Degree Requirements

Geology is the study of the planet Earth - the materials of which it is made, the processes that act upon these materials, and the history of the planet and life forms since its origin. Geology considers the physical forces acting on the earth, the chemistry of its constituent materials, and the biology of its past inhabitants. Modern geology also includes the study of the interrelationships in the modern environment of humans and geological phenomena and focuses on such important concerns as how our global climate is changing and how that change will affect human activities.

The Department of Geology offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. These programs prepare students for graduate studies and for a variety of careers with emphasis on investigation of the environment by federal an state agencies, industries, and consulting companies. The programs allow flexibility to accommodate the needs and interests of all students. Selection of a particular program should be made in consultation with a department adviser.

The Department of Geology offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree. The M.S. program offers environmental geology and hydrology concentrations with both thesis and nonthesis options.

Faculty and students of the Department of Geology are actively engaged in basic and applied research. Specific research areas include igneous petrology geochemistry, quantitative hydrogeology, glacial geology and soils, sedimentary geochemistry, paleoclimate, biohydrology, engineering geology, biometrics, biomineralization, and petrology of carbonate rocks. For more specific research explore the Laboratory Pages here at IUPUI Geology.

 


Bachelor of Arts

(Granted by Indiana University)

AREA IV Geology Concentration Requirements 40 credit hour of geology, including G110, G205, G206, G209, G221, G222, G303, G304, G323, G334, G495, and three 400-level or higher geology courses. At the senior level, students may follow a General Geology Option of may specialize in the Environmental Geology Option. For the General Geology Option, any three 400-level or higher courses may be selected except G420 Regional Geology Field Trip. If G410 Undergraduate Research in Geology is selected for on of these courses, it must total at least 3 credit hours. For the Environmental Geology Option, the three 400-level courses must be selected from among G406, G413, G415, and G451. GEOL G107, G109, G115, G130, and G180 do not count toward the geology concentration of 40 credit hours but may be applies as electives toward the university-requires total of 122 credit hours. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these geology courses. Note that G205 is a prerequisite for all 300- and 400- level courses.


Bachelor of Science

(Granted by Indiana University)

AREA IV Geology Concentration Requirements 43 credit hour of geology, including G110, G205, G206, G209, G221, G222, G303, G304, G323, G334, G495, three 400-level or higher geology courses, and a field camp of at least 3 credit hours approved by the faculty of the Department of Geology. At the senior level, students may follow a General Geology Option of may specialize in the Environmental Geology Option. For the General Geology Option, any three 400-level or higher courses may be selected except G420 Regional Geology Field Trip. If G410 Undergraduate Research in Geology is selected for on of these courses, it must total at least 3 credit hours. For the Environmental Geology Option, the three 400-level courses must be selected from among G406, G413, G415, and G451. Also, for the Environmental Geology Option, G460 Internship in Geology may be substituted for the field camp requirement. GEOL G107, G109, G115, G130, and G180 do not count toward the geology concentration of 43 credit hours but may be applies as electives toward the university-requires total of 122 credit hours. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these geology courses.

General Two science courses at the 300-400 level with department approval. No grade below a C- will be accepted in any of these courses.


Minor in Geology

(Granted by Indiana University)

The undergraduate minor in geology requires 18 credit hours of courses, with an overall grade point average of 2.0 (C) and with no grade less than a C–, distributed as follows:

  1. Students must complete the following five courses which total 12 credit hours: G110 (3 cr.), G130 (1 cr.), G206 (2 cr.), G209 (3 cr.), and G221 (3 cr.).
  2. Students must complete an additional 6 credit hours minimum, including two of the following courses: G222 (3 cr.), G304 (3 cr.), G334 (3 cr.), G406 (3 cr.), G415 (3 cr.), G430 (4 cr.), and G451 (3 cr.).

At least 9 credit hours of the minor must be taken at IUPUI. In addition, recommended courses include one year of college chemistry and at least one course in college algebra.

 


Bachelor of Science/Master of Science Program

(Granted by Indiana University)

The B.S./M.S. program blends the undergraduate B.S. program with the M.S. program in geology, leading to award of bachelor’s and master’s degrees with completion of the M.S. thesis. The departmental graduate advisory committee administers the B.S./M.S. program.

Admission Requirements
Prospective students should have advanced standing in the undergraduate program. Students should apply to the program in early spring of the junior year. Students should submit GRE scores and three letters of recommendation. Application requires a minimum GPA of 3.0, and will be considered by the departmental graduate committee.

Degree Requirements
Course and thesis requirements are the same as listed under the Master of Science program in this bulletin. Upon acceptance into the program, the student will prepare a research and course plan in consultation with a graduate academic advisory committee. Research reading and data collection begins in the summer prior to the senior year of undergraduate study, and will be completed in the following summer. The fifth year of study is devoted to graduate course work and completion of the M.S. thesis.


Master of Science

(Granted by Indiana University)

The Department of Geology graduate program leads to a Master of Science degree. The program is administered by a departmental graduate advisory committee, composed of the graduate advisor and two or more members of the graduate faculty.

Admission Requirements
Prospective students should have a bachelor’s degree in geology, including a summer field course, and a minimum of a B (3.0) average in geology courses. One year of chemistry and mathematics through college algebra and trigonometry are required. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in another area of science are also encouraged to apply; the departmental graduate advisory committee will prescribe a plan of study to remove deficiencies. The Graduate Record Examination General Test is required; the Subject Test in Geology is optional. Each student must submit three letters of recommendation.

