Department of Geology
Michael W. Phillips, Chairperson and Undergraduate Adviser
Craig B. Hatfield, Honors Adviser
Degrees Offered
The Department of Geology offers a baccalaureate degree program for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree
The Bachelor of Science degree in Geology requires a minimum of 34 hours in the major and offers a concentration option in either Classical Geology or Environmental Geology. All students must complete: GEOL 2210, 2220, 2500, 3320, 4650 and either 4610 or 3200. Students seeking the Classical Geology option also must complete GEOL 4010, 4000 and either 4610 or 3200 (the one not previously taken). Students seeking the Environmental Geology option also must complete GEOL 3220, 4410 and 4450. In addition, all students need two additional approved geology electives taken at the 3000 or 4000 level as well as the following related courses: MATH 1850, 1860 or 1750, 1760; CHEM 1230, 1240, 1280; PHYS 2070, 2080 or 2130, 2140. Students must achieve at least a 2.5 GPA in the major to graduate. Additional geology courses may be taken but only a maximum of 50 hours may be applied toward the degree requirements. Students may not take any required course in the major or related areas as P/NC.
Requirements for the Interdepartmental Bachelor of Science in Geophysics Degree
The requirements for this degree, as approved by the three participating departments, are: MATH 1850, 1860, 2850, 3860, 1890 (18 credits); PHYS 2130, 2140, 3180, 4210, 4230 (18 credits); GEOL 1010 or 2010, 1020, 2500, 2210, 2220, 3220, 4610 and 4620 (20 or 21 credits). Students must also take an additional 3-4 hours of adviser-approved electives at the 3000 or 4000 level from the Mathematics, Physics, or Geology departments. In addition, students also must complete CHEM 1230 and 1280.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology requires a minimum of 34 hours in the major. All students must complete: GEOL 1010 or 2010, and 2500, 2210, 2220, 3320, 4650 and either 4610 or 3200 as well as an additional four geology electives at the 2000 or higher level, excluding 2010 and 2030. In addition, students must complete MATH 1340 or MATH 1320 and 1330 or an approved higher level math course, CHEM 1230, 1280 and 7-9 hours of approved electives in astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, geography and planning and/or physics. This program is designed to give students greater flexibility in designing a program of study tailored to their specialized interests in geology and the related sciences. Students must achieve at least a 2.0 GPA in the major to graduate. Additional geology courses may be taken but only a maximum of 40 hours may be applied toward the degree requirements. Students may not take any required course in the major or related areas as P/NC.
Minor in Geology
Students electing to minor in the Department of Geology must complete a minimum of 22 hours of course work: 13 hours of basic required courses (GEOL 2210, 2220, 2500, 3200 and 3320), and 9 additional hours chosen from any other formal 3000- or 4000-level geology courses. A program of study must be approved in advance by the departmental undergraduate adviser, and a minimum GPA of 2.0 must be achieved for the course work completed in the minor.
Honors in Geology
Qualified juniors and seniors may be invited to work for the citation "Honors in Geology."
Admission: The program is open to geology majors and may be taken concurrently with College Honors. Admission to the Departmental Honors program is based on academic achievement. Normally, students invited to participate will have achieved a 3.0 or better overall GPA by the end of the sophomore year. This GPA must be maintained through the senior year in order to receive the Honors citation.
Requirements: A student must satisfactorily complete the requirement for 5 credit hours of GEOL 4910: Directed Research. Candidates for the Honors citation must prepare a written thesis on their research and present an oral report at an open forum. Candidates also will provide bound copies of the approved thesis to the research adviser and the departmental office. The honors program in geology provides an opportunity for the exceptional student to work closely with a faculty adviser on an independent research topic of the student's choice. The research experience offered by the program often provides the opportunity for publication and is an excellent preparation for graduate study.