Geology Major, B.S.
B.S. degree
Students are encouraged to meet with a departmental advisor once every semester to discuss alignment with their individual goals. Note additional MTH (or STA) and PHY (or CMH) 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 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 with a minimum grade of B-.
- In order to remain a major 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, Meteorology, and Geography. Furthermore, students must meet the following competency qualifications:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 (3 hours)
| GEL 100 | Introduction to Earth Systems | 3(2-2) |
Option B (3 hours)
Option C (4 hours)
| GEL 101 | Physical Geology | 3(3-0) |
| GEL 102 | Physical Geology Laboratory | 1(0-2) |
Core Courses II (25-27 hours)
Geoscience Fundamentals
| GEL 201 | Earth History | 3(2-2) |
| GEL 270 | Field Methods | 2(0-4) |
| GEL 277 | Research and Communication Skills in Geosciences | 1(0-2) |
| GEL 280 | Geomath | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 310 | Introductory Mineralogy and Petrology | 4(2-5) |
| GEL 340 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentology | 4(3-3) |
| GEL 370 | Structural Geology | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 409/ENS 409 | Professional Development in the Fields of Environmental Science and | 1(0-2) |
| GEL 450 | Geology Field Camp | 4-6(Spec) |
Required Courses I (19 hours)
| CHM 131 | General Chemistry I | 4(3-3) |
| GEO 203QR | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3(2-2) |
| MET 301 | Climatology & Climate Change | 3(3-0) |
| MTH 132 | Calculus I | 4(4-0) |
| PHY 145QR | University Physics I | 4(4-0) |
| PHY 175 | University Physics Laboratory I | 1(0-2) |
Required Courses II (4-5 hours)
Select one of the following options:
Option A (4 hours)
Option B (5 hours)
| PHY 146 | University Physics II | 4(4-0) |
| PHY 176 | University Physics Laboratory II | 1(0-2) |
Required Courses III (3-4 hours)
Select one of the following courses:
Note: In addition, students interested in pursuing graduate school are strongly recommended to take both options listed under Required Courses II and Required Courses III.
Electives (12 hours)
Select four or more of the following courses for a total of 12 hours. Six (6) hours of WI courses are recommended:
| ENS 389/GEL 389 | Well Construction and Design | 1(1-0) |
| GEL 205/GEO 205 | Oceanography | 3(3-0) |
| GEL 305 | Engineering Geology | 3(2-2) |
| GEL 308 | Water Resources and Hydrologic Processes | 3(3-0) |
| GEL 372 | Introduction to Geophysics | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 375 | Special Problems in Geology | 1-6(Spec) |
| GEL 380WI | Hydrogeology | 4(3-3) |
| GEL 385 | Introductory Petroleum Geology | 3(2-2) |
| GEL 397 | Independent Study | 1-3(Spec) |
| GEL 406WI | Senior Thesis | 3-6(Spec) |
| GEL 413 | Geomorphology | 3(2-2) |
| GEL 420 | Applied Geostatistics | 3(2-2) |
| GEL 444 | Preparation for ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam | 1(1-1) |
| GEL 502 | Geochemistry of Natural Waters | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 509 | Applied Hydrologic Modeling | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 512 | Stable Isotope Geochemistry | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 523 | Advanced Petrology | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 550 | Economic Geology | 3(2-3) |
| GEL 575 | Special Topics in Geosciences | 1-6(Spec) |
| GEL 597 | Advanced Independent Study | 1-6(Spec) |
| GEO 303 | Geographic Information Systems | 3(2-2) |
| GEO 308 | Fundamentals of Remote Sensing | 3(2-2) |
| HNS 425 | Hazardous Materials Technology | 3(3-0) |
Notes:
- Additional courses that may be offered as Writing Intensive are: GEL 385, 397, and 523. Check Course Search and Registration for WI sections.
- Only one of GEO 303 or GEO 308 or HNS 425 may be counted as an elective.
Total: 66-71 semester hours