Field Camp 2017 (Mark Stone)
Please note UW ESS Field Camp is only open to matriculated UW students seeking an Earth & Space Sciences Degree. Students from other universities can not be accommodated due to space restrictions.
We recorded the informational meeting for students who couldn't attend: 2020 Field Camp Info Session
ESS 400 - 6 Week Field Course
This is our traditional field course with 6 weeks of field work in Montana. Projects include mapping, constructing a stratigraphic column, and learning field techniques in fluvial geomorphology. You can find more information at the course website at: https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1381596
Quick Info
Instructors: Alison Duvall and Mike McGroder
Dates: June 29-July 31, 2020
Costs:
- Tuition: Summer tuition rates can be found on the UW Office of Planning and Budgeting website.
- Room and Board (estimated, double) $0
- Incidental Costs (estimated) $0
Prerequisites: ESS 211, 212, 213 and one of ESS 311, 312, 313, or 314 or permission of the instructor.
ESS 401 (Formerly ESS 400B) - 3+3 Week Field Course
This course combines 3 weeks of field work in Montana and 3 weeks of computer lab work in Seattle. Projects include mapping, digitizing maps, and learning practical GIS methods. You can find more information at the course website at: https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1381598
Quick Info
Instructors: Steven Walters and Shane Schoepfer
Dates: June 15-July 17, 2020
Costs:
- Tuition: Summer tuition rates can be found on the UW Office of Planning and Budgeting website.
- Room and Board (estimated, double) $0
- Incidental Costs (estimated) $0
Prerequisites: ESS 211, 212, 213 and one of ESS 311, 312, 313, or 314 or permission of the instructor. This field camp also requires ESS 420 in addition to the standard prerequisites.
Students who would like guidance regarding which section of field camp would be most appropriate for their individual situation are encouraged to contact the course instructors.
ESS 449/BIOL 475
Students in the ESS Biology BS degree option are permitted to substitute ESS 449/BIOL 475: Paleontology Field Methods and Research for the ESS 400/401 requirement. ESS 449 is administered by the Biology Department; students should direct questions about the course to the instructor. ESS students in other degree options can only use ESS 449/BIOL 475 as a substitute for ESS 400/401 with the approval of the Associate Chair for the Undergraduate Program (see below).
Alternatives to UW ESS Field Camp Courses
Our students have occasionally obtained permission to substitute another university’s field camp course for the ESS 400/401 requirement. Examples of courses that have been approved in the past include:
- Appalachian State University’s Field Camp in the Northern Apennines in Italy
- Idaho State University’s Field Camp in Mackay, Idaho
- James Madison University's Field Course in Ireland
- School for International Training (SIT) Study Abroad’s Field Camp in Nepal
- University of Missouri’s Field Camp in Wind River Range, Wyoming
- University of Oregon’s Field Camp in Oregon and Southwestern Montana
Students considering another field camp as a substitute for ESS 400/401 must submit a major exception request form to request approval for the substitution from the Associate Chair for the Undergraduate Program. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all application and registration requirements for the alternate field camp and to make arrangements with their instructors in advance if their alternate field camp dates will conflict with the dates of their UW courses.
Students considering field camp abroad should plan to meet with UW Study Abroad Advising to discuss study abroad logistics, safety planning, and other general study abroad questions.
Field Camp Funding
GSA/ExxonMobil Field Camp Scholarships
ESS Awards
College of the Environment Undergraduate Scholarships
Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
Field Camp in the News
Learning from the Ground Up
Field Journal: Practicing Geology in Big Sky Country