B.S. Option A Geology Major

This is a pregraduate/preprofessional option for students who plan to attend graduate school, work in the petroleum or mining industries, enter the field of hydrogeology or environmental geology, or enter some other professional field. Students may opt for either the geology major or the hydrogeology/environmental geology concentration. A minor is not required for this option.

STUDENTS SHOULD CONSULT THE CURRENT CMU BULLETIN FOR THE MOST RECENT "OFFICIAL" REQUIREMENTS.

Core:

1) Any one of the following sequences of Introductory Geology with laboratory (3-4 hours):

A. GEL 101 (3) Physical Geology AND GEL 102 (1) Physical Geology Laboratory
B. GEL 105 (3) Environmental Geology AND GEL 102 (1) Physical Geology Laboratory
C. GEL 100 (3) Introduction to Earth Systems
D. GEL 130 (3) Earth Processes

2) Majors Courses (25 hours):

GEL 201 (3) Earth History
GEL 290 (3) Introduction to Geological Investigation
GEL 310 (4) Introductory Mineralogy
GEL 321 (4) Petrology
GEL 370 (3) Structural Geology
GEL 430 (3) Invertebrate Paleontology
GEL 440 (3) Stratigraphy and Sedimentology
GEL 450 (5) Geology Field Camp

Option A - Geology Concentration:

GEL 430 (3) Invertebrate Paleontology
GEL 575 (1) Special Studies in Geology
GEL 372 (3) Introduction to Geophysics
OR GEL 380 (3) Hydrogeology
OR GEL 460 (3) Geochemistry

 

AND

 

3 semester hours of approved 300+ electives EXCLUDING GEL 301, GEL 304, and GEL 320

AND

 

GEL 406 (3) Senior Thesis
OR an approved research-based course substitute.

THE FOLLOWING SCIENCE COURSES ARE ALSO REQUIRED:

MTH 132 (4) Calculus I AND MTH 133 (4) Calculus II OR MTH 136 (5) Calculus I/Scientists & Engineers AND MTH 137 (5) Calculus II/Scientists & Engineers

 

CHM 131 (4) Introduction to Chemistry I AND CHM 132 (4) Introduction to Chemistry II OR CHM 161 (5) Principles of Chemistry

PHY 130 (4) College Physics I AND PHY 170 (1) Lab AND PHY 131 (4) College Physics II AND PHY 171 (1) Lab
OR PHY 145 (4) University Physics I AND PHY 175 (1) Lab AND PHY 146 (4) University Physics II AND PHY 176 (1) Lab

Suggested Course Flow Chart
Curriculum: Geology, Option A

COMPLETION IN FOUR YEARS (degree partners plan) Fall Semester - Year 1 GEL 101 OR GEL 105 AND GEL 102 OR GEL 100 OR GEL 130 CHM 131 Competency elective UP course elective Spring Semester - Year 1 GEL 201 CHM 132 UP (MTH 132) elective and competency Competency elective Fall Semester - Year 2 GEL 290 GEL 310 MTH 133 PHY 130 or 145 PHY 170 or 175 Competency elective Spring Semester - Year 2 GEL 321 PHY 131 or 146 PHY 171 or 176 Degree requirement Fall Semester - Year 3 GEL 372 or 380 or 460 GEL 370 GEL 430 UP elective UP elective Spring Semester - Year 3 GEL 440 UP elective UP elective UP elective Elective Summer Semester - Year 3 GEL 450 Fall Semester - Year 4 GEL elective (300 level or above) GEL 575 Elective Degree requirement Degree requirement UP elective Spring Semester - Year 4 GEL 406 or approved equivalent Degree requirement Elective Elective Elective

COMPLETION IN THREE YEARS* Fall Semester - Year 1 GEL 101 OR GEL 105 AND GEL 102 OR GEL 100 OR GEL 130 CHM 131 Spring Semester - Year 1 GEL 201 CHM 132 Summer Semester - Year 2 MTH 132 or 136 Fall Semester - Year 2 GEL 290 GEL 310 GEL 430 MTH 133 or 137 Spring Semester - Year 2 GEL 321 GEL elective (300 level or above) PHY 130 or 145 PHY 170 or 175 Fall Semester - Year 3 GEL 372 or 380 or 460 GEL 370 GEL 575 PHY 131 or 146 PHY 171 or 176 Spring Semester - Year 3 GEL 440 GEL 406 or approved equivalent Summer Semester - Year 3 GEL 450 * The three year plan applies to students who become interested in a geology major after their freshman year. This track IS NOT GUARANTEED to allow the student to complete the requirements for the Geology degree in three years. Instead, this is a recommended seqence that will work PROVIDED that students 1) have, by the beginning of their sophmore year, completed some required UP, competency, and/or cognate science courses in addition to some courses required by their particular degree program, and 2) continue to complete successfully other required courses throughout the three year period.

CHM 131 or 161 is a prerequisite or corequisite for GEL 310.
CHM 132 (or 161) is a prerequisite for GEL 321 and GEL 402.
MTH 132 or 136 and PHY 130 or 145 are prerequisites for GEL 372.