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 interrogate geologic and geophysical data sets to solve problems in petroleum geology, subsurface storage, and geothermal energy
Program Requirements
A minimum of 67 credits is required:
| 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 343 | Introduction to Geophysics | 3 |
| GEOL 345 | Structural Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 346 | Subsurface Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 450 | Field Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 455 | Petroleum Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| One of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Geomorphology (with laboratory) | ||
| Hydrogeology (with laboratory) | ||
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Research in Volcanology and Petrology (with laboratory) | ||
| Research in Geomorphology (with laboratory) | ||
| Research in Structure and Tectonics (with laboratory) | ||
| Research in Basin Analysis (with laboratory) | ||
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | 4 |
| MATH 251 | Calculus II | 4 |
| Select one of the following pairs of courses: | 8 | |
| Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) | ||
AND | ||
| Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) | ||
| OR | ||
| General Physics I (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) | ||
AND | ||
| General Physics II (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) | ||
| Total Credits | 67-68 | |
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 | |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 201 | Historical Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| MATH 251 | Calculus II | 4 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 310 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation (with laboratory) | 4 |
| PHYS 170 & PHYS 185 |
Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2) or General Physics I (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) |
4 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course Life Skills suggested | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 315 | Earth Materials (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 302 | Geoscience Writing | 2 |
| PHYS 171 & PHYS 186 |
Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2) or General Physics II (GT-SC2) and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) |
4 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course Historical Inquiry suggested | 3 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 345 | Structural Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| GEOL 343 | Introduction to Geophysics | 3 |
| GEOL 320 | Geomorphology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Recommended course: | ||
| Career Pathways in Geology | ||
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course Social and Humanistic Inquiry suggested | 6 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 346 | Subsurface Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course Further and Creative Inquiry suggested | 6 |
| Recommended course: | ||
| Geology Field Trip | ||
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| GEOL 450 | Field Geology | 4 |
| Recommended course: | ||
| Advanced Field Geology (Elective) | ||
| **Summer courses count towards a student’s GPA, Academic Standing, and follow summer tuition fee structure. | ||
| Credits | 4 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 420 or GEOL 435 |
Research in Geomorphology (with laboratory) or Research in Structure and Tectonics (with laboratory) |
3 |
| GEOL 455 | Petroleum Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| Elective | Elective course | 9 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 15 |
| Select one (if research course not already taken) | ||
| Research in Volcanology and Petrology (with laboratory) or Research in Basin Analysis (with laboratory) |
||
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta (select one) | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 122 | |
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.