2009-10 University Catalog
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Geological Sciences
Degrees ...BA, MS, PhD
The options available in the undergraduate program in geology include: geology, geophysics, or environmental geoscience. Each program leads to the BA degree. The environmental geoscience option offers flexibility and broad training; the geology and geophysics options offer more traditional paths of training. All options provide a strong basis for graduate study and professional employment. Students who are uncertain as to which option best suits their needs should consult a departmental advisor. The BA in geology is also excellent preparation for later professional work in other fields, such as law, journalism, economics, engineering, etc.
Students who do not plan a career in the geosciences, or who would like to combine a basic knowledge of geology with that of some other field, should consider using geology as one subject in a distributed studies major. Individual programs can be tailored for such students.
Students interested in geological sciences may also wish to consider the Baker Residential Academic Program.
The undergraduate program emphasizes course work in theoretical, laboratory, and field-oriented aspects of the geological sciences. The nearby Rocky Mountains provide a natural laboratory for the study of geological materials and processes.
The undergraduate degree in geology emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- the ways in which Earth responds to internal and external forces; the physical, chemical, and biological evolution of Earth; the nature of the materials of which Earth is made; and mineralogy and petrology of igneous, metamorphic, and/or sedimentary rocks;
- interactions of the solid Earth with the hydrosphere and atmosphere, and how these interactions affect mankind and the environment;
- the processes of sedimentation, the use of stratigraphy, paleobiology of marine environments, and the role of geophysics and tectonics in understanding the nature of Earth and its history;
- the roles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics in understanding geological processes;
- the history of discoveries and ideas that have contributed to our current awareness of the Earth and the planetary system;
- appropriate techniques for measuring and recording both past and present Earth processes; and
- the methods used in the field to map and interpret the diverse variety of rock types and structures.
In addition, students completing the degree in geology are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:
- read and critically evaluate relevant geological literature;
- observe and measure, in the field and laboratory, physical, chemical, and biological aspects of rock successions and to develop models of Earth history;
- present geological information in both written and oral form; and
- use appropriate tools from mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology, including computers, to solve geological problems.
Bachelor's Degree Programs +
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below.
All majors are required to take the following courses:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| GEOL 1010 Introduction to Geology 1 and 1020 Introduction to Geology 2 or GEOL 1040 Geology of Colorado or 1060 Global Change | 6 |
| GEOL 2700 Introduction to Field Geology | 2 |
| GEOL 3010 Introduction to Mineralogy | 3 |
| GEOL 4960 Writing in Geosciences | 1 |
| CHEM 1111 and 1131 General Chemistry 1 and 2 or CHEM 1151 and 1171 Honors General Chemistry 1 and 2 | 5-6 |
| MATH 1300 and 2300 Analytical Geometry and Calculus 1 and 2 or MATH 1310 and 1320 Calculus 1 and 2 with Computer Applications or APPM 1350 and 1360 Calculus for Engineers 1 and 2 | 8-10 |
| PHYS 1110, 1120, and 1140 General Physics 1 and 2 and Experimental Physics 1 | 9 |
Note: GEOL 1030 Geology Laboratory is also recommended for all students.
Geology Option +
Students electing the geology option are required to take the following additional courses:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| GEOL 3020 Petrology | 3 |
| GEOL 3120 Structural Geology 1 | 4 |
| GEOL 3430 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| Two 2-credit-hour advanced (4000-level) field geology modules | 4 |
| And any two of the following courses: | |
| GEOL 3320 Introduction to Geochemistry | 3 |
| GEOL 3410 Paleobiology | 3 |
| GEOL 4130 Principles of Geophysics | 3 |
Environmental Geoscience Option +
Students electing the environmental geoscience option are required to take the following additional courses:
| Two 2-credit-hour advanced (4000-level) field geology modules | 4 |
| GEOL 3030 Introduction to Hydrogeology | 3 |
| GEOL 3320 Introduction to Geochemistry | 3 |
| GEOL 3430 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| One course from Group A below, one course from Group B below, and a third course from either A or B: | |
| Group A | |
| GEOL 3023 Statistics for Earth Sciences | |
| GEOL 4093 Remote Sensing of the Environment | |
| Group B | |
| GEOL 3040 Global Change: The Recent Geological Record | |
| GEOL 3120 Structural Geology | |
| GEOL 3520 Environmental Issues in Geosciences | |
| GEOL 4241 Principles of Geomorphology | |
Geology and Environmental Geoscience Options +
Students in either of these options must take additional 3000- or 4000-level courses so that the total number of upper-division hours in geological sciences is at least 28 hours. Any upper-division course is acceptable, with the exception that only one of the following may be counted toward the 28-hour minimum in the geology option:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| GEOL 3040 Global Change: The Recent Geological Record | 3 |
