Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Geological Sciences

Stephen J. Culver, Chair, 101 Graham Building

BS in Geology

Geology majors have the opportunity to specialize in one of three concentration areas: coastal and marine, environmental, general geology. Minimum degree requirement is 126 s.h. of credit as follows:

1. Foundations curriculum (For information about courses that carry foundations curriculum credit see Liberal Arts Foundations Curriculum.) - 42 s.h.
2. Core - 42 s.h.

   GEOL 1500. Dynamic Earth (3) (F,S,SS) (FC:SC) and GEOL 1501. Dynamic Earth Laboratory (1) (F,S,SS) (FC:SC)

   GEOL 1600. Earth and Life Through Time (4) (F,S) (FC:SC)

   GEOL 2000. Quantitative Methods in the Geological Sciences (3) (P: MATH 1065)

   GEOL 3050, 3051. Mineralogy and Petrology I (4,0) (F) (P: A 1000-level GEOL course; RP: CHEM 1150, 1151; GEOL 1500, 1501)

   GEOL 3150, 3151. Mineralogy and Petrology II (4,0) (S) (P: GEOL 3050, 3051; P/C: CHEM 1150, 1151)

   GEOL 3200, 3201. Introduction to Field Methods (2,0) (F) (P: GEOL 1600)

   GEOL 3300, 3301. Structural Geology (4,0) (S) (P: GEOL 3200, 3201)

   GEOL 4000. Summer Field Course in Geology (6) (SS) (P: GEOL 3050, 3051, 3300, 3301)

   GEOL 4010, 4011. Sedimentology (4,0) (WI) (F) (P: GEOL 1600, 3050, 3051)

   GEOL 4020, 4021. Stratigraphy (3,0) (WI) (S) (P: GEOL 1600)

   GEOL 4200, 4201. Paleontology (4,0) (4200:WI) (S) (P: GEOL 1600)

3. Concentration areas (Choose one.) - 7 s.h.

   Coastal and Marine Geology (Choose 7 s.h. from the following.):

   GEOL 1550. Oceanography (4) (F,S) (FC:SC)

   GEOL 5300. Geology of Coastal Processes and Environments (3) (P: GEOL 1550, 4010, 4011; or consent of instructor)

   GEOL 5350. Marine Geology (3) (P: GEOL 1550, 4010, 4011; or consent of instructor)

   Or other approved GEOL courses

   Environmental Geology (Choose 7 s.h. from the following.):

   GEOL 1700. Environmental Geology (4) (F,S) (FC:SC)

   GEOL 5150. The Geologic Component of Environmental Science (3) (P: Introductory GEOL course or consent of instructor)

   GEOL 5450. Introduction to Aqueous Geochemistry (3) (P: CHEM 1150, 1151, 1160, 1161)

   GEOL 5710, 5711. Ground-Water Hydrology (3,0) (P: GEOL 1500, 1501; or consent of instructor.

   Or other approved GEOL courses

   General Geology:

   Choose 7 s.h. from any combination of GEOL courses. At least one course must be above 2999.

4. Cognates - 25 s.h.

   CHEM 1150, 1151. General Chemistry and Laboratory I (3,1) (F,S,SS) (FC:SC) (P/C: MATH 1065; C for 1150: CHEM 1151; C for 1151: CHEM 1150)

   CHEM 1160, 1161. General Chemistry and Laboratory I (3,1) (F,S,SS) (FC:SC) (P: CHEM 1150, 1151; C for 1160: CHEM 1161; C for 1161: CHEM 1160; RC: MATH 1083 or 1085)

   MATH 1065. College Algebra (3) (F,S,SS) (FC:MA) (P: Appropriate score on math placement test or math section of the SAT/ACT)

   Choose 6 s.h. of approved courses in calculus, statistics, and/or computer applications

   Choose 8 s.h. of approved BIOL, CHEM, and/or PHYS courses

5. Electives to complete requirements for graduation.

NOTE: Students who plan to pursue graduate degrees in geology should complete a year of physics and a year of calculus.

Geology Minor

Minimum requirement for minor is 24 s.h. of GEOL courses. A minimum of 12 s.h. must be selected from courses numbered above 2999.

Geology Honors Program

A student desiring to enter the honors program in geology must satisfy the approved departmental criteria; junior standing with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA; completion of a minimum of 20 s.h. in geology; a minimum 3.0 GPA in geology courses with no grade below C. See GEOL 4550, 4551, Honors Thesis.