Geology, Earth Science, BA
Bachelor of Arts in Geology, Earth Science (337001BA)
More on the Geology, Earth Science major
Earth Science Fundamentals
Earth scientists study earth materials, structures and processes and how they’ve changed through time. This knowledge may be applied to exploration for natural resources — including metals, petroleum and water; understanding natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides; addressing problems associated with environmental contamination; and investigating Earth’s history to understand the evolution of life and global climate change. Earth scientists are employed by natural resource companies, environmental consulting firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and universities.
Core courses provide the fundamentals in:
- physical and historical geology
- mineralogy and petrography
- structural geology and plate tectonics
- sedimentology, paleontology and stratigraphy
Degree program can be tailored to a major field of interest by taking additional courses in the supporting sciences and mathematics.
Requirements for Admission
The following information has official approval of The Department of Geosciences and The Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, but is intended only as a supplemental guide. Official degree requirements are established at the time of transfer and admission to the degree-granting college. Students should refer to the Degree Progress Report (DPR) which is definitive for graduation requirements. Completion of this degree within the identified time frame below is contingent upon many factors, including but not limited to: class availability, total number of required credits, work schedule, finances, family, course drops/withdrawals, successfully passing courses, prerequisites, among others. The transfer process is completed through an appointment with your academic advisor.
Three year accelerated option: for first time students who have earned credits for at least the first year of courses. Credits can be earned through qualifying scores on appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) exams or through College Credit Plus Program (CCP) courses. Credits for qualifying AP scores or CCP courses are determined by the appropriate academic department. Departments may assign varied course credit, depending on the student’s score on an AP exam or grade in a CCP course. Students may also receive credit by examination or via placement tests, where appropriate.
Requirements
Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 36 | |
| College of Arts & Sciences Requirements | 14 | |
| Core Geology-Earth Science Requirements | 26 | |
| Geology-Earth Science Elective | 10 | |
| Geology-Earth Science Upper Level Electives | 8 | |
| Geology-Earth Science Non-Geology Requirements I | 8 | |
| Geology-Earth Science Non-Geology Requirements II | 7 | |
| Additional Credits for Graduation * | 11 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- *
Bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation.
Recommended General Education Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree must complete the following General Education coursework. Diversity courses may also fulfill major or Breadth of Knowledge requirements. Integrated and Applied Learning courses may also fulfill requirements in the major. | ||
| Students are not required to enroll in the specific courses listed below. However, to facilitate successful degree completion, the academic department strongly encourages completion of the following recommendations. | ||
| Academic Foundations | 12 | |
Mathematics, Statistics and Logic: 3 credit hours | ||
| Precalculus Mathematics | ||
| Analytic Geometry-Calculus I | ||
| Analytic Geometry-Calculus II | ||
Speaking: 3 credit hours | ||
Writing: 6 credit hours | ||
| Breadth of Knowledge | 22 | |
Arts/Humanities: 9 credit hours | ||
Natural Sciences: 7 credit hours | ||
| Introductory Physical Geology | ||
| Introductory Historical Geology | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Chemistry II | ||
| Physics for Life Sciences I | ||
| Physics for Life Sciences II | ||
| Elementary Classical Physics I | ||
| Elementary Classical Physics II | ||
| Principles of Biology I | ||
| Principles of Biology II | ||
Social Sciences: 6 credit hours | ||
| Diversity | ||
Domestic Diversity | ||
Global Diversity | ||
| Integrated and Applied Learning | 2 | |
Select one class from one of the following subcategories: | ||
Complex Issues Facing Society | ||
Capstone | ||
Review the General Education Requirements page for detailed course listings. | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
College of Arts & Sciences Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree requirements in Arts & Sciences include the demonstration of ability to use another language by completion of the second year of a foreign language. | ||
| 2 Year Language Proficiency | 14 | |
101 Beginning I | ||
102 Beginning II | ||
201 Intermediate I | ||
202 Intermediate II | ||
| Survey of Deaf Culture in America (American Sign Language option only) | ||
| Students must also complete a minimum of 40 credits (excluding workshops) consisting of either: | ||
Upper-level (300/400) courses both in and outside of the student’s major; | ||
or other courses outside the major department approved by the student’s major department chair (permission should be obtained prior to enrollment); these may not include workshops | ||
The following information has official approval of The Department of Geosciences and The Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, but is intended only as a supplemental guide. Official degree requirements are established at the time of transfer and admission to the degree-granting college. Students should refer to the Degree Progress Report (DPR) which is definitive for graduation requirements. Completion of this degree within the identified time frame below is contingent upon many factors, including but not limited to: class availability, total number of required credits, work schedule, finances, family, course drops/withdrawals, successfully passing courses, prerequisites, among others. The transfer process is completed through an appointment with your academic advisor.Students are encouraged to visit The Department of Geosciences their freshman year to obtain preliminary information regarding the program requirements and to learn more about on-campus opportunities available to students.
