Program Learning Goals:
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Students will be able to identify and classify rocks and minerals and interpret the processes responsible for their formation
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Students will understand the theory of plate tectonics and its relationship to the rock cycle
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Students will be able to apply the concepts of time and space in interpreting Earth history
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Students will apply the scientific method, using field observations, computational, and quantitative techniques to differentiate the geologic origins of rocks, structures, hazards, and landforms
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Students will communicate geoscience to a variety of audiences (scientists & non-scientists)
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Students will apply the concepts of Earth’s environmental and climatic changes to an archaeological context.
Program Requirements
The Geoarchaeology Emphasis requires a minimum of 64 credits:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| or GEOL 103 | Earth and Energy Systems | |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| GEOL 201 | Historical Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 302 | Geoscience Writing | 2 |
| GEOL 310 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 315 | Earth Materials (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 320 | Geomorphology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 345 | Structural Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 380 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| GEOL 450 | Field Geology | 4 |
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| ANTH 107 | Introduction to General Anthropology (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| ANTH 218 | Biological Anthropology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ANTH 219 | Archaeology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ANTH 230 | Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOG 340 | Intro Geographic Info Systems | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 7-8 | |
| North American Archaeology | ||
| Maya Archaeology | ||
| Cultural Resource Management | ||
| Archaeology Field School | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry (GT-SC2) | ||
| General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) and General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | ||
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) | ||
| Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | ||
| Total Credits | 64-66 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
GEOL 450 Field Geology
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Sample Plan
Degree Plans are for planning purposes. They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.
“Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Life Skills suggested) | 3 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANTH 107 | Introduction to General Anthropology (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) (Wesstern Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| GEOL 201 | Historical Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| MATH 113 or MATH 213 |
Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Mathematics) or Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) |
3 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| GEOL 310 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ANTH 218 | Biological Anthropology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Social Inquiry suggested) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Humanistic Inquiry suggested) | 3 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 315 | Earth Materials (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 302 | Geoscience Writing | 2 |
| ANTH 230 | Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Further Inquiry suggested) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Creative Expression suggested) | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANTH 219 | Archaeology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 345 | Structural Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Elective | Elective course | 7 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANTH 333 or ANTH 366 |
North American Archaeology or Maya Archaeology |
3 |
| GEOG 340 | Intro Geographic Info Systems | 3 |
| GEOL 380 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Historical Inquiry suggested) | 3 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta course (select one) | 1 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| ANTH 469 | Archaeology Field School | 4 |
| GEOL 450 | Field Geology | 4 |
| **Summer courses count towards a student’s GPA, Academic Standing, and follow summer tuition fee structure. | ||
| Credits | 8 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANTH 377 | Cultural Resource Management | 3 |
| GEOL 320 | Geomorphology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Elective | Upper Division Elective | 9 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 4 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.