Geology Major, B.S.

B.S. degree

Students are encouraged to meet with a departmental advisor to discuss alignment with their individual goals. Note additional MTH and PHY courses strongly recommended for students who plan to go to graduate school. A minor is encouraged but not required.

Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards

In order to declare a Geology major or minor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, a student must meet with a Geology program advisor and successfully complete GEL 100, or GEL 130QR, or GEL 101 and GEL 102, or GEL 105 and GEL 102 with a minimum grade of B-.
In order to remain a major or minor in the Geology program, students are required to maintain a minimum average 2.5 GPA in all of the major courses, including required prerequisite courses in Math, Chemistry, Physics, and Geography. Furthermore, students must meet the following competency qualifications:
1. Written English Competency: To remain a major or minor in Geology, a student must have scored in at least the 80th percentile group on the university required Written English Competency Examination (CLEP) or earned a minimum grade of B- in English 101. Students not obtaining a minimum grade of B- in English 101 must have earned a minimum grade of B- in English 201. Students should be aware that this is more demanding than the general university competency requirement. Students transferring English competency or English composition course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standards required of CMU students.
2. Oral English Competency: To remain a major or minor in Geology, a student must have earned a minimum grade of B- in COM 101 or one of its accepted substitutes (TAI 302, COM 267, COM 269, COM 357, TAI 170). Students transferring COM course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standard required of CMU students.
3. Math Competency: To remain a major in Geology, a student must have successfully satisfied the CMU Mathematics Competency Requirement. Students transferring MTH course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standards required of CMU students.

Program Requirements

Core Courses I (3-4 hours)

Introduction to the Geosciences

Select one of the following options:

Option A (4 hours)

GEL 101	Physical Geology	3(3-0)
GEL 102	Physical Geology Laboratory	1(0-2)

Option B (4 hours)

GEL 102	Physical Geology Laboratory	1(0-2)
GEL 105	Dangerous Planet	3(3-0)

Option C (3 hours)

GEL 100

Introduction to Earth Systems

3(2-2)

Option D (3 hours)

GEL 130QR

Earth Processes

3(2-2)

Core Courses II (26 hours)

Geoscience Fundamentals

GEL 201	Earth History	3(2-2)
GEL 280	Geomath	2(0-4)
GEL 290	Introduction to Geologic Investigation	3(2-2)
GEL 310	Introductory Mineralogy	4(3-3)
GEL 340	Stratigraphy and Sedimentology	3(2-3)
GEL 370	Structural Geology	3(2-3)
GEL 450	Geology Field Camp	5(Spec)
MET 101QR	Our Changing Climate	3(2-2)

Required Courses I (23 hours)

CHM 131	General Chemistry I	4(3-3)
CHM 132	General Chemistry II	4(3-3)
GEL 250/MET 250	Geoscience Mapping and Resource Evaluation	3(3-0)
GEO 203QR	Introduction to Geographic Information Science	3(2-2)
MTH 132	Calculus I	4(4-0)
PHY 145QR	University Physics I	4(4-0)
PHY 175	University Physics Laboratory I	1(0-2)

Note: In addition, students interested in pursuing graduate school are strongly recommended to take MTH 133 - Calculus II (4 hours) and PHY 146 - University Physics II (4 hours).

Required Courses II (6 hours)

Advanced Geoscience

GEL 321	Petrology	3(2-3)
GEL 430	Invertebrate Paleontology	3(2-3)

Required Courses III (6 hours)

Select two of the following courses:

GEL 372	Introduction to Geophysics	3(2-3)
GEL 380WI	Hydrogeology	3(2-3)
GEL 385	Introductory Petroleum Geology	3(2-2)
GEL 420	Applied Geostatistics	3(2-2)
GEL 460	Geochemistry	3(3-0)
GEL 550	Economic Geology	3(2-3)

Electives (3 hours)

Select one or more of the following courses for a total of 3 credits:

GEL 275	Special Problems in Geology	1(Spec)
GEL 304	Earth Resources	3(3-0)
GEL 305	Engineering Geology	3(3-0)
GEL 308	Water Resources and Hydrologic Processes	3(3-0)
GEL 325	Glacial Morphology and Landforms	3(3-0)
GEL 397	Independent Study	1-3(Spec)
GEL 406WI	Senior Thesis	3(Spec)
GEL 413	Geomorphology	3(3-0)
GEL 502	Aqueous Geochemistry	3(3-0)
GEL 505	Low Temperature Isotope Geochemistry	4(4-0)
GEL 597	Independent Study	1-6(Spec)

OR choose any course from Required Courses III listed above, without double counting.

Bulletins