B.S. Professional Geology

University and College Core

English Composition (6 hours)

  • EN 1103 English Comp I (3)
  • EN 1113 English Comp II (3)

Oral Communication (3 hours)

  • CO 1003 Fundamentals of Public Speaking or CO 1013 Introduction to Communication (3)

Foreign Language (6 hours)

  • FL 1113 Foreign Language I (3)
  • FL 1123 Foreign Language II (3)

Fine Arts (3 hours)

  • See A&S requirements

Humanities (6 hours)

  • 3 hours Literature (see A&S requirements)
  • 3 hours History (see A&S requirements)

Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

  • GR 1123 Intro to World Geography
  • 3 hours in a different discipline (see A&S requirements)

Basic Concentration Core (4 hours)

  • GG 1113 Survey of Earth Science I and
  • GG 1111 Earth Science I Lab

Concentration Core

Mathematics (6 hours)

  • MA 1713 Calculus I (3)
  • MA 1723 Calculus II (3)

Natural Sciences (17 hours)

  • CH 1213 Chemistry I (3)
  • CH 1211 Investigations in CH I (lab) (1)
  • CH 1223 Chemistry II (3)
  • CH 1221 Investigations in CH II (lab) (1)
  • PH 1113 General Physics I (3)
  • PH 1123 General Physics II (3)
  • PH 1133 General Physics III or GG 4233 Applied Geophysics (3)

Concentration Requirements (46 hours)

  • GG 1121 Earth Science II Lab (1)
  • GG 1123 Survey of Earth Science II (3)
  • GG 3133 Intro to Environmental Geology (3)
  • GG 3613 Water Resources (3)
  • GG 4114 Mineralogy (4)
  • GG 4123 Petrology (3)
  • GG 4201 Practicum in Paleontology (1)
  • GG 4304 Principles of Sedimentary Deposits I (4)
  • GG 4333 Geowriting (3)
  • GG 4413 Structural Geology (3)
  • GG 4443 Principles of Sedimentary Deposits II (3)
  • GG 4503 Geomorphology (3)
  • GR 2313 Maps and Remote Sensing (3)
  • ST 3213 Intro to Statistical Inference or GR 4633 Statistical Climatology (3)
  • GG 4446/6446 Summer Geology Field Camp (6)

Departmental Elective Group #1 (6-7 hours; choose 2 courses below)

  • GG 1133 Planetary Geology (3)
  • GG 3603 Intro to Oceanography (3)
  • GG 4523 Coastal Environments (3)
  • GR 1604 Weather and Climate (4)

Departmental Elective Group #2 (9 hours; choose 3 courses below)

  • GG 4063 Development of Fossil Fuel Resources (3)
  • GG 4153 Engineering Geology (3)
  • GG 4433 Subsurface Methods (3)
  • GG 4613 Physical Hydrogeology (3)
  • GR 4303 Principles of GIS (3)

Departmental Electives (3 hours; choose 1 course below)

  • GG 4203 Principles of Paleobiology (3)
  • GG 4133 Principles of Paleoecology (3)
  • GG 4113 Micropaleontology (3)

Specified Electives (3 hours)

  • Number of credit hours needed to bring total credit hours to 124. Consult Advisor for specifics.

Total hours needed for degree: 124

Note:

A grade of C or higher is required on all departmental courses to satisfy graduation requirements.  Students in the Professional Geology concentration are required to take the Association of State Board of Geologists Fundamentals of Geology (ASBOG-FG) exam prior to completing the program.

Professional Geology students are required to attend a 6-credit hours Summer Field Camp course during the summer of their junior or senior year.

Sample Curriculum

B.S. in Geosciences with a concentration in Professional Geology

Freshman Year
FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER
COURSE CREDIT COURSE CREDIT
EN 1103 English Comp I 3 EN 1113 English Comp II 3
MA 1713 Calculus I 3 MA 1723 Calculus II 3
GR 1123 Intro World Geog. 3 XX XXXX Social Science a 3
GG 1113 Survey Earth Sci I 3 GG 1123 Survey Earth Sci II 3
GG 1111 Earth Science I Lab 1 GG 1121 Earth Science II Lab 1
GR 2313 Maps and Remote 3        
Total Credit Hours 16 Total Credit Hours 13
Sophomore Year
FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER
COURSE CREDIT COURSE CREDIT
EN XXXX Literature b 3 HI XXXX History c 3
CH 1213 Chemistry I 3 CH 1223 Chemistry II 3
CH 1211 Investigations in CH I 1 CH 1121 Investigations in CH II 1
GG 3613 Water Resources 3 GG 3133 Intro Environ. Geology 3
CO 1003 Public Speaking 3 XX XXXX Specified Elective e 3
XX XXXX Fine Arts d 3        
Total Credit Hours 16 Total Credit Hours 13
Junior Year
FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER
COURSE CREDIT COURSE CREDIT
GG 4114 Mineralogy 4 GG 4123 Petrology 3
FL 1113 Foreign Language I 3 GG 4XXX Dept. Elective #2 f 3
GG 4201 Pract. Paleontology 1 FL 1123 Foreign Language II 3
PH 1113 Physics I 3 ST 3123 Statistical Inference 3
GG 4203 Prin. of Paleobiology 3 PH 1123 Physics II 3
Total Credit Hours 14 Total Credit Hours 16
Senior Year
FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER
COURSE CREDIT COURSE CREDIT
GG 4503 Geomorphology 3 GG XXXX Dept. Elective #2 f 3
GG 4413 Structural Geology 3 GG 4XXX Dept. Elective #3 f 3
GG 4304 Sed. Dep. I 4 GG 4443 Sed. Dep. II 3
PH 1133 Physics III or GG 4233 3 GG 4XXX Dept. Elective #3 f 3
GG XXXX Dept. Elective #2 f 3 GG 4333 Geowriting 3
Total Credit Hours 15 Total Credit Hours 15
Summer Semester (junior or senior year)
COURSE CREDIT  
GG   Summer Field Camp g 6  
Total Credit Hours 6 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS 124

aSocial Science – check Arts Sciences core requirements guidelines for approved courses.

bLiterature – Intro Literature or American, English, or World Literature. Check Arts & Sciences core requirements guidelines for approved courses.

cHistory – check Arts & Sciences core requirements guidelines for approved courses.

dFine Arts – check Arts & Sciences core requirements guidelines for approved courses.

eGeneral Elective – any course with college credit that follows University and Arts & Sciences guidelines to bring the total credits to 124 hours.

fDept. Elective – a specific Geosciences course as outlined in the curriculum requirements.

g6 credit hours Summer Field Camp course not offered at MSU. Transfer credits accepted from other accredited universities with approved field camp courses.