsed by campus and CU system leadership, comes after decades of expansion in the research and teaching mission to include areas of inquiry not typically associated with traditional notions of geology. Today, CU Boulder's Earth scientists study everything from the forces that shape landscapes and the movement of water to the evolution of ancient animals and the modern threats natural hazards pose to humans.
"'Geological Sciences' has served us well, but it also carries some old-fashioned connotations—people think of rocks and minerals. Our work today spans so much more. We study glaciers, water resources, tectonics, marine geochemistry and even the connections between life and the Earth's chemistry," says Anne Sheehan, professor and chair of the department. "'Earth Science' simply fits who we are now."
Reflecting national trends
The department’s name change follows similar updates at leading research universities across the country, including Yale, Stanford and the University of Texas at Austin, all of which have rebranded their programs to better represent the interdisciplinary nature of Earth and planetary sciences. CU Boulder’s department, which is ranked among the top programs in the nation for geosciences and Earth science by U.S. News & World Report, joins this growing movement to modernize terminology and public understanding of the field.
“It’s a broader term that more accurately represents who we are and what we do. It aligns with some of our funding agencies,” says Sheehan. “The National Science Foundation has a Division of Earth Sciences and NASA has an Earth Sciences Division. The new department name also fits perfectly with our home on campus, the Benson Earth Sciences Building.”
A natural shift
Founded in 1902 as the Department of Geology and renamed Geological Sciences in 1969, the program has evolved in step with the science itself. Research once focused largely on identifying rock formations and fossil records now uses advanced tools including satellite sensing and isotopic dating to reveal the planet's deep past and forecast its future.
“Our department is over 100 years old. It was one of the first departments at the university and the first handful of faculty at the university included people teaching geology because mining was so central to Colorado and to Boulder,” says Sheehan. “The field has expanded, and technologies such as satellites and GPS have opened up all sorts of new avenues of exploration. The field has definitely grown as you hope a vital field would do.”
Preparing the next generation
The name change coincides with another significant milestone: the conversion of the department's Bachelor of Arts degree to a Bachelor of Science degree beginning in fall 2026, a change that better reflects the scientific training students already receive. The change from a Geology BA to an Earth Science BS will not affect current students' academic requirements or degrees; it will help the department better convey its identity to future generations.
For Irene Blair, dean of the Division of Natural Sciences, the new name is about clarity and connection.
“鶹Ժ increasingly seek programs that connect scientific inquiry with solutions to global challenges such as sustainability and resource management,” says Blair. “Adopting the name ‘Earth Science’ clarifies for prospective students what this department already offers—a comprehensive, forward-looking education that prepares graduates to lead in science, industry and policy.”
As the department looks ahead to its next chapter, Sheehan emphasized that the new name honors both tradition and transformation.
"This change honors our history while positioning us for the future," Sheehan says. "It better represents the collective mission of the excellent faculty we have recruited, the research programs we have built and the important questions in the Earth sciences we are tackling. We bring these discoveries into our classrooms and our graduate programs to successfully train the next generation of Earth scientists.”
“And you know,” Sheehan adds, “I’m kind of hoping that there will be fewer rock jokes, but that might be hoping for too much.”
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