COURSE CURRICULUM

The Earth Science Bachelor’s program provides a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the Earth’s materials, structures, and dynamic processes, as well as their changes over geological time. Students pursuing this degree must complete 36 credit hours of General Education coursework, including academic foundations in mathematics, statistics, logic, speaking, and writing, as well as breadth of knowledge courses in arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, complemented by diversity and integrated learning requirements. Core Earth Science courses include Introductory Physical and Historical Geology, Mineral Science, Silicate Mineralogy and Petrology, Sedimentation and Stratigraphy, Structural Geology, Paleobiology, and two Geology Field Camps, totaling 34 credits, and are supplemented by 6 credits of elective geology courses and 4 credits of upper-level geology or geography electives such as Climatology, GIS, Remote Sensing, or Soil and Water Field Studies. Students also complete non-geology requirements, including 8 credits in mathematics, chemistry, and physics foundational courses, and an additional 7 credits in advanced science courses such as calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics to support scientific literacy and analytical skills. The program emphasizes both field and laboratory experiences, preparing graduates for careers in natural resource industries, environmental consulting, government agencies, and academia, while providing the flexibility to tailor the degree to specialized areas of interest.