Geology Major
Program Director: John Merck, Ph.D.
The Department of Geology offers three major tracks addressing key aspects of Geology - the science of Earth. In its broadest sense, geology focuses on the formation and subsequent modification of the planets, emphasizing planet Earth. Geologists study Earth's internal and surface structure and materials, history, and the chemical and physical processes acting within and on it using the principles of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
Geological sciences encompass all the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of Earth. Increasingly, geologists are taking a holistic approach in the collection and interpretation of data about Earth, which means that the wider context of the geological sciences is broad and diverse. In studying Earth as a system, geologists address geology and geophysics, hydrology, oceanography and marine science, atmospheric science, planetary science, and soil science. A major in any relevant discipline can lead to a satisfying career within the geological sciences. In general, graduate training is expected for advancement to the most rewarding positions and for academic employment.
Geology offers three major tracks:
- The Geology Professional Track is intended for students seeking to enter geosciences careers in private industry or public service, and who intend to pursue graduate degrees in geosciences.
- The Geology Geophysics Track is similarly intended for students seeking to enter careers in private industry or public service emphasizing the applications of physics to geosciences issues, and who intend to pursue graduate degrees in geophysics and related disciplines.
- The Earth and Environmental Sciences Track prepares students who do not plan, specifically, to become geologists but who plan to enter careers in fields for which geological information is foundational, including but not limited to science education, science journalism, environmental science, environmental law, and public policy.
Program Objectives
Geologists are employed by governmental, industrial, and academic organizations. They work in exploration for new mineral and energy resources, as consultants on engineering and environmental projects, as teachers and researchers in universities, and in many other challenging positions. For many, the attraction of a career in geology is the ability to divide time between work in the field, the laboratory, and the office. Although the employment outlook within geology varies with the global economic climate, the long-range outlook is good. This is because our dwindling energy, mineral, and water resources, along with increasing concerns about natural hazards and environmental issues, present new challenges for geologists.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate mastery in the design and execution of geosciences research.
- Demonstrate effective communication in oral and written geosciences presentations.
- Demonstrate broad knowledge of subject material in the principal disciplines of geosciences and understanding of the connections between them.
- Demonstrate understanding of the application of geosciences knowledge in broader societal contexts.
Professional Track
Courses required for the Professional Track B.S. in Geology are listed below. Some courses require field trips for which students are expected to pay for room (if required) and board. Field camp is taken during the summer at institutions other than the University of Maryland, College Park, that offer camps approved by the department.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Geology Courses | ||
| GEOL100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL120 | Environmental Geology | |
| GEOL110 | Physical Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL102 | Historical Geology | 4 |
| GEOL322 | Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEOL341 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOL342 | Sedimentation and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| GEOL423 | Optical Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEOL443 | Petrology | 4 |
| Geology Capstones | ||
| GEOL393 | Geology Senior Thesis I: Proposal | 3 |
| GEOL394 | Geology Senior Thesis II: Research | 3 |
| GEOL490 | Geology Field Camp | 6 |
| Geologic Core Discipline Options 1 | ||
| Select one of the following Quantitative Reasoning courses: | 3 | |
| Statistics for Geoscientists | ||
| Geoscientific Modeling | ||
| Observational Geophysics | ||
| Select one of the following Surface Processes courses: | 3-4 | |
| Geomorphology | ||
| Groundwater | ||
| Select one of the following Geophysics courses: | 3 | |
| Geophysics | ||
| Marine Geophysics | ||
| Seismology | ||
| Field Geophysics | ||
| Select one of the following Geochemistry courses: | 3-4 | |
| Low Temperature Geochemistry | ||
| High Temperature Geochemistry | ||
GEOL463 | ||
| Select one of the following Geobiology courses: | 3-4 | |
| Principles of Paleontology | ||
| Environmental Geochemistry | ||
| Principles of Biogeochemistry | ||
| Global Climate Change: Past and Present | ||
| Geology Elective | ||
| Select any 3-4 credit 300 – 400 level GEOL course not taken to satisfy the above requirements 1 | 3-4 | |
| Supporting Courses | ||
| Chemistry I - Fundamentals of General Chemistry | ||
or CHEM135 | General Chemistry for Engineers | |
| General Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
or CHEM136 | General Chemistry Laboratory for Engineers | |
| MATH140 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH141 | Calculus II | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Physics: Mechanics and Particle Dynamics and General Physics: Mechanics, Vibrations, Waves, Heat (Laboratory) | ||
| Introductory Physics: Mechanics and General Physics: Mechanics, Vibrations, Waves, Heat (Laboratory) | ||
| Total Credits | 70-74 | |
- 1
Or appropriate substitution with the approval of the department
Matriculated Geology majors are expected to take all courses on campus unless specific departmental permission is given.
