Geology, Geosciences (BS)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Major: Geosciences
Concentration: Geology
Program Code: 3472
About This Major . . .
The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Geosciences and a concentration in Geology is designed for students who (1) desire a strong liberal arts education with emphasis on the earth sciences, (2) wish to pursue a graduate degree in geology, or (3) desire a professional or technical geoscience career.
Recent graduates are attending graduate programs at major universities or have entered the work force as geological technicians or professional geologists. Instruction takes place in a state-of-the-art science complex, which houses several instructional laboratories, a projects room, computer-applications laboratory, petrology-mineralogy laboratory, rock-storage facilities, and a sample preparation room.
Most classes have a strong field component so that students benefit from the diverse geological setting of the Grand Junction area. Equipment includes research petrographic microscopes, binocular microscopes, x-ray diffractometer, x-ray fluorescence, GPS units, local seismic network, and a magnetometer. Computer facilities include PC systems with software for communications, database management, word-processing, geographical information systems (GIS), and geostatistics.
Students engage in a capstone research project/thesis during their senior year that involves independent research and the completion of a professional report and presentation. Students develop professional skills and complete a portfolio of their work for future employers or graduate schools.
For more information on what you can do with this major, visit Career Services’ What to Do with a Major? resource.
All CMU baccalaureate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:
- Complete a comprehensive assessment exam that draws on current research, scholarship and/or techniques, as well as specialized geology knowledge at both the beginner and advanced levels. (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning)
- Analyze data critically, reason logically, and apply quantitative analysis methods correctly to geological data to develop appropriate conclusions. (Quantitative Fluency)
- Make and defend assertions about geological hypotheses in an extended well-organized document and an oral presentation. (Communication Fluency)
- Describe reasoned conclusions that articulate the implications and consequences for a particular decision by synthesizing geological information and geology methodologies. (Critical Thinking)
- Reflect on and respond to ethical and environmental challenges at local, national, and/or global levels. (Personal and Social Responsibility)
- Find relevant sources of geological information, evaluate information critically, and apply the information appropriately and effectively to geologic problems. (Information Literacy)
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity.
Institutional Degree Requirements
The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU baccalaureate degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- 120 semester hours minimum.
- Students must complete a minimum of 30 of the last 60 hours of credit at CMU, with at least 15 semester hours in major discipline courses numbered 300 or higher.
- 40 upper-division credits (an alternative credit limit applies to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree).
- 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
- A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
- No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
- Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 30 semester credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. A maximum of 15 of the 30 credits may be for cooperative education, internships, and practica.
- Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
- Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
- See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
Essential Learning Requirements
(31 semester hours)
See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English 1 | ||
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II-GTCO2 | 3 |
| Mathematics 1 | ||
| MATH 151 | Calculus I-GT-MA1 2 | 3 |
| History | ||
| Select one History course | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select one Humanities course | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course | 3 | |
| Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course | 3 | |
| Fine Arts | ||
| Select one Fine Arts course | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select one Natural Sciences course | 3 | |
| Select one Natural Sciences course with a lab 3 | 4 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 31 | |
- 1
Must receive a grade of "C" or better and must be complete by the time the student has 60 semester hours.
- 2
This is a 5 semester credit hour course. 3 credits apply to the Essential Learning Requirements and 2 credits apply to Foundation Courses.
- 3
We recommend selecting one of the following sets of courses, with BIOL 105/BIOL 105L, PHYS 132/PHYS 132L, or CHEM 132/CHEM 132L as the best choices for students interested in attending graduate school: BIOL 105/BIOL 105L, PHYS 112/PHYS 112L, PHYS 132/PHYS 132L, or CHEM 132/CHEM 132L.
Other Lower Division Requirements
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Requirement | ||
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| Select one Activity course | 1 | |
| Essential Learning Capstone 1 | ||
| ESSL 290 | Maverick Milestone | 3 |
| ESSL 200 | Essential Speech | 1 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
- 1
Essential Learning Capstone must be taken after completion of the Essential Learning English and Mathematics requirements, and when a student has earned between 45 and 75 hours.
Foundation Courses
(23 semester hours, must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 112 & 112L | Principles of Historical Geology-GTSC1 and Principles of Historical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | General Chemistry I-GTSC1 and General Chemistry Laboratory I-GTSC1 | 5 |
| You must take one of the following course sequences: 1 | 4 | |
| Principles of Physical Geology-GTSC1 and Principles of Physical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Field-Based Introduction to Physical Geology-GTSC1 and Field-Based Introduction to Physical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| You must take one of the following course sequences: 2 | 5 | |
| General Physics I-GTSC1 and General Physics I Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Fundamental Mechanics-GTSC1 and Fundamental Mechanics Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| STAT 200 | Probability and Statistics-GTMA1 | 3 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I-GT-MA1 3 | 2 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 23 | |
- 1
Either GEOL 111/GEOL 111L or GEOL 113/GEOL 113L may be taken for credit, but not both.
