The Bachelor of Science in Geology

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree: 120 units

See “Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree” in The University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

The department has prepared a suggested Four Year Advising Plan to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. Please request a plan from your major adviser or view it and other current advising information on the CSU, Chico Web.

Please see General Education, Cultural Diversity, American Institutions, and Literacy Requirements under the BS in Geosciences.

Course Requirements for the Major: 61-62 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this degree.

Lower-Division Requirements: 20-21 units

4 courses required:

CHEM    037    General Chemistry    4.0    FS *

Prerequisites: Second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry or CHEM 016. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)

GEOS    002    Physical Geology    3.0    FS *

Prerequisites: High school chemistry or physics is recommended; students with no previous science courses are advised to enroll in GEOS 001. No college credit for those who have passed GEOS 001.

GEOS    003    Principles of Historical Geology    2.0    FA

Prerequisites: GEOS 001 or GEOS 002.

MATH    007A    Analytic Geometry and Calculus    4.0    FS *

Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement; both MATH 004 and MATH 006 (or high school equivalent); a score that meets department guidelines on a department administered calculus readiness exam.

1 course selected from:

PHYS    002A    General Physics    4.0    FS *

Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. High school trigonometry and second-year high school algebra or equivalent (MATH 003 and MATH 004 at CSU, Chico).

PHYS    004A    Mechanics    4.0    FS *

Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. Concurrent enrollment in or prior completion of MATH 007B (second semester of calculus) or equivalent.

1 course selected from:

MATH    005    Statistics    3.0    FS *

Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement.

MATH    007B    Analytic Geometry and Calculus    4.0    FS

Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement; MATH 007A with a grade of C- or higher.

Students who are considering attending graduate school should talk with an adviser about additional preparatory courses in chemistry, mathematics, and physics. The department very strongly recommends CHEM 037, CHEM 038, MATH 007A, MATH 007B; either PHYS 002A and PHYS 002B or PHYS 004A, PHYS 004B, and PHYS 004C.

Upper-Division Requirements: 41 units

12 courses required:

GEOS    103    Invertebrate Paleontology    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 003 or course in Biology.

GEOS    106    Mineralogy and Lithology    4.0    FA

Prerequisites: GEOS 001 or GEOS 002; CHEM 037 or CHEM 027 or equivalent; or faculty permission.

GEOS    107    Stratigraphy    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: GEOS 003 and GEOS 106 (both may be taken concurrently), or faculty permission.

GEOS    160    Field Methods    2.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 106; GEOS 107.

GEOS    161    Preparing Geological Reports    1.0    SP

Prerequisites: ENGL 001 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher; GEOS 160.

GEOS    202    Optical Mineralogy    1.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 106 with grade of C- or better. Must be taken concurrently with GEOS 203.

GEOS    203    Igneous/Metamorphic Petrology    4.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 106 with grade of C- or better. Must be taken concurrently with GEOS 202.

GEOS    208    Structural Geology    4.0    FA

Prerequisites: High school or college trigonometry; GEOS 003; GEOS 107 with grade of C- or higher.

GEOS    255    Sedimentary Basin Analysis    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: GEOS 107; GEOS 203.

GEOS    271    Field Geology    2.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 160; GEOS 161; GEOS 208 (with grade of C- or higher in all courses).

GEOS    272    Advanced Field Geology    2.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 203; GEOS 271.

GEOS    280    Geol Evolution of North Amer    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: GEOS 255; senior standing in Geology option, or faculty permission.

2-3 courses selected from:

GEOS    215    Hydrogeology    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: CHEM 037, GEOS 106; MATH 007A; either PHYS 002A or PHYS 004A; either GEOS 070 or GEOS 180. Recommended: GEOS 107.

GEOS    250    Tectonics    3.0    F2

Prerequisites: GEOS 003 (May be taken concurrently).

GEOS    265    Geochemistry    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: CHEM 037, GEOS 002. Recommended: GEOS 106.

GEOS    270    Environmental/Engineering Geol    3.0    S2

Prerequisites: GEOS 002, GEOS 003, GEOS 106. For majors in related sciences and technical fields, GEOS 002.

0-1 courses selected from:

Any upper-division non-General Education geosciences (GEOS) course.

Please see the Electives, Grading, and Advising Requirements under the BS in Geosciences.