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Geology Program Requirements

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Faculty

  • Nick Pollock (Chair)

View Geology Courses

Program Goals

  • Ability to synthesize multiple lines of evidence and multiple sources of data to support geologic hypotheses
  • Ability to use an Earth Systems perspective to integrate understanding of geologic processes across disciplines
  • Ability to evaluate data necessary to answer a particular question
  • Ability to think and extrapolate across a broad range of temporal and dimensional scales
  • Ability to work collaboratively to break a complex problem into simpler, individually achievable tasks
  • Ability to work together constructively in challenging field environments
  • Ability to explain geologic information at a level appropriate to the audience
  • Ability to read and understand the geologic literature and to create original research reports
  • Ability to communicate scientific information through verbal and written presentation of data, graphics, and maps.
  • Ability to assess the effects of human activity on the natural environment
  • Ability to bring a geologic perspective to discussions of social issues

Objectives

The Geology program offers a Bachelor of Science degree for students interested in understanding the earth. The degree incorporates a diversity of both perspectives and methods. Classes incorporate lecture, lab, and fieldwork to study our planet’s physical, chemical, and biological history.

Program Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum 2.3 GPA in all courses required for the major.

Students must meet the university-wide graduation requirements in addition to the Geology major:

  • 124 total hours
  • 30 upper division hours
  • WCore or Honors College requirements

For course prerequisites, please refer to the course descriptions.

Geology Major

Requirement Description Credit Hours Prerequisites
I. World Language Requirement 8  
The student must complete eight credit hours in a single world language.
II. Lower Division Geology Courses 16  
GEOL 201 Earth Materials I: Mineralogy 4 GEOL 107 or 111 or CHEM 111
Co-requisite: GEOL 201L
GEOL 210 Historical Geology 4  
GEOL 214 Sedimentology & Stratigraphy 4 GEOL 107 or 111 or PHYS 151 or 211
Co-requisite: GEOL 214L
Choose one of the following courses:
GEOL 107 Geology of the American West 4  
GEOL 111 National Parks Geology 4  
III. Upper Division Geology Courses 16  
GEOL 301 Earth Materials II: Petrology 4 GEOL 201 and CHEM 111
Co-requisite: GEOL 301L
GEOL 310 Structural Geology and Tectonics 4 GEOL 107 or 111 and PHYS 152 or 212
Co-requisite: GEOL 310L
GEOL 311 Scientific Writing 2 GEOL 107 or 111
GEOL 360 Field Geology (summer even years) 6 GEOL 214, 301, 310
IV. Electives 12  
Students must take an additional twelve credits in geology, including at least one course at the 400 level.
V. Required Courses from Other Programs 24  
CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I 4 Recommended MATH 144
CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II 4 CHEM 111
MATH 201 Calculus I 4 MATH 144 or placement test

MATH 202

or

DATA 220

Calculus II

or

Introduction to Statistics		 4 MATH 201 (for MATH only)

PHYS 151

or

PHYS 211

Principles of Physics I

or

Physics for Scientists and Engineers I		 4 MATH 144 or placement test; MATH 201 as pre- or co-requisite for PHYS 211 only

PHYS 152

or

PHYS 212

Principles of Physics II

or

Physics for Scientists and Engineers II		 4

PHYS 151 or PHYS 211

MATH 202 as pre- or co-requisite for PHYS 212 only
Total Hours for the Geology Major 76  

Recommended Plan of Study for Geology

Fall Semester Spring Semester
Year 1 GEOL 107 or GEOL 111
MATH 201
WCore
Elective		 GEOL 214
MATH 202 or DATA 220
WCore
Elective
Year 2 GEOL 201
GEOL 210
CHEM 111
Language		 GEOL 301
CHEM 112
Language
WCore
Year 3 GEOL 311
PHYS 151 or PHYS 211
WCore
Elective		 GEOL 310
PHYS 152 or PHYS 212
Elective
Elective
Year 4 GEOL 4XX
WCore
Elective
Elective		 WCore
Elective
Elective
Elective

Geology Minor

Requirement Description Credit Hours Prerequisites
I. Required Geology Courses 14  
GEOL 201 Earth Materials I: Mineralogy 4 GEOL 107 or 111 or CHEM 111
Co-requisite: GEOL 201L
GEOL 210 Historical Geology 4  
GEOL 311 Scientific Writing 2 GEOL 107 or 111
Choose one of the following courses:
GEOL 107 Geology of the American West 4  
GEOL 111 National Parks Geology 4  
II. Electives 12  
Students wishing to complete a minor must take an additional twelve credits in Geology, at least eight of which are at the 300 level. ENVI 305 is also an acceptable elective.
Total Hours for the Geology Minor 26