The Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences offers the B.S. degree in geology, the B.S. degree in Earth Science, and the B.A. degree in Earth Science. The B.S. in Geology focuses on traditional geology, while laying a solid foundation for further graduate study in the geosciences. The B.S. in Earth Science has an environmental geology focus. The B.A. in Earth Science provides a broader overview of geology and supporting sciences and is designed primarily for careers in secondary education.

Geology program

The B.S. degree is the only degree offered in the geology program and is designed to acquaint the student with the broad discipline of geology and its supporting sciences. Sufficient depth of coursework is provided so that the student may pursue graduate study. Forty-four credits of geology are required, including Geol 100, 100L, 102, 102L, 302, 315, 315L, 316, 356, 357, 365, 368, 479 and 9 credits of geology electives. Required supporting courses include Chem 177, 177L, 178, 178L, Phys 111 and 112; Math 165, 166 or 181, 182, Engl 309 or 314, and 6 additional credits of either geology electives or courses from an approved departmental list of science, engineering, and mathematical disciplines outside of geology. Students with senior standing may use graduate geology courses (500-level or above) to fulfill the elective requirement; however, they should be aware that courses taken at the graduate level and counted toward the B.S. degree cannot be applied again toward a graduate degree at Iowa State University.

Geology courses generally have prerequisites in geology or in mathematics, chemistry, or physics. Prerequisites require that courses be taken in a prescribed sequence; however, because of differences in the preparation and background of each student, there is not a unique way to proceed through the B.S. program.  Students are advised to maintain frequent contact with their academic advisors so that all degree requirements are met in a timely fashion.

Geology as a secondary major

The Geology program has identified the core of 31 credits of geology courses that can complement a B.S. degree or major in materials engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, meteorology, or biology for students wishing to earn a secondary major in geology. This pathway to earning a Geology major allows students in these academic programs with affinity to geology to complete both programs. Students should work closely with their advisors in each department to ensure that all requirements are met. These programs prepare students for careers or graduate study in the geosciences.

2017-18 Catalog
132 Engineering + 30 Geology credits = 162 credits

First Year


Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2Cr.Summer 1
REngr 101 3CE 1113SP CM 212
3CE 160 2CE 1703Engl 150
4Math 165 4Math 166
4CHEM 1775Phys 221
1CHEM 177L 3Geol 102
3Geol 201 1Geol 102L
1Lib 160
1CE 105
1CE 120
18 Total credits14+4 Total Credits 6 Total Credits

Second Year

Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 265 3Math 2665Phys 222
3EM 2743EM 3453Eng. elective
4Chem 178/178L3EM 324
3Geol 3153EM 378
1Geol 315L3CE 206
3Engl 250
14+4 Total Credits 15 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Third Year

Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
3CE 332 3CE 333/3343Statistics elective
3CE 326 3CE 3063Social Sci & Hum. elective
3CE 360 3CE 382
1EM 327 3Geol 365
3CE 355 3CE 372
3Technical Comm.
1Geol 316
17 Total Credits 12+3 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Fourth Year

Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Int. Persp. electiveRCE 403 6Geol 302
3Geol 479/Eng. Topics
elective
3Civ Eng Design elective
3CE 4603CE 485
3Diversity elective 3Eng. Topics elective
2Eng. topics elective 3Social Sci.& Hum. elective
4Geol 368 4Geol 356
1Geol 357
11+7 Total Credits 12+5 Total Credits6 Total Credits

2017-18 Catalog
132 Engineering + 30 Geology credits = 162 credits

First Year


Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2Cr.Summer 1
REngr 101 3CE 1113SP CM 212
3CE 160 2CE 1703Engl 150
4Math 165 4Math 166
4CHEM 1775Phys 221
1CHEM 177L 3Geol 102
3Geol 201 1Geol 102L
1Lib 160
1CE 105
1CE 120
18 Total credits14+4 Total Credits 6 Total Credits

Second Year

Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 265 3Math 2665Phys 222
3EM 2743EM 3453Eng. elective
4Chem 178/178L3EM 324
3Geol 3153EM 378
1Geol 315L3CE 206
3Engl 250
14+4 Total Credits 15 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Third Year

Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
3CE 332 3CE 333/3343Statistics elective
3CE 326 3CE 3063Social Sci & Hum. elective
3CE 360 3CE 382
1EM 327 3Geol 365
3CE 355 3CE 372
3Technical Comm.
1Geol 316
17 Total Credits 12+3 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Fourth Year

Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Int. Persp. electiveRCE 403 6Geol 302
3Geol 479/Eng. Topics
elective
3Civ Eng Design elective
3CE 4603CE 485
3Diversity elective 3Eng. Topics elective
2Eng. topics elective 3Social Sci.& Hum. elective
4Geol 368 4Geol 356
1Geol 357
11+7 Total Credits 12+5 Total Credits6 Total Credits

2017-18 Catalog
96 EnSci/Gen Ed credits + 42 Geol/science credits = 138 Total Credits
 

