Minor in Geological Sciences
Employment projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate an overall 4.9% increase in geoscience jobs between 2019 and 2029, from 460,242 jobs in 2019 to 482,726 jobs in 2029. For comparison, the projected growth of the U.S. workforce over the same timeframe is expected to be 3.7%. Growth rates for individual geoscience occupations range between 0% and 8.4% for all but geoscience engineering managers (-1%).
Marketable Skills
Students will develop:
- Communication: Reach mutual understanding through effective exchange of information, ideas, and feelings
- Critical thinking: Analyze and evaluate issues in order to solve problems and develop informed opinions
- Problem-solving: Find solutions to difficult or complex issues
- Research: Be able to search, investigate and critically analyze information in response to a specific research question
- Teamwork: Participate as an effective, efficient member of a group in order to meet a common goal
- Writing: Communicate using text in a clear and concise manner
Additionally, students will learn about 3-D spatial thinking, the ability to interpret geological maps, mapping skills, sample collection, and organization skills.
Degree Plan
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction/Principles: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intro to Physical Geology and Lab for GEOL 1313 | ||
| Principles of Earth Sciences and Principles of Earth Sci - Lab | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intro to Historical Geol and Lab for GEOL 1314 | ||
| Principles of Earth Science and Laboratory for Geology 1212 | ||
| Other Requirement: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Mineralogy & Petrology and Mineralogy & Petrology Lab | ||
| Geoscience Processes and Geoscience Processes Lab | ||
| Upper-Division Electives: | ||
| Select additional upper-division hours to have a total of eighteen hours: | 7-9 | |
| Igneous/Metamorphic Petrology and Igneous/Metamorphic Petr. Lab | ||
| Geoscience Processes and Geoscience Processes Lab | ||
| Structural Geology and Structural Geology Lab | ||
| Sedimentology & Stratigraphy and Lab for Sedim & Stratigraphy | ||
| Directed Study, Geology | ||
| Directed Study, Geology | ||
| Paleoclimatology | ||
| Topics in Geological Sciences | ||
| Geochemistry | ||
| Soil Properties & Genesis | ||
| Directed Study, Geology | ||
| Grndwater Contam and Reclam | ||
| General Hydrogeology | ||
| Nuclear Fuel Cycle | ||
| Research in Geological Science | ||
| Intrnshp Geological Sciences | ||
| Senior's Thesis | ||
| Directed Study, Geophysics | ||
| Directed Study, Geophysics | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Directed Study, Geophysics | ||
| Total Hours | 16-20 | |