Geosciences B.S.

Bachelor of Science - Geosciences

College of Humanities & Sciences

Degree Specific Credits: 54

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Catalog Year: 2020-21

Note: This degree is designed for students who seek post-graduate employment as a professional geoscientist or preparation for graduate study in Geosciences.

General Education Requirements

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog.

Summary

Lower-Division Core		12
Degree Electives		18
Cognate Sciences		24
Physics
Chemistry
Math
Computer Science
Cognate Electives
Total Hours		54

Lower-Division Core

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following courses:		3
GEO 101N	Introduction to Physical Geology
GEO 103N	Introduction to Environmental Geology
GEO 105N	Oceanography
GEO 107N	Natural Disasters
Complete one of the following courses:		1
GEO 102N	Introduction to Physical Geology Lab
GEO 104N	Introduction to Environmental Geology Lab
Complete all of the following courses:
GEO 201	Geologic Evolution of North America	4
GEO 202	The Water Planet	4
Total Hours		12

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Degree Electives

Note: At least three of these courses must be at the 400-level.

Code	Title	Hours
Complete 18 credits of the following courses:		18
GEO 302	Mineralogy and Optical Mineralogy
GEO 305	Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
GEO 309	Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
GEO 315	Structural Geology
GEO 318	Earth’s Changing Climate
GEO 320	Global Water
GEO 327	Geochemistry
GEO 391	Special Topics
GEO 420	Hydrogeology
GEO 421	Hydrology
GEO 433	Global Tectonics
GEO 439	Geophysics
GEO 443	Principles of Sedimentary Petrology
GEO 460	Process Geomorphology
GEO 488	Snow, Ice, and Climate
GEO 491	Special Topics
Total Hours		18

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Cognate Sciences

Rule: In addition to completing course work in Geosciences, a minimum of 24 credits in cognate science classes must be completed. More advanced courses in Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, and Physics may be used to meet the 24 credit minimum total in cognate sciences. Course substitutions for the 24 credit minimum in cognate sciences must be approved by a departmental advisor.

Physics

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following sequences:		5
Algebra- and Trigonometry-based Physics:
PHSX 205N & PHSX 206N	College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory
Calculus-based Physics:
PHSX 215N & PHSX 216N	Fund of Physics w/Calc I and Physics Laboratory I w/Calc

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Chemistry

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following:		3-5
CHMY 121N	Introduction to General Chemistry
CHMY 141N & CHMY 142N	College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Lab
Total Hours		3-5

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Mathematics

Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following course:
M 171	Calculus I	4
Total Hours		4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Computer Science

Note: Selection of CSCI 100 or CSCI 151 is based on entrance/placement exam. Please see your Geosciences advisor for more information.

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following courses:		3
CSCI 100	Intro to Programming
or CSCI 151	Interdisciplinary Computer Science I
Complete one of the following courses:
GPHY 284	Introduction to GIS and Cartography	3-4
or STAT 216	Introduction to Statistics
Total Hours		6-7

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Cognate Elective

Code	Title	Hours
Complete two of the following courses:		6
COMX 111A	Introduction to Public Speaking
COMX 242	Argumentation
ENST 230H	Nature and Society
ENST 320E	Earth Ethics
ENST 367	Environmental Politics & Policies
GPHY 335	Water Policy
NRSM 427	Advanced Water Policy
NRSM 475	Environment & Development
PHL 112E	Intro Ethics and Environment
PHL 323	Ethics of Climate Change
Total Hours		6

Minimum Required Grade: C-