College of Science

Department of Geosciences

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• For more information about Geology, see the Geosciences Department.
• Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.
• Admitted students must meet with an advisor. Current students should also meet with an advisor and log on to Degree Works  to check student-specific program progress.

 

Minimum University Requirements
Total Credits	120			Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)	2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better	100			Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above)	40
Total USU Credits	30			Upper-division USU Credits	20
USU Credits within the Major	10			Credits in Minor (if required)	12
Credits in Major	see below			Credits in American Institutions	3
General Education Requirements	see link			University Studies Depth Requirements	see link
NOTES: Highest Math Requirement for this degree is MATH 1220: Calculus II (QL)  or MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)  and STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI)
Please meet with your advisor to complete your specific four year plan.

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program
New freshmen	Admitted to USU in Good Standing			Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU	2.75 GPA

First Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
CHEM 1210: Principles of Chemistry I	4			MATH 1220: Calculus II (QL)  or STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI)	4  or 3
CHEM 1215: Chemical Principles Laboratory I	1			GEO 3500: Minerals and Rocks	4
GEO 1110: Physical Geology (BPS)	3			GEO 3200: The Earth Through Time (DSC)	3
GEO 1115: Physical Geology Laboratory	1			GEO 3205: Earth Through Time Laboratory	1
MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)	4			ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3
Comments

Second Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3			GEO 3400: Communicating Geoscience (CI)	3
GEO 3550: Sedimentation and Stratigraphy	4			GEO 3700: Structural Geology	4
CHEM 1220: Principles of Chemistry II (BPS)	4			PHYS 2210: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (BPS/QI)	4
CHEM 1225: Chemical Principles Laboratory II	1			PHYS 2215: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab I	1
Breadth American Institutions (BAI)	3			Breadth Humanities (BHU)	3
Comments				Comments

Third Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
GEO 4700: Geologic Field Methods (CI)	3			GEO 5660: Applied Geophysics  or GEO 5610: Tectonic Evolution of North America   or GEO 5XXX - Geology elective GEO 5XXX Geology elective	4  or 3     or 3 3
GEO 3600: Geomorphology	4			Breadth Creative Arts (BCA)	3
PHYS 2220: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (BPS/QI)  PHYS 2225: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab II	4  1			Breadth Life Sciences (BLS)	3
Breadth Social Sciences (BSS)	3			Electives	2 or 3
Comments				Comments

Fourth Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
GEO 4500: Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology	4			GEO 5200: Geology Field Camp	5	Taken Summer Semester
GEOG 1800: Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences  or CS 1400: Introduction to Computer Science–CS 1	3 or 3			GEO 5660: Applied Geophysics  or GEO 5610: Tectonic Evolution of North America   or   GEO 5XXX Geology elective   GEO 5XXX Geology elective	4  or 3     or   3   3
Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA)	3			Depth Social Sciences (DSS)	3
Electives	3			Electives	5 or 6
Comments				Comments

Graduation Requirements:

Students must complete the Minimum University Graduation and University Studies General Education and Depth Requirements.

Students must complete the General Education Requirements:

 

• GEO 1110   in conjunction with CHEM 1220  will fulfill the Exploration requirement
• MATH 1210   will fulfill the Quantitative Literacy (QL) requirement
• PHYS 2220   will fulfill the Breadth Physical Sciences (BPS) requirement
• ENGL 1010   and ENGL 2010  will fulfill the Communications Literacy requirement
• Three credits of approved courses in: American Institutions (BAI), Creative Arts (BCA), Humanities (BHU), Life Sciences (BLS) and Social Sciences (BSS)

Students must also complete the University Studies Depth Requirements :

• GEO 3400  and GEO 4700  will fulfill the Communications Intensive (CI) requirement
• PHYS 2210   will fulfill the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement 
• GEO 3200   will fulfill the  Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) requirement
• Two credits of approved 3000-level or above courses in: Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) and Social Sciences (DSS)