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: The highest math requirement for this degree is MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL) .
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:
GEO 1110: Physical Geology (BPS)	3			GEO 2200: The Earth Through Time	3
GEO 1115: Physical Geology Laboratory	1			GEO 2205: Earth Through Time Laboratory	1
CHEM 1210: Principles of Chemistry I	4			STAT 2000: Statistical Methods (QI)	4
CHEM 1215: Chemical Principles Laboratory I	1			CHEM 1220: Principles of Chemistry II (BPS)	4
MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL)	4			CHEM 1225: Chemical Principles Laboratory II	1
				Breadth Creative Arts (BCA) Course	3
Comments				Comments

Second Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
GEOG 2800: Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences	4			GEO 2800: Minerals and Rocks	4
PHYS 2210: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (BPS/QI)	4			Breadth Life Sciences (BLS) Course	3
PHYS 2215: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab I	1			Breadth Social Sciences (BSS) Course	3
ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3			ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3
Breadth Humanities (BHU) Course	3			Breadth American Institutions (BAI) Course	3
Comments				Comments

Third Year
Fall Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Spring Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
GEO 3550: Sedimentation and Stratigraphy	4			GEO 3400: Communicating Geoscience (CI)	3
GEO 3600: Geomorphology	4			GEO 3700: Structural Geology	4
GEO 3800: Geoscience Workforce Techniques	3			GeoWorkforce Elective	3
GEO 5510: Groundwater Geology (QI)	3			GeoWorkforce Elective	3
				Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) Course	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			GeoWorkforce Elective	3
GEO 4700: Geologic Field Methods (CI)	3			GeoWorkforce Elective	3
GEO 5570: Engineering Geology (QI)	3			Depth Social Sciences (DSS) Course	3
GeoWorkforce Elective	3			Electives	6
Comments				Comments

Summer Semester
Summer Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:		Summer Semester	Credits	General Education Info and Notes:
GEO 5210: Geoscience Workforce Practicum	3
Comments				Comments

 

Graduation Requirements:

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

• GEO 1110  will fulfill the Integrated Studies requirement.
• MATH 1210  will fulfill the Quantitative Literacy (QL) requirement.
• CHEM 1220  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: Breadth American Institutions (BAI) , Breadth Creative Arts (BCA) , Breadth Humanities (BHU) , Breadth Life Sciences (BLS)  and Breadth 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.
• Two credits of approved 3000-level or above course in: Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) , Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC)  and Depth Social Sciences (DSS) .

Students must receive a grade of C- or higher in GEO courses for them to count toward the major.