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Academic Course Map for Geology (B.A.)
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology (GEOL) at CU Boulder gain a deep understanding and appreciation of the Earth: its resources, structure, processes and history. Our faculty and staff research minerals, sediments, rocks, fossils, landforms, natural fluids and gases to further understand the past, present and future of various parts of Earth’s system, including solid Earth and its enveloping hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Geology students become well-rounded critical thinkers with a deep appreciation of the Earth and its resources, structure, processes and history; they enjoy satisfying careers in the U.S. Geological Survey, energy industries, state and federal environmental regulation agencies, and resource management organizations.
CU Boulder is ideally suited to the study of geological sciences. At the junction of the high plains and the Rocky Mountains, the Boulder area represents a natural outdoor laboratory where you can study geological features of all ages in diverse settings, and observe earth processes firsthand. Fieldwork in the Rocky Mountain region is an essential part of instruction and research. The department considers the diverse opportunities for field studies in the high plains and central Rocky Mountains of Colorado a particular strength of its undergraduate programs.
Admission Requirements
Students who begin at a Colorado Community College can transfer directly to CU Boulder to finish their degree in any of the programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Please see the CU Boulder College of Arts & Sciences’ Colorado Community College webpage for more information detailed information admissions requirements for students transfering from a Colorado Community College.
Transfer Recommendations
To graduate in a 4-year time frame, it is important that students follow the recommended schedule. Students who wish to continue their education at the community college beyond the number of credits specified below should explore with both community college and CU Boulder staff how their graduation timeline, COF stipend, and financial aid will be affected.
Suggested Four-Year Course Plan for the Geology (GEOL) major
This is a suggested guide of coursework only and is subject to change. Always consult your academic advisor for graduation planning purposes. Depending on a student’s situation, a different plan might be more applicable.
Your community college must offer an Associate of Science degree with Designation (DwD) in Geology to use this transfer guide. Students must be ready for general chemistry and calculus.
This guide is for the general track in the Geology major. To complete the more specialized Geophysics track in the major in four years, a student would need to transfer to CU Boulder after completing the first two semesters of this guide and before completing an associate degree.
Community College (first two years)
Fall Semester 1
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 121/1021* | English Composition I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
|
GEY 111/1111 |
Physical Geology with Lab (GT-SC1) | 4 |
|
CHE 111/1111 |
General College Chemistry I with Lab (GT-SC1) |
5 |
| Guaranteed Transfer Arts & Humanities Course (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Spring Semester 1
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 122/1022 | English Composition II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
|
GEY 112/1112 |
Historical Geology with Lab (GT-SC1) | 4 |
|
CHE 112/1112 |
General College Chemistry II with Lab (GT-SC1) |
5 |
| Guaranteed Transfer Social & Behavioral Science course (GT-SS1 or GT-SS3) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Fall Semester 2
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 201/2410 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | 5 |
|
PHY 211/2111 |
Physics: Calculus-based I with Lab (GT-SC1) | 5 |
|
|
Guaranteed Transfer Arts & Humanities Course (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3) |
3 |
| Guaranteed Transfer History Course (GT-HI1) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 16 |
Spring Semester 2
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 202/2420 | Calculus II (GT-MA1) | 5 |
|
PHY 212/2112 |
Physics: Calculus-based II with Lab (GT-SC1) | 5 |
|
|
Guaranteed Transfer Social & Behavioral Science course (GT-SS1 or GT-SS3) |
3 |
| Transfer Elective | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 14 |
Total credits at community college: 60
Completion of the above four semesters of coursework fulfills the requirements for an Associatesof Science Degree with Designation (DwD) in Geology at most Colorado Community Colleges and fulfills the General Education requirements at CU Boulder.
CU Boulder (last two years)
Fall Semester 3
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 2001 | Planet Earth | 4 |
|
GEOL 2005 |
Introduction to Earth Materials | 4 |
|
|
Non-major Elective |
3 |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 14 |
Spring Semester 3
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 2700 | Introduction to Field Geology | 2 |
|
|
Upper-division GEOL Surface Processes major course** | 3-4 |
|
|
Upper-division GEOL Solid Earth major course |
3-4 |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 14-16 |
Fall Semester 4
| Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| 4000-level GEOL Field Geology major course | 2 |
| Upper-division GEOL Qualitative Geoscience major course | 3-4 |
|
Elective approved for GEOL major - Upper-division |
3-4 |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14-16 |
Spring Semester 4
| Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| 4000-level GEOL Field Geology major course | 2 |
| Elective approved for GEOL major - Upper-division | 3-4 |
|
Elective approved for GEOL major - Upper-division |
3-4 |
| Elective approved for GEOL major - Upper-division (if needed, otherwise an upper-division non-major elective) | 3-4 |
| Upper-Division Non-major Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14-16 |
Total Credits at CU Boulder: 60
Completion of all eight semesters of coursework above fulfills the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Geology at CU Boulder.
*For community college courses, the first course number is before summer 2022 and the second course number is in summer 2022 and after.
**Since students can choose either 3-credit or 4-credit classes to fill their upper-division Geology major requirements, the number of classes they take to reach the required 27 upper-division credits in the major and the required 60 credits at CU Boulder can vary.
This material was supported by NSF grant #1649201. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.