The Environment of the Earth's Surface
Surface processes that shape the Earth, taught through MIT OpenCourseWare's introductory geoscience curriculum. Topics include production and movement of surficial materials, soil formation and erosion, precipitation, stream and lake dynamics, groundwater flow, and glacial deposits. The course draws together geology, climatology, hydrology, and soil science into a single framework for understanding how the physical and chemical environment at the Earth's surface works and how it can be managed. Materials include the full set of MIT lecture notes, readings, and assignments as published on OCW, free to access with no enrollment cost. The emphasis falls on fundamental concepts paired with practical applications, giving a working vocabulary for later coursework in environmental science, engineering, or earth science.