The Geophysics concentration combines a strong foundation in geology with additional depth in geophysics, physics, mathematics, associated quantitative data analysis, and computer skills. The concentration provides strong preparation for employment in a wide variety of public- and private-sector geosciences, resources, national defense, and geotechnical careers, and for graduate education in geophysics, seismology, geodynamics, energy, water, environmental science, space science, and many other disciplines.
Effective Fall 2024
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AUCC | Credits | ||
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3A | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | 3A | 1 |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
| GEOL 1501 | Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) | 3A | 4 |
| GEOL 154 | Historical and Analytical Geology | 4 | |
| GEOL 192 | New Student Seminar--Exploring Geosciences | 1 | |
| MATH 160 | Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | 1B | 4 |
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3C | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 | |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 | |
| GEOL 232 | Mineralogy | 3 | |
| GEOL 250 | The Solid Earth | 3 | |
| GEOL 364 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 4B | 4 |
| MATH 151 | Mathematical Algorithms in Matlab I | 1 | |
| MATH 161 | Calculus for Physical Scientists II (GT-MA1) | 1B | 4 |
| MATH 261 | Calculus for Physical Scientists III | 4 | |
| PH 141 | Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) | 3A | 5 |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 31 | ||
| Junior | |||
| GEOL 344 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentology | 4A | 4 |
| GEOL 372 | Structural Geology | 4B | 4 |
| GEOL 376 | Geologic Field Methods | 4A,4C | 3 |
| MATH 340 | Intro to Ordinary Differential Equations | 4 | |
| PH 142 | Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (GT-SC1) | 3A | 5 |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Linear Algebra I | |||
| Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||
| Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics | |||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 29 | ||
| Summer | |||
| GEOL 436 | Geology Summer Field Course | 4C | 6 |
| Total Credits | 6 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Directed Technical Electives (select a minimum of 12 credits - see list below): | 12-14 | ||
| Upper-Division Geology Electives2 | 3-5 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Electives3 | 2-6 | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||
Directed Technical Electives List (Select a minimum of 12 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 440 | Geodetic and Near-Surface Geophysical Methods | 4 |
| GEOL 442 | Applied Geophysics | 4 |
| GEOL 452 | Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEOL 540 | Petrophysics and Well Log Interpretation | 3 |
| GEOL 541 | Geostatistics | 2 |
| GEOL 570 | Plate Tectonics | 3 |
| GEOL 574 | Geodynamics | 3 |
| GEOL 578 | Global Seismology | 4 |
| GEOL 579 | Solid Earth Inverse Methods and Practices | 3 |
| MATH 317 | Advanced Calculus of One Variable | 3 |
| MATH 332 | Partial Differential Equations | 3 |
| MATH 417 | Advanced Calculus I | 3 |
| MATH 418 | Advanced Calculus II | 3 |
| MATH 419 | Introduction to Complex Variables | 3 |
| MATH 450 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis I | 3 |
| MATH 469 | Linear Algebra II | 3 |
| MATH 530 | Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers | 3 |
| PH 245 | Introduction to Electronics | 3 |
| PH 314 | Introduction to Modern Physics | 4 |
| PH 341 | Mechanics | 4 |
| PH 351 | Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PH 353 | Optics and Waves | 4 |
| PH 361 | Physical Thermodynamics | 3 |
| One option may be selected from the following if not used to satisfy Junior year program requirements: | 3 | |
| Linear Algebra I | ||
| Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | ||
or STAT 315 | Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics | |
- 1
GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 in combination with GEOL 121 may be substituted for GEOL 150.
- 2
Select 3 to 5 credits in 300- to 500-level GEOL courses excluding GEOL 384, GEOL 401, GEOL 492, GEOL 494A-I.
- 3
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).
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 4 | |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 1 | |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
| GEOL 150 | Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) | X | 3A | 4 | |
| GEOL 192 | New Student Seminar--Exploring Geosciences | X | 1 | ||
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | X | 3C | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| GEOL 154 | Historical and Analytical Geology | X | 4 | ||
| MATH 160 | Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 4 | |
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
| Electives | X | 3 | |||
| CO 150 and AUCC 1B (Quantitative Reasoning) must be completed by the end of Semester 2. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | X | 3 | ||
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Lab II | X | 1 | ||
| GEOL 232 | Mineralogy | X | 3 | ||
| MATH 161 | Calculus for Physical Scientists II (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 4 | |
| PH 141 | Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 5 | |
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| GEOL 250 | The Solid Earth | X | 3 | ||
| GEOL 364 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | X | 4B | 4 | |
| MATH 151 | Mathematical Algorithms in Matlab I | X | 1 | ||
| MATH 261 | Calculus for Physical Scientists III | X | 4 | ||
| Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
| CHEM 113 must be completed by the end of Semester 4. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| GEOL 344 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentology | X | 4A | 4 | |
| PH 142 | Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (GT-SC1) | X | 3A | 5 | |
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| Linear Algebra I | |||||
| Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | |||||
| Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics | |||||
| Arts and Humanities | X | 3B | 3 | ||
| MATH 261 must be completed by the end of Semester 5. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| GEOL 372 | Structural Geology | X | 4B | 4 | |
| GEOL 376 | Geologic Field Methods | X | 4A,4C | 3 | |
| MATH 340 | Intro to Ordinary Differential Equations | X | 4 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| GEOL 436 | Geology Summer Field Course | X | 4C | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Directed Technical Electives (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab) | X | 8 | |||
| Electives | X | 2-6 | |||
| STAT 301, STAT 315, or MATH 369 must be completed by the end of Semester 8. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 10-14 | ||||
| Semester 9 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| Directed Technical Electives (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab) | X | 4-6 | |||
| Upper-Division Geology Elective | X | 3-5 | |||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 9th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 10-14 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||