Departments & Programs

Geological Sciences

Major in Geological Sciences—B.S.
Purpose

The B.S. Degree in Geological Sciences provides training for those who want to become professional geologists and seek careers in the application of earth sciences to the minerals, energy, and environmental industries as well as federal and state agencies, research laboratories, and postsecondary education. The department also provides preparation for students who wish to teach earth science at the secondary school level, and for those who seek a general knowledge of geology and its relationship to other sciences. The recent addition of an Atmospheric Sciences track within the Geological Sciences B.S. degree provides training for those who seek professional careers in the atmospheric sciences.

General Course Requirements

Students must complete the following Foundations, Intensive Writing, Foreign Language, Critical Approaches, Public Oral Communication, and Breadth of Inquiry requirements:

  1. Writing, same as B.A. degree (Composition, Intensive Writing).
  2. Foreign language, 3 credit hours at the second-year level.
  3. Arts and humanities, two courses.
  4. Social and historical studies, two courses.
  5. Natural and mathematical sciences, fulfilled by major.
  6. One Critical Approaches course.
  7. One Public Oral Communication course.
Requirements for the Major

Students must complete

  1. Any 100-level course in the geological sciences. G111 or G104 is recommended.
  2. G221, G222, G323, G334, and G429.
  3. Three formal 3 or 4 credit hour geological sciences courses at the 400 level.
  4. CHEM C117 and C127.
  5. MATH M211 and M212.
  6. PHYS P221 and P222.
  7. BIOL L111 or L112.
  8. The Allied Mathematics and Science Requirement

    1. Two courses at the 300 or 400 level, intended for science majors, selected from Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics. (Courses for science majors are defined as having a prerequisite of BIOL L111 or L112, CHEM C117, MATH M211 or PHYS P221.) Recommended courses include Biology B300 or Z374; Chemistry C360 or C361; Mathematics M311 or M343; and Physics P331 or P340. These courses must be selected from two different departments.
    2. One additional formal 3 credit course at the 300 or 400 level, intended for science majors, from any of the following departments: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics, or one additional formal 3 credit Geological Sciences course at the 400 level.

Students should satisfy the 100- and 200-level allied sciences and mathematics requirements at the earliest possible date.

Students must also complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Requirements for the Atmospheric Science Track
Purpose

The Atmospheric Science track within the Geological Sciences B.S. degree is designed for students who plan to follow advanced study or professional employment in the atmospheric sciences.

Required Courses

Students must complete the same Foundations, Intensive Writing, Foreign Language, Breadth of Inquiry, Critical Approaches, and Public Oral Communication requirements above, in addition to the following courses:

  1. One formal 100-level course in the geological sciences
  2. A total of 6 credit hours in non-atmospheric science courses in Geological Sciences above the 100 level.
  3. G340 plus at least 15 additional credit hours in atmospheric science courses (see list below), including at least 6 credit hours at the 400 level.
  4. MATH-M 211 and MATH-M 212.
  5. PHYS-P 221 and PHYS-P 222.
  6. CHEM-C 117 and CHEM-C 127.
  7. Two courses at the 300–400 level intended for science majors, selected from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, or Statistics.
  8. A minimum of 30 credit hours in Geological Sciences.

Students must also complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Approved Atmospheric Science Courses
  1. GEOL-G 339 Weather Analysis and Forecasting (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  2. GEOL-G 340 Physical Meteorology, Climate, and Paleoclimate (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  3. GEOL-G 347 Instrumentation for Atmospheric Science (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  4. GEOL-G 364 Dynamic Meteorology: Boundary-Layer Meteorology (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  5. GEOL-G 410 Undergraduate Research in Geology (1-6 cr.) (The topic must be related to atmospheric science.)   
  6. GEOL-G 434 Dynamic Meteorology: Synoptic to Global Scales (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  7. GEOL-G 437 Advanced Synoptic Meteorology and Climatology (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  8. GEOL-G 438 Air Pollution Meteorology (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  9. GEOL-G 448 Sustainable Energy Systems (3 cr.) CASE N&M
  10. GEOL-G 456 Wind Power Meteorology (3 cr.)
  11. GEOL-G 470 Micrometeorology (3 cr.) CASE N&M