Students are encouraged to visit The Department of Geosciences their freshman year to obtain preliminary information regarding the program requirements and to learn more about on-campus opportunities available to students.
Three year accelerated option: for first time students who have earned credits for at least the first year of courses. Credits can be earned through qualifying scores on appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) exams or through College Credit Plus Program (CCP) courses. Credits for qualifying AP scores or CCP courses are determined by the appropriate academic department. Departments may assign varied course credit, depending on the student’s score on an AP exam or grade in a CCP course. Students may also receive credit by examination or via placement tests, where appropriate.
| 1st Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| GEOL:101 | Introductory Physical Geology 1 | 4 |
| English Composition I Requirement 2 | 3 | |
| Social Sciences Requirement 3 | 3 | |
| Speech/Oral Communication Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
Beginning Language I 4 | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL:102 | Introductory Historical Geology | 4 |
| MATH:149 | Precalculus Mathematics 5 | 4 |
| English Composition II Requirement 2 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
Beginning Language II 4 | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| Hours | 14-15 | |
| 2nd Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHEM:151 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM:152 | Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| HIST:210 or HIST:221 | Humanities in the Western Tradition from Ancient Times to 1500 or Humanities in the World since 1300 | 3 |
| Science Elective 6 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Intermediate Language I | ||
| American Sign Language III | ||
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL:231 | Silicate Mineralogy and Petrology | 4 |
| Science Elective 6 | 4 | |
| Domestic Diversity Requirement | 2 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3-5 | |
Intermediate Language II | ||
| American Sign Language IV and Survey of Deaf Culture in America | ||
| Hours | 13-15 | |
| 3rd Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEOL:350 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
| GEOL xxx | Geology electives 7 | 6 |
| GEOL 3xx/4xx | Upper level Geology electives 7, 8 | 3-4 |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL:360 | Paleobiology | 4 |
| Social Science Requirement 3 | 3 | |
| GEOL 3/4xx | Upper level Geology electives 7, 8 | 3-4 |
| GEOL xxx | Geology electives | 3 |
| Hours | 13-14 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| GEOL:453 | Geology Field Camp I | 3 |
| GEOL:454 | Geology Field Camp II | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| 4th Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEOL 3/4xx | Upper level Geology electives 7, 8 | 3 |
| Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
| GEOL xx | Geology electives | 3 |
| Global Diversity Requirement | 2 | |
| Upper Level Electives 8 | 2 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Upper Level Electives 8 | 16-10 | |
| Hours | 16-10 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | GEOL:101 Introductory Physical Geology Strongly Preferred, OR GEOL:100 Earth Science, OR GEOL:200 Environmental Geology, OR (by permission only) GEOL:211 Introduction to Environmental Science, AND GEOL:104 Exercises in Physical Geology. |
| 2 | For English Composition I, ENGL:111 English Composition I or ENGL:113 African American Language and Culture I: College Composition are the recommended classes to the meet the General Education English requirement. For English Composition II, ENGL:112 English Composition II or ENGL:114 African American Language and Culture II: College Composition are the recommended classes to the meet the General Education English requirement. ENGL:222 Technical Report Writing fulfills the English Composition II requirement. |
| 3 | GEOG:100 Introduction to Geography and ANTH:110 Introduction to Archaeology recommended. |
| 4 | Demonstration of ability to use another language by completion of the second year of a foreign language or sign language is required. See your advisor for placement. Please note that all four semesters must be completed in the SAME language and it’s recommended you begin your first language class as soon as possible. |
| 5 | All Geology majors should take the Math Placement Test. The B.A. requirement is MATH:149 Precalculus Mathematics. |
| 6 | B.A. degree requires completion of at least 7 credits from the following and these options can satisfy the upper level requirement for Arts & Sciences as well (300/400 level): BIOL:111 Principles of Biology I, BIOL:112 Principles of Biology II, CHEM:153 Principles of Chemistry II, PHYS:291 Elementary Classical Physics I/PHYS:292 Elementary Classical Physics II, MATH:221 Analytic Geometry-Calculus I, MATH:222 Analytic Geometry-Calculus II. |
| 7 | A total of 18 departmental (GEOL) credits are required, eight of which must be at the 300/400 level. Please contact a Department of Geosciences adviser to discuss alternatives. |
| 8 | Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences (BCAS) – requires 40 credits at the 300/400 level. Please contact an adviser to determine how many additional 300/400 courses you need to complete this requirement. |
Alert
- By the end of your first 48 credit hours attempted, you must have completed your General Education English, Math, and Communications (Speech) requirements
- By the end of your first 48 credit hours attempted, you must have declared a major and transferred to (been accepted by) a degree granting college at The University of Akron.