Major & Minor Requirements

Doing some field work in New England!

Requirements for the Geosciences Major and Minor

Major/Minor Infographic

Goals for the 100 level curriculum: 

  1. Develop scientific literacy
  2. Explore earth systems in the classroom, the lab, and in the field
  3. Understand our local landscape, sustainability, and planetary limits
  4. Collect, curate, and model data to create geological narratives

 

Goals for the 200-300 level curriculum:

  1. Understand the drivers of Earth processes from first principles
  2. Experience content through inquiry based research projects, field work, analogue modeling and engagement with Earth materials and scientific data
  3. Apply the scientific method and use data to make interpretations about geologic processes
  4. Collaborate with peers in a project based setting
  5. Demonstrate written, oral, and visual communications skills to convey complex information to a range of audiences

Requirements for the Major

The geosciences major includes three components: 

1. 3 GEOS core classes 

  • GEOS 101 OR GEOS 102
  • GEOS 200
  • GEOS 203

2. 5 GEOS electives 

  • 200/300 level course 
  • 200/300 level course 
  • 300 level course 
  • 300 level course 
  • 300 level course 
  • NOTE: students may count a GEOS 350/360/370 towards one of the 300 level course requirements. 

3. 4 allied (cognate) STEM classes 

  • Include, but are not limited to, courses from ASTR, BIOC, BISC, CHEM, CS, ES, MATH, PHYS, STAT.
  • At least 2 classes must be taken from the same department.
  • These classes cannot be double counted towards another major or minor.
  • Consult with your major/minor advisor for advice on appropriate cognate STEM classes to take. 

The core requirements provide students with an introduction to the key elements of geosciences: earth materials and processes, scale, and deep time, as well as the development of system thinking skills. The electives (200-300 level) allow students to develop an area of focus that reflects their particular interests and future goals. The cognate STEM courses provide context, depth, and additional quantitative skills.

Potential Major Tracks

Students are encouraged, in consultation with their advisors, to choose a "focus" that lends depth and coherence to the major and can guide elective choices. Example foci might include:

  • Solid Earth Systems and Tectonics
  • Environmental Geosciences
  • Surface Processes
  • Planetary Geology

 

Requirements for the Minor

The geosciences minor consists of 5 courses: 

  • GEOS 101 OR GEOS 102
  • 200/300 level course 
  • 200/300 level course
  • 200/300 level course 
  • 300 level course

Students should choose an appropriate set of courses with the guidance of a departmental advisor.

 

Honors

Getting honors in the major requires writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100 level; the department may petition on behalf of the student if the GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Honors.

Graduate Study

Students considering graduate school are urged to take two semesters of mathematics, two of chemistry, two of physics, and a geoscience field experience or summer research program. Students will choose an appropriate set of complementary courses with the guidance of a departmental advisor.