Geology, BS

The BS in Geology, offered by the Department of Geology , provides a flexible program that prepares students for careers in environmental remediation and management, water resources, natural hazards mitigation, geophysics and geology, engineering and hazardous materials, and digital mapping. Our graduates find work in local and international firms as well as in regional, state, and federal government agencies.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3A, 3B, 4, UD 3, or UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) 3 units (see Writing in the Disciplines)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures

Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division General Education: 15 (13 units may be satisfied by major coursework)

American Institutions/ US123 Requirements: 6 (Note: may be satisfied by GE coursework)

Upper Division General Education: 6 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework)

Physical Education: 2

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR): 0 (3 units may be satisfied by Any 100W)

Major Preparation: 16

Major Requirements: 57

University Electives: 18

Total: 120

2. Major Preparation (16 units)

CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)

Complete One Sequence From:

Fundamentals

PHYS 2A - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 2B - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)

General Physics

PHYS 50 - General Physics I: Mechanics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 51 - General Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)

3. Major Requirements (57 units)

Core Courses (34-36 units)

GEOL 1 - General Geology 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
GEOL 7 - Earth, Time and Life 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
GEOL 28 - Geology Outdoors 1 unit(s)
Any 100W 3 unit(s) (WID) (Recommend METR, ENVS, PHYS, or CHEM 100W)
GEOL 120 - Fundamentals of Mineralogy 3 unit(s)
GEOL 122 - Petrology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 124 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 2/5 / Formerly Area R)
GEOL 125 - Structural Geology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 129A - Spring Field Geology 2 unit(s)
GEOL 137 - Introduction to GPS/GIS for Geologic Applications 4 unit(s)

Complete One Course From:

GEOL 129B - Advanced Field Geology 4 unit(s) (Note: students planning to pursue licensure as a Professional Geologist should take GEOL 129B)
GEOL 129C - Digital Geologic Field Mapping 2 unit(s)

Geology Electives (21-23 units)

Complete 21-23 units from:

GEOL 127 - Tectonics 3 unit(s)
GEOL 129C - Digital Geologic Field Mapping 2 unit(s) (If not taken as Geology Core Course)
GEOL 130 - Marine Geology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 132 - Planetary Geology 3 unit(s)
GEOL 134 - Geomorphology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 135 - Geochemistry 4 unit(s)
GEOL 138 - Hydrogeology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 140 - Principles of Engineering Geology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 142 - Paleontology 4 unit(s)
GEOL 143 - Active Tectonics 4 unit(s)
GEOL 145 - Earth System Science 4 unit(s)
GEOL 147 - Introduction to Applied Geophysics 4 unit(s)
GEOL 174 - Hazardous Materials 3 unit(s)
GEOL 180 - Individual Studies 1-3 unit(s)
MS 141 - Geological Oceanography 4 unit(s)

4. University Electives (18 units)

MATH 31 recommended for graduate school or technical careers.

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