Major in Geology, Geology Concentration

The Geology concentration provides a comprehensive undergraduate education in geoscience, emphasizing a hands-on and field-oriented approach that is well-suited to professional careers in the energy, water, environmental and resources industries, and the many other fields that employ geologists. The Geology concentration provides a strong general science background for additional diverse careers, including primary and secondary school teaching, science writing, environmental and resource law, and resource and/or hazards specializations within the construction, insurance, land use, securities, and other industries. The Geology concentration additionally provides foundational preparation for graduate education in the many geosciences subdisciplines.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate foundational skills and knowledge in all sub-disciplines of geology (physical and historical geology, earth materials, sedimentology and stratigraphy, structural geology)
2. Exhibit valuable skills in scientific reasoning, quantitative data analysis and reasoning; field, analytical, and remote sensing skills; spatial thinking and map use enabling them to contribute effectively to professional work and engage in original research.
3. Use visualization tools, theory, computation, and simulations to explain field observations and experimental results, make interpretations and test hypotheses.
4. Obtain, organize, and critically evaluate geologic information, and effectively present it through oral and written discourse with specialists and non-specialists.
5. Ethically and responsibly engage their knowledge of geology to address current global and scientific challenges.
6. Apply sustainability principles that incorporate complex environmental, economic, and social factors.
7. Demonstrate in-depth skills and knowledge in earth materials.
8. Describe the Earth's physical and chemical nature and how this has evolved through Earth's four and a half billion year history.
9. Demonstrate in-depth skills in a sub-discipline of geology.

Effective Fall 2025

¹

GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 in combination with GEOL 121 may be substituted for GEOL 150.

²

MATH 155 may be substituted for MATH 160.

³

Students who substituted MATH 155 for MATH 160 should substitute MATH 255 for MATH 161.

⁴

 STAT 315 can be used to fulfill the Technical Elective requirement if not taken for the Statistics requirement in Junior year.

⁵

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).