School of Earth Sciences

The history of the School of Earth Sciences at Yunnan University can be traced back to 1971. It now comprises the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, the Department of Geophysics, the Department of Regional and Resource Planning, the Department of Geographic Information Sciences, the Department of Geology and the Earth Environment Experimental Teaching Center -- a provincial experimental teaching demonstration center -- as well as the Yunnan Institute of Geography, the Institute of Geology at YNU and the Remote Sensing Geology Research Center at YNU.

The school currently offers five undergraduate programs in atmospheric sciences, geophysics, geographic sciences, geographic information sciences and geology. It offers two first-level doctoral programs in geography and atmospheric sciences, as well as four first-level master's degree programs in atmospheric sciences, geophysics, geography and geology.

In 2017, geography, geology and ecology were listed as  first-class disciplines at YNU.

The School of Earth Sciences now has 97 faculty members, including 17 research professors, 25 associate research professors, five doctoral supervisors and 51 master's degree supervisors.

Students at the School of Earth Sciences participate in field work. [Photo/srees.ynu.edu.cn]

The school puts equal focus on theoretical and practical teaching. Since 2000, the employment rate of graduates from the school and the numbers of graduates who successfully became postgraduates have always been in the lead among schools at the university, with an employment rate of more than 95 percent and a postgraduate entrance rate of about 40 percent, respectively.

The school has established more than 20 off-campus practice bases in Kunming, Yuxi, Ruili, Dali, Lijiang, Tengchong, Yuanjiang, Xinping, Chuxiong and at other sites. During the academic term, students can go into the field on internships and learn solid fieldwork skills.

The school also has a rich track record of scientific research achievements. Over the past three years, it has published more than 1,000 academic papers, as well as more than 10 textbooks and research monographs.

To date, the School of Earth Sciences at YNU has trained more than 1,000 graduates who are engaged in a wide range of areas including meteorology, earthquake studies, environmental protection, geology, urban construction and in many government departments and units. Many of them have joined the ranks of senior management in their fields of endeavor.