| GEOL 3070 Introduction to Oceanography | 3 |
| GEOL 3500 Earth Resources and Environment | 3 |
| GEOL 3520 Environmental Issues in Geosciences | 3 |
| GEOL 3620 Controversies in Planetary Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 3630 Great Geological Controversies | 3 |
| GEOL 3720 Evolution of Life: The Geologic Record | 3 |
| GEOL 3950 Natural Catastrophes and Geologic Hazards | 3 |
| GEOL 4080 Societal Problems and Earth Sciences | 3 |
| GEOL 4500 Critical Thinking in the Earth Sciences | 3 |
Geophysics Option +
Students electing the geophysics option are required to take the following additional courses:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| APPM 2360 Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4 |
| MATH 2400 Analytical Geometry and Calculus 3 | 4 |
| GEOL 3020 Petrology | 3 |
| GEOL 3120 Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 4130 Principles of Geophysics | 3 |
| GEOL 4714 Field Geophysics | 2 |
| PHYS 2130 General Physics 3 | 3 |
| PHYS 2140 Methods of Theoretical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 2150 Experimental Physics Lab | 1 |
| PHYS 3210 Classical Mechanics and Math Methods 1 | 3 |
| PHYS 3310 Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| Additional information on required courses and other departmental requirements may be obtained from the departmental office. Students should contact the department for a list of current major requirements. | |
| Transfer students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of advanced work (3000-level or above) in the Department of Geological Sciences in Boulder if they wish to obtain a degree in geology from CU-Boulder. Before registering for the first time, or within the first week of the semester, such students must see a member of the departmental academic progress committee to have previous course work in geology, math, and allied sciences evaluated. | |
Graduating in Four Years +
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in geology, students should meet all college requirements plus specific departmental requirements. These departmental requirements vary slightly between the three major options. Detailed information is available from the department office, but in general these requirements include:
| Declare a geology major and begin course work in the major during the first semester freshman year. | |
| Meet with a departmental advisor prior to the second and fifth semesters and during the seventh semester. | |
| Complete at least 33 credit hours (geology and environmental geoscience options; 44 credit hours for geophysics option) required for the major by the end of the fourth semester. | |
| Complete at least 47 credit hours (geology and environmental geosciences options; 63 credit hours for geophysics option) required for the major by the end of the sixth semester. | |
| Complete the remaining requirements for the major by the end of the eighth semester. |
Minor Program +
A minor is offered in geology. Declaration of a minor is open to any student enrolled at CU-Boulder, regardless of college or school. For more information see www.colorado.edu/artssciences/students/undergraduate/academics/minors.html.
Geology Honors Program +
Opportunity is provided for qualified geology majors to participate in the geology honors program and graduate with honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) in geology. Students interested in the honors program should contact the departmental honors advisor during their junior year.
Graduate Degree Programs +
Students interested in graduate work in the geological sciences should carefully read the detailed information regarding admission, registration, and degree requirements that is available from the departmental office. A brief summary follows.
All students applying for admission must take the Graduate Record Examination. Results of this examination are used both for determining admittance and for initial academic counseling.
Entering students normally have completed at least 24 semester hours of basic courses in geological science and two semesters each of chemistry, physics, and calculus. In some cases, exceptional undergraduate preparation in other fields of science, mathematics, or engineering may substitute for part of the 24 hours in geological science.
Each student acquires a primary advisor and an advisory committee which provides guidance throughout the degree program.
Master's Degree +
Candidates for the master's degree in geological sciences must complete at least 24 credit hours of graduate course work plus a thesis (Plan I), or 30 credit hours of graduate course work without a thesis (Plan II). The Plan II program requires at least 3 hours of GEOL 6960 (Plan II Master's Research) under the supervision of the advisory committee. For both plans, at least 24 credit hours must be completed at the 5000 level or above. See Graduate School specifications for more information.
Doctoral Degree +
Candidates for the doctoral degree must complete at least 30 credit hours in course work numbered 5000 or above, of which at least 20 must be taken at CU-Boulder. In addition to course work, candidates must take a total of at least 30 hours of GEOL 8990 doctoral dissertation hours, with not more than 10 of these in any one semester and not more than 10 before the comprehensive examination is passed.
The Department of Geological Sciences participates in the interdepartmental PhD program in geophysics and hydrology. For more information about this program, see the Graduate School section.
