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Department of Earth Sciences

Required courses for the B.S. in Geology:

 

A B.S. in Geology provides the greatest diversity of coursework with an excellent foundation in all geology disciplines. This option allows students to explore the full breadth of geology and also allows the greatest number of outside science electives. For example, students with an interest in biology or mathematics may take up to five courses that count toward the geology major. If you have a general interest in geology and want to learn the Earth system as a whole then this would be an excellent program for you.

Required Geology Courses

 

Total: 36 credits

  • ESCI 110 Introduction to Earth Sciences (2)
  • ESCI 221 Physical Geology (4)
  • ESCI 222 Historical Geology (4)
  • ESCI 227 Mineralogy (4)
  • ESCI 321 Structural Geology (3)
  • ESCI 325 Stratigraphy (3)
  • ESCI 326 Sedimentation (3)
  • ESCI 328 Petrography/Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology (4)
  • ESCI 422 Geologic Field Mapping (3)
  • ESCI 425 Geodynamics (3)

Required Related Courses

 

Total: 29 credits

  • MATH 161 Calculus I (4)
  • MATH 162 Calculus II (4)
  • MATH 235 Statistics (3)
  • CHEM 111 Introductory Chemistry (4)
  • CHEM 112 Introductory Chemistry II (4)
  • PHYS 231 Physics I w/ Calculus (5)
  • PHYS 232 Physics II w/ Calculus (5)

Geology Electives

 

Choose Two: 6 credits

  • ESCI 225 Geomorphology (3)
  • ESCI 320 Roads West (3)
  • ESCI 323 Paleontology (3)
  • ESCI 329 Aqueous Geochemistry (3)
  • ESCI 423 Engineering Geophysics (3)
  • ESCI 424 Engineering Geology (3)
  • ESCI 426 Groundwater Geology (3)
  • ESCI 428 Planetary Geology (3)

Science Electives

 

Total: 15 credits
Choose additional courses from

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
to bring the total to 83 credits. Courses chosen must be ones that count toward a major in those disciplines. PHYS 317, GEOG 295, and GEOG 434 also may be counted in this block.