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Option I: General Geology

Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences serves as a professional degree for students planning careers as geologists, geophysicists, or teachers, as well as for those planning to pursue graduate work in the geosciences or a profession such as law or business. Careers are available in the petroleum and related energy industries, resource evaluation, mineral exploration, geologic hazard monitoring, environmental control and reclamation, building foundation evaluation, groundwater contamination studies, soil testing, regional planning, watershed management, climate modeling, and college or secondary school teaching. Graduates may also work in state or federal agencies, in universities or museums, with consulting firms, or with service companies to the energy and mineral industries.

Degree requirements are divided into three categories: university-wide undergraduate degree requirements (the University core curriculum) and flag requirements, prescribed work for the degree, and major requirements. Taken together, these courses make up an option, a degree plan with a particular concentration or emphasis. Thus, students may develop intellectually challenging yet different plans of study according to their personal interests and goals. 

Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences degree must choose one of four options--I: General Geology, II: Geophysics, III: Hydrogeology, or V: Teaching. (Option IV: Environmental Science and Sustainability is no longer offered.)

Additional Requirements Specific to the BS Geological Sciences, Opts I, II, & III

36 semester hours of upper-division coursework must be completed in residence at the University. At least 18 of these hours must be in geological sciences and at least 12 of the 36 hours must be outside geological sciences. 

A total of 126 hours of coursework including core, prescribed, and major work.

Prescribed Work

BS Geological Sciences, Option I, II, & III

  1. Mathematics 408C and 408D; or 408K, 408L, and 408M. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the mathematics requirement of the core curriculum. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree.

  2. Physics 301, 101L, 316, and 116L; or Physics 303K, 103M, 303L, and 103N.
  3. Chemistry 301 and 302. Together, requirements 2 and 3 also meet parts I and II of the science and technology requirement of the core curriculum.
  4. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 416K, 416M, 420K, and 428.
  5. Technical Electives: 12 semester hours of approved science and engineering courses offered outside of the GEO Field of study with no more than six semester hours of lower-division courses.  These courses may be coordinated with additional recommended GEO elective courses to form a geoscience course concentration.  A list of approved technical elective courses and geoscience course concentrations is available in the JSG Advising Office.
  6. Language or Culture Electives:  Six semester hours of coursework in a foreign language or approved coursework recognized as a study of cultures on a domestic or global scale.  A list of approved cultural courses is available in the JSG Advising Office.  Courses that fulfill this requirement must be in addition to courses counted toward the core curriculum or flag requirements.

Major Requirements

  1. Geological Sciences 405, 325G, and 426P.
  2. Six semester hours of approved field and/or research coursework. This requirement may be met by Geological Sciences 660A and 660B. Field/research requirements courses should be completed during the same summer semester.
  3. 15 additional hours of approved upper division coursework in geological sciences.

Suggested Arrangement of Courses

BS Geological Sciences, Option I: General Geology

First Year
First TermHoursSecond TermHours
GEO 401 or 3034GEO 4054
M 408C4M 408D4
CH 3013CH 3023
UGS 302 or 3033E 316L, 316M, 316N, or 316P3
RHE 3063GEO 012N0
 17 14
Total credit hours: 31
Second Year
First TermHoursSecond TermHours
GEO 416K4GEO 420K4
GEO 416M4GEO 325G3
PHY 303K3PHY 303L3
PHY 103M1PHY 103N1
HIS 315K3Visual/Performing Arts3
 15 14
Total credit hours: 29
Third Year
First TermHoursSecond TermHours
GEO 4284GEO 426P4
GEO Upper-division Elective3Tech Elective3
Tech Elective3GEO Upper-division Elective3
HIS 315L3Upper-division Elective3
Language or Culture3 
 16 13
Total credit hours: 29
Third Year
Summer TermHours
GEO 660A3
GEO 660B3
 6
Total credit hours: 6
Fourth Year
First TermHoursSecond TermHours
GEO Upper-division Elective3GEO Upper-division Elective4
GEO Upper-division Elective3Upper-division Tech Elective3
Upper-division Tech Elective3Social/Behavioral Science3
GOV 310L3GOV 312L3
Language or Culture3Upper-division Elective3
 15 16
Total credit hours: 31

Total Credit Hours:  126