First Year

Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2
1EnSci 110 1EnSci 203
2EnSci 201 3Biol 211
1EnSci 202 1Biol 211L
3.Geol 100 3Geol 102
1Geol 100L1Geol 102L
5Chem 177 + 177L 3Gen Ed elective
3Stat 101 or 1044Math 165
12+4 Total Credits12 + 4 Total Credits

Second Year

Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4
3EnSci 2503EnSci 251
3Gen Ed elective4Chem 178+178L
4Phys 111 4Chem 231+231L
3Engl 2503Geol 365
3Geol 3153Gen Ed Elective
1Geol 315L
1Geol 316
13+5 Total Credits 14+3 Total Credits

Third Year

Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Summer 3
3EnSci 381 3EnSci 3826Geol 302
4Math 1663EnSci 384
4Geol 368 4Geol 356
3Gen Ed elective3EnSci choice
4Phys 1123Gen Ed elective
1Geol 357X
6+12 Total Credits12+5 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Fourth Year

Semester 7Cr.Semester 8
3EnSci choice 3EnSci choice
3Gen Ed elective3Gen Ed elective
3Engl 309/3143EnSci choice
3Gen Ed elective3Elective
3Elective 3Elective
12+3 Total Credits15 Total Credits

2017-18 Catalog
107 Mat E/Basic Program Credits +31 Geol Credits(which are meeting Mat E requirements) = 138 Total
Credits

To meet university rules governing a second major, student would need to show 143+ total credits at graduation. If the student does not have any excess credits to reach 143+ total credits, they would need to add 5 credits to the plan below.

First Year


Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2
4Chem 1773Chem 178
1Chem 177L1Chem 178L
3Engl 1504Math 166
REngr 101 5Phys 221
3Engr 160 3Geol 100 (Gen Ed)
4Math 165 1Geol 100L
1Lib 160
16 Total credits17 Total Credits

Second Year


Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 265 4Math 2673US Diversity (Gen Ed)
3Mat E 215 3Mat E 214
1Mat E 215L3Mat E 216
5Phys 222 1Mat E 216L
3Engl 2504Geol 102/102L
16 Total credits17 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Third Year


Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6
3Mat E 311RMat E 301
3Mat E 317 3Mat E 314
3Specialization3Stat 305
3Materials Elective 3Mat E 319
3Geol 3153Specialization
1Geol 315L4Geol 356
1Geol 316 1Geol 357
17 Total Credits17 Total Credits

Fourth Year


Cr.Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Mat E 413 3Mat E 414 6Geol 302
3Mat E 418 3Specialization
3Specialization3Geol 365
3Materials Elective 3Technical Writing
4Geol 368 3International Perspective
16 Total credits15 Total Credits6 Total Credits

2019-2020 Catalog
143 credits

First Year


Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2Cr.Summer 1
4CHEM 163 or 177 3MTEOR 2065PHYS 222
1CHEM 163L or 177L 4MATH 166 3ENGL 250
3Engl 1505PHYS 221
1LIB 1603GEOL 102
4MATH 165 1GEOL 102L
1MTEOR 111
3GEOL 100
1GEOL 100L
18 Total credits16 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Second Year


Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4MATH 265 3MATH 2663Humanities/Social
Science
RMTEOR 201 4MTEOR 301
3GEOL 3153ST CM 212
1GEOL 315L3STAT 305
1GEOL 3163GEOL 365
3MTEOR 227
3Humanities/Social
Science
15 Total credits16 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Third Year


Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
2MTEOR 311 3MTEOR 3423Humanities/Social
Science
3MTEOR 341 3MTEOR 443
4GEOL 3683ENGL 309
3Humanities/Social
Science/U.S. Diversity
4GEOL 356
3Humanities/Social
Science/Intern.
Perspectives
3Humanities/Social
Science
1GEOL 357
16 Total credits16 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Fourth Year


Cr.Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3MTEOR 411 3MTEOR 4176GEOL 302
3MTEOR 454 3MTEOR 432
2MTEOR 499 3Humanities/Social
Science
3MTEOR elective 3MTEOR elective
3MTEOR elective
14 Total credits12 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Earth Science program

The B.A. degree is offered in the Earth Science program. It requires fewer courses in geology, allows coursework in other disciplines, and prepares the student primarily for a career in secondary education. It requires 35 credits in geology, 3 credits in meteorology, and 6 credits in astronomy. The required courses are Geol 100, 100L, 102, 102L, 302, 315, 315L, 316, 356, 365, 368, 3 credits of a geology elective, Mteor 206, 2 and Astro 120 and 150. Additional courses in geology and agronomy are strongly recommended. The required supporting courses include Chem 177, 177L, 178, 178L, Phys 111 and 112, Math 151 or 160 or 165 or 181, Stat 101 or 104 or Com S 107, and a course in biology. In addition to these requirements, the student must meet the requirements for teacher licensure (outlined in Table 2; see also the listings under the Teacher Education Program in the ISU Catalog). Dr. Cinzia Cervato is the Teaching Coordinator for Earth Sciences.

The English requirements for the Earth Science program are the same as for the Geology program.