Transfer Credit The Department of Geology will accept by transfer a maximum of 8 hours of graduate credit, in excess of undergraduate degree requirements, from approved institutions.

Grades A 3.0 (B) grade point average of higher must be maintained, but no more than 6 credit hours of grades below B are acceptable and no grade below C is acceptable.

Financial Aid
Admitted students may be appointed as research assistants or teaching assistants in introductory geology courses. Several such assistantships are available each year. Assistantships include remission of tuition and fees.

Degree Requirements
Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Both options require at least 18 credit hours of non-research course work in geology and at least 3 credit hours in courses approved for graduate credit from allied sciences, mathematics, or the environmental program of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Up to 6 credit hours of 400-level courses approved for graduate credit may be counted toward the degree with the approval of the graduate advisor. The thesis option requires the completion of 30 credit hours, 6 of which are taken as G810 Research (the thesis). The non-thesis option requires the completion of 36 credit hours, 3 of which consist of a research project taken as G700 Geologic Problems. The departmental graduate committee must approve elective credits outside of the Department of Geology for both options.

Admitted students will be assigned a three-person advisory committee at the beginning of the first year of graduate study. The committee will prescribe a study program based on the interests of the student and the principal graduate advisor. Students must complete all degree requirements within six years of beginning this study program. A B (3.0) average or higher must be maintained, and no grade below C is acceptable.


Undergraduate Plans of Study

There is no single semester-by-semester plan of study for either the B.A. or B.S. degree because of the flexibility encouraged within the program. However, one possible sequence of courses for each degree is given below; variations from these samples of plans of study should be made in consultation with a departmental advisor.

Bachelor of Arts (122 cr. required)

Freshman Year  
First Semester  
GEOL G110 Physical Geology 3
GEOL G206 Advanced Physical Geology  
Laboratory 2
CHEM C105/125 Principles of Chemistry I 5
ENG W131 Elementary Composition I 3
MATH 153 Algebra and Trigonometry I 3
SCI 120 Windows on Science 1
17
Second Semester  
COMM R110 Fundamentals of Speech  
Communication 3
CHEM C106/126 Principles of Chemistry II 5
MATH 154 Algebra and Trigonometry II 3
Second Composition Course 3
14
Sophomore Year  
Third Semester  
GEOL G209 History of the Earth 3
GEOL G221 Introductory Mineralogy 3
BIOL N107 Exploring the world of animals 4
H114 Western Civilization 3
CSCI N207 Data Analysis 3
16
Fourth Semester  
GEOL G205 Reporting Skills in  
Geoscience 3
GEOL G222 Introductory Petrology 3
BIOL K101 Concepts of Biology I—Plants 5
Social Sciences Elective 3
14
Junior Year  
Fifth Semester  
GEOL G303 Geologic Mapping and  
Field Methods 4
GEOL G334 Principles of Sedimentation  
and Stratigraphy 3
World Cultures Elective 3
Junior/Senior Integrator 3
Elective 3
16
Sixth Semester  
GEOL G304 Principles of Paleontology 3
GEOL G323 Structural Geology 3
Humanities Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
15
Senior Year  
Seventh Semester  
GEOL 400-level Electives 6
Elective 3
300-level Elective 3
Elective 3
15
Eighth Semester  
GEOL G495 Senior Thesis in Geology 1
GEOL 400-level Elective 3
300-level Elective 9
Elective 3
16
Bachelor of Science (122 cr. required)  
Freshman Year  
First Semester  
GEOL G110 Physical Geology 3
GEOL G206 Advanced Physical Geology  
Laboratory 2
ENG W131 Elementary Composition I 3
MATH 163 Integrated Calculus and  
Analytic Geometry I 5
CSCI N207 Data Analysis 3
SCI 120 Windows on Science 1
17
Second Semester  
COMM R110 Fundamentals of Speech  
Communication 3
CHEM C105/125 Principles of Chemistry I 5
MATH 164 Integrated Calculus and  
Analytic Geometry II 5
Second Composition Course 3
16
Sophomore Year  
Third Semester  
GEOL G209 History of the Earth 3
GEOL G221 Introductory Mineralogy 3
CHEM C106/126 Principles of Chemistry II 5
PHYS P201 General Physics I 5
16
Fourth Semester  
GEOL G205 Reporting Skills in Geoscience 3
GEOL G222 Introductory Petrology 3
BIOL N107 Exploring the world of animals 4
PHYS P202 General Physics II 5
15
Junior Year  
Fifth Semester  
GEOL G303 Geologic Mapping and  
Field Methods 4
GEOL G334 Principles of Sedimentation  
and Stratigraphy 3
BIOL K101 Concepts of Biology I—Plants 5
H114 History of Western Civilization II 3
15
Sixth Semester  
GEOL G304 Principles of Paleontology 3
GEOL G323 Structural Geology 3
STAT 301 Elementary Statistical Methods I 3
300–400-level Non-geology Science Elective 3
Social Sciences Elective 3
15
Senior Year  
Seventh Semester  
GEOL 400-level Electives 6
300–400-level Non-geology Science Elective 3
World Cultures Elective 3
Humanities Elective 3
15
Eighth Semester  
GEOL 400-level elective 3
GEOL G495 Senior Thesis in Geology 1
GEOL 400-level Elective 3
Junior/Senior Integrator 3
Electives 4
14