Academic Programs Catalog

College of Natural Science

Undergraduate Programs


Environmental Geosciences

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Geosciences

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geosciences.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Environmental Geosciences major is met by completing Geological Sciences 401.  That course is referenced in item 3. b. below.

    Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
  2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.

    The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. The following courses outside the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (35 to 38 credits):
    (1) All of the following courses (8 credits):
    CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I 1
    MTH 132 Calculus I 3
    MTH 133 Calculus II 4
    (2) One of the following groups of courses (7 credits):
    (a) CEM 141 General Chemistry I 4
    CEM 142 General and Inorganic Chemistry 3
    (b) CEM 151 General and Descriptive Chemistry 4
    CEM 152 Principles of Chemistry 3
    (3) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
    MTH 234 Multivariable Calculus 4
    STT 200 Statistical Methods 3
    STT 201 Statistical Methods 4
    STT 231 Statistics for Scientists 3
    STT 421 Statistics I 3
    (4) One of the following groups of courses (8 credits):
    (a) PHY 231 Introductory Physics I 3
    PHY 232 Introductory Physics II 3
    PHY 251 Introductory Physics Laboratory I 1
    PHY 252 Introductory Physics Laboratory II 1
    (b) PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4
    PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4
    (5) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
    FW 472 Limnology 3
    GEO 203 Introduction to Meteorology 3
    IBIO 303 Oceanography 4
    (6) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
    GEO 324 Remote Sensing of the Environment 4
    GEO 325 Geographic Information Systems 3
    STT 464 Statistics for Biologists 3
    (7) One of the following courses (3 credits):
    GEO 435 Geography of Health and Disease 3
    IBIO 355 Ecology 3
    b. The following courses in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (31 credits):
    GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth 4
    GLG 304 Physical and Biological History of the Earth 4
    GLG 321 Mineralogy and Geochemistry 4
    GLG 401 Global Tectonics and Earth Structure (W) 4
    GLG 411 Hydrogeology 3
    GLG 412 Glacial Geology and the Record of Climate Change 4
    GLG 421 Environmental Geochemistry 4
    GLG 431 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (W) 4
    The completion of GLG 401 satisfies the department’s capstone course requirement.
    c. One course from each of the following areas (9 or 10 credits):
    Hydrogeology Component
    CE 421 Engineering Hydrology 3
    FW 454 Environmental Hydrology for Watershed Management 3
    GEO 306 Environmental Geomorphology 3
    GLG 481 Reservoirs and Aquifers 3
    Geochemical Component
    CEM 251 Organic Chemistry I 3
    CEM 311 Inorganic Chemistry 3
    CEM 383 Introductory Physical Chemistry I 3
    CSS 455 Pollutants in the Soil Environment 3
    ENE 481 Environmental Chemistry - Equalibrium Concepts 3
    GLG 361 Igneous and Metamorphic Geochemistry and Petrology 4
    Geobiological Component
    ENE 487 Microbiology for Environmental Science and Engineering 3
    FW 420 Stream Ecology 3
    GLG 433 Vertebrate Paleontology 4
    GLG 434 Evolutionary Paleontology 4
    GLG 435 Geomicrobiology 4
    IBIO 355 Ecology 3
    MMG 425 Microbial Ecology 3
    Students may not use IBIO 355 to count towards this requirement if used to fulfill requirement 3. a. (7).
    d. Additional credits in Geological Science courses at the 300-400 level to total 40 credits.  The credits that are used to satisfy this requirement may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the geological sciences major or the requirements for the environmental geosciences major, but not both of these requirements.
    Plant Biology 335 and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 426 may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the major or the requirements referenced under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement, but not both of those requirements.

Concentration in Geophysics

A concentration in geophysics is also available. Students must complete all of the following courses. Courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the concentration may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geosciences. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript. 

GLG  470 Principles of Modern Geophysics 3
GLG  471 Applied Geophysics 4
MTH 234 Multivariable Calculus 4
MTH 235 Differential Equations 3
PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4
PHY  184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4


Geological Sciences

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Sciences

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Geological Sciences major is met by completing Geological Sciences 401.  That courses is referenced in item 3. b. below.

    Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
  2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.

    The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. The following courses outside the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (26 or 27 credits):
    (1) All of the following courses (8 credits):
    CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I 1
    MTH 132 Calculus I 3
    MTH 133 Calculus II 4
    (2) One of the following pairs of courses (7 credits):
    (a) CEM 141 General Chemistry 4
    CEM 142 General and Inorganic Chemistry 3
    (b) CEM 151 General and Descriptive Chemistry  4
    CEM 152 Principles of Chemistry  3
    (3) One of the following options (3 or 4 credits):
    (a) MTH 234 Multivariable Calculus  4
    (b) One course of at least 3 credits in statistics and probability.
    (4) One of the following groups of courses (8 credits):
    (a) PHY 231 Introductory Physics I 3
    PHY 232 Introductory Physics II 3
    PHY 251 Introductory Physics Laboratory I 1
    PHY 252 Introductory Physics Laboratory II 1
    (b) PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4
    PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4
    b. The following courses in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (40 credits):
    GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth 4
    GLG 304 Physical and Biological History of the Earth 4
    GLG 321 Mineralogy and Geochemistry 4
    GLG 361 Petrology 4
    GLG 401 Global Tectonics and Earth Structure (W) 4
    GLG 431 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 4
    GLG 491 Field Geology – Summer Camp (W) 6
    Ten additional credits in Geological Sciences courses at the 300–400 level. Plant Biology 335 and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 426 may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the major or the requirements referenced under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement, but not both of those requirements. The credits that are used to satisfy this requirement may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the geological sciences major or the requirements for the environmental geosciences major, but not both of those requirements.
    The completion of Geological Sciences 491 fulfills the department's capstone course requirement.

Concentration in Geophysics

A concentration in geophysics is also available. Students must complete all of the following courses. Courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the concentration may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript.

1. All of the following courses (22 credits):
GLG 470 Principles of Modern Geophysics 3
GLG 471 Applied Geophysics 4
MTH 234 Multivariate Calculus 4
MTH 235 Differential Equations 3
PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4
PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4