- 2
Either PHYS 111/PHYS 111L or PHYS 131/PHYS 131L may be taken for credit, but not both.
- 3
This is a 5 semester credit hour course. 3 credits apply to the Essential Learning Requirements and 2 credits apply to Foundation Courses.
Program Specific Degree Requirements
(48 semester hours, must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| GEOL 202 | Introduction to Field Studies | 3 |
| GEOL 204 | Computer Applications in Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 301 & 301L | Structural Geology and Structural Geology Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 331 & 331L | Crystallography and Mineralogy and Crystallography and Mineralogy Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 402 & 402L | Applications of Geomorphology and Applications of Geomorphology Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 444 & 444L | Sedimentology and Stratigraphy and Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 480 | Summer Field Camp | 6 |
| GEOL 490 | Seminar | 3 |
| Required Geology Courses | ||
| GEOL 340 & 340L | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology and Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 404 & 404L | Geophysics and Geophysics Laboratory | 4 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 39 | |
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted Electives | ||
| Select 9 semester hours of the following: 1 | 9 | |
| Introduction to Engineering Geology | ||
| Applied Geochemistry | ||
| Survey of Energy-Related Natural Resources | ||
| Survey of Mineral-Related Natural Resources | ||
| Renewable Energy | ||
| Natural Resources of the West | ||
| Paleontology and Paleontology Laboratory | ||
| Hydrology and River Dynamics and Hydrology and River Dynamics Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Ground Water and Introduction to Ground Water Laboratory | ||
| Field-Based Depositional Systems and Field-Based Depositional Systems Laboratory | ||
| Subsurface Methods | ||
| Climate Change Science | ||
| Topics | ||
| Topics Lab | ||
| Structured Research | ||
| General Chemistry II-GTSC1 and General Chemistry Laboratory II-GTSC1 | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Computational Statistics | ||
| General Physics II-GTSC1 and General Physics II Laboratory-GTSC1 2 | ||
| Electromagnetism and Optics-GTSC1 and Electromagnetism and Optics Laboratory-GTSC1 2 | ||
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 9 | |
- 1
Seven hours of Restricted and General Electives must be upper division.
- 2
Either PHYS 112/PHYS 112L or PHYS 132/PHYS 132L may be taken for credit, but not both.
General Electives
All college level courses appearing on your final transcript, not listed above that will bring your total semester hours to 120 hours. 12 semester hours; additional hours of upper division may be needed. Seven hours of Restricted and General Electives must be upper division.
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select electives | 12 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Semester Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 111 | English Composition I-GTCO1 | 3 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus I-GT-MA1 | 5 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles of Physical Geology-GTSC1 and Principles of Physical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Field-Based Introduction to Physical Geology-GTSC1 and Field-Based Introduction to Physical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Essential Learning - Humanities | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 112 & 112L | Principles of Historical Geology-GTSC1 and Principles of Historical Geology Laboratory-GTSC1 | 4 |
| ENGL 112 | English Composition II-GTCO2 | 3 |
| Essential Learning - History | 3 | |
| Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| KINE 100 | Health and Wellness | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEOL 202 | Introduction to Field Studies | 3 |
| Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | General Chemistry I-GTSC1 and General Chemistry Laboratory I-GTSC1 | 5 |
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Physics I-GTSC1 and General Physics I Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Fundamental Mechanics-GTSC1 and Fundamental Mechanics Laboratory-GTSC1 | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 204 | Computer Applications in Geology | 3 |
| Essential Learning - Natural Science with Lab | 4 | |
| STAT 200 | Probability and Statistics-GTMA1 | 3 |
| ESSL 290 | Maverick Milestone | 3 |
| ESSL 200 | Essential Speech | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Essential Learning - Natural Science | 3 | |
| GEOL 301 & 301L | Structural Geology and Structural Geology Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 331 & 331L | Crystallography and Mineralogy and Crystallography and Mineralogy Laboratory | 4 |
| General Electives | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 340 & 340L | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology and Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Laboratory | 4 |
| Essential Learning - Fine Arts | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEOL 402 & 402L | Applications of Geomorphology and Applications of Geomorphology Laboratory | 4 |
| Restricted Electives | 9 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 404 & 404L | Geophysics and Geophysics Laboratory | 4 |
| KINA Activity | 1 | |
| GEOL 444 & 444L | Sedimentology and Stratigraphy and Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 490 | Seminar | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| GEOL 480 | Summer Field Camp | 6 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:
- Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
- Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
- Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
- Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.
Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.
If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.