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Information for Geology Majors

The Department of Geology offers programs leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Geology is one of the broadest of all sciences because of its dependence on fundamentals of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics as applied to the study of the earth. As a result, undergraduate students are expected to obtain a broad background in the other sciences as well as a concentration in geology.

The Bachelor of Science degree program provides the student with a hands-on foundation in the fundamentals of geosciences. The Bachelor of Arts program is designed primarily for the liberal arts student who has an interest in the subject but who is not preparing for a career in the field, or for the pre-professional school student. A student who elects the B.A. program and decides to pursue the geology profession or attend graduate school will need at least physics and field geology in his/her program.

Please have a look at the Undergraduate Catalog   for a complete listing of courses and requirements.

Requirements for the Bachelors of Science (BS) Degree in Geology

Supporting (non-geology) Courses (28 credit hours):

  • Calculus I & II: MAC 2281 and MAC 2282 (recommended), or MAC 2311 and MAC 2312
  • General Chemistry I & II with Lab: CHM 2045/L and CHM 2046/L
  • Physics I & II with Lab: PHY 2048/L and PHY 2049/L (recommended), or PHY 2053/L and PHY 2054/L
  • Biology I with Lab: BSC 2010/L

Geology courses (44 credit hours):

Introductory Sequence* (4 credit hours):

Choose one (3 credit) lecture course and the required (1 credit) lab course.

  • Dynamic Earth: GLY 2010 (3 credits) (recommended)
  • Hazards of Earth's Surface: GLY 2030 (3 credits)
  • History of Life: GLY 2100 (3 credits)
  • Intro to Oceanography: OCE 2001 (3 credits)
  • or another 3 credit course approved by the Undergraduate Advisor
  • and Essentials of Geology Lab: GLY 2000L (1 credit) **Required**
Core Courses (20 credit hours):
  • The Solid Earth - Petrology and Geochemistry: GLY 3311C (4 credits)
  • The Solid Earth - Plate Tectonics and Earth