Earth and Environmental Sciences Track
Courses required for the Professional Track B.S. in Earth and Environmental Sciences are listed below. Some courses require field trips for which students are expected to pay for room (if required) and board. The Geology Earth and Environmental Sciences Track leads to a B.S. degree in Geology with special emphasis on coursework that prepares the student for careers in fields other than professional geosciences but for which geological information is foundational. Such careers include but are not limited to science education, science journalism, environmental law and public policy. Background in fields connecting geology to related careers is provided by supporting options in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Astronomy, and Education. Further coursework in Education (including student teaching) will be required in order to obtain Maryland State Teaching Certification. Students seeking professional opportunities in secondary education are urged, also, to consult with advisors in the College of Education. While this track may also prepare students for work as a geologists in government or industry or for graduate study, students seeking advanced degrees or career opportunities in geology are advised to pursue the Professional Track.
Depending on course options selected, the Earth and Environmental Sciences Track can be completed in between 71 and 77 credits. To receive a degree in Geology, students must earn a grade of C- or better in required geology courses, and a C- average or better in supporting courses in addition to completing Gen Ed and 120 credits overall.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Geology Courses | ||
| GEOL100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL120 | Environmental Geology | |
| GEOL110 | Physical Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Causes and Consequences of Global Change 1 | ||
| Evolution of Life and Environment on Planet Earth | ||
| Earth's Fury: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunami | ||
| Dinosaurs, Early Humans, Ancestors, and Evolution; The Fossil Record of Vanished Worlds of the Prehistoric Past | ||
| Planetary Geology | ||
| GEOL102 | Historical Geology | 4 |
| GEOL322 | Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEOL340 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| GEOL341 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOL342 | Sedimentation and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| Experiential Learning in Earth Sciences | ||
| Choose one course from the following: | 3-6 | |
| Experiential Learning 1 | ||
| Geology Field Camp 2 | ||
| Special Problems in Geology | ||
| Earth Sciences Core Disciplines | ||
| Choose one from each of the following groups. | ||
| Analytic Methods in Earth Sciences: | 3 | |
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Statistics for Geoscientists | ||
| Geoscientific Modeling | ||
| Observational Geophysics | ||
| Environmental Geosciences: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to the Blue Ocean | ||
| Optical Mineralogy | ||
| Global Climate Change: Past and Present | ||
| Groundwater | ||
| Watershed and Wetland Hydrology | ||
| Ecosystem Restoration | ||
| Geophysics: | 3-4 | |
| Geophysics | ||
| Marine Geophysics | ||
| Engineering Geology | ||
| Seismology | ||
| Field Geophysics | ||
| Earth Materials: | 4 | |
| Petrology | ||
| Low Temperature Geochemistry | ||
| High Temperature Geochemistry | ||
| Geobiology: | 3-4 | |
| Principles of Paleontology | ||
| Biology of Extinct Animals | ||
| Vertebrate Paleobiology | ||
| Environmental Geochemistry | ||
| Principles of Biogeochemistry | ||
| Global Climate Change: Past and Present | ||
| Earth Sciences Electives | 6-8 | |
Any two 3 - 4 credit 300 - 400 level GEOL course not taken to satisfy the above requirements or appropriate substitution with the approval of the department. If GEOL490 – Geologic Field Camp is taken as an Experiential Learning option, it additionally satisfies one Earth Sciences Elective requirement. | ||
| Supporting Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Causes and Consequences of Global Change 1 | ||
| Weather and Climate | ||
| Introductory Astrophysics - Solar System | ||
| Inquiry Approach to Teaching STEM (Step 1) and Inquiry Teaching of STEM in Middle School | ||
| CHEM131 | Chemistry I - Fundamentals of General Chemistry | 3 |
| or CHEM135 | General Chemistry for Engineers | |
| CHEM132 | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| or CHEM136 | General Chemistry Laboratory for Engineers | |
| MATH140 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH141 | Calculus II | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| General Physics: Mechanics and Particle Dynamics and General Physics: Mechanics, Vibrations, Waves, Heat (Laboratory) | ||
| Introductory Physics: Mechanics and General Physics: Mechanics, Vibrations, Waves, Heat (Laboratory) | ||
| Total Credits | 71-79 | |
- 1
AOSC123 and GEOL123 cannot both be taken for credit.
- 2
GEOL490 satisfies both the Experiential Learning in Earth Sciences requirement and one (of two) Earth Sciences Electives requirement.
Geophysics Track
The geophysics curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of industry, graduate school, and government. The B.S. degree requires students to complete introductory geology and physics requirements (39 credits) and upper-level requirements including depth options, context options, and breadth options (30 - 35 credits) in addition to the General Education Program requirements and the completion of at least 120 credits in total. In order to receive a degree in Geophysics, the department requires that students must have a grade of C- or better in the required geology courses.
Courses required for the B.S. in Geology are listed below. Some courses require field trips for which the students are expected to pay for room (if required) and board.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Introductory Physics and Geology | ||
| GEOL100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL120 | Environmental Geology | |
| GEOL110 | Physical Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH140 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH141 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH241 | Calculus III | 4 |
| PHYS161 | General Physics: Mechanics and Particle Dynamics | 3 |
| or PHYS171 | Introductory Physics: Mechanics | |
| PHYS265 | Introduction to Scientific Programming | 3 |
| PHYS272 | Introductory Physics: Fields | 3 |
| or PHYS260 | General Physics: Electricity, Magnetism and Thermodynamics | |
| PHYS273 | Introductory Physics: Oscillations and Waves | 3 |
| or PHYS270 | General Physics: Waves, Optics, Relativity and Modern Physics | |
| PHYS275 | Experimental Physics I: Mechanics and Waves | 2 |
| PHYS276 | Experimental Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 7 | |
| Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations and Statistics for Geoscientists | ||
| Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers | ||
| Geophysics Upper Level Requirements | ||
| GEOL393 | Geology Senior Thesis I: Proposal | 3 |
| GEOL394 | Geology Senior Thesis II: Research | 3 |
| GEOL446 | Geophysics | 3 |
| Depth Requirements 1 | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Observational Geophysics | ||
| Marine Geophysics | ||
| Engineering Geology | ||
| Seismology | ||
| Field Geophysics | ||
| Tectonics | ||
| Context Requirement 1 | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Physical Meteorology | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Ocean | ||
| Atmospheric Thermodynamics | ||
| Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean | ||
| Computational Astrophysics | ||
| The Solar System | ||
| Astrophysics of Exoplanets | ||
| Mineralogy | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Structural Geology | ||
| Sedimentation and Stratigraphy | ||
| Geology of the Terrestrial Planets | ||
| Optical Mineralogy | ||
| Petrology | ||
| Groundwater | ||
| Breadth Requirement | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Electricity and Magnetism I | ||
| Modern Physics | ||
| Quantum Physics I | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics | ||
| Classical Mechanics | ||
| Electricity and Magnetism II | ||
| Recommended Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Chemistry I - Fundamentals of General Chemistry and General Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| General Chemistry for Engineers and General Chemistry Laboratory for Engineers | ||
| Total Credits | 69-73 | |
- 1
Or any upper level (300 or higher) Geology course with the approval of the undergraduate director not used to satisfy above requirements. Matriculated Geology majors are expected to take all courses on campus unless specific departmental permission is given.
Click here for roadmaps for graduation plans in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.
Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages:
- http://4yearplans.umd.edu
- the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog
Semesterly advising is mandatory for Geology majors in all tracks. Advising is performed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or designees. To schedule an advising appointment, please follow the instructions at http://geol.umd.edu/undergraduate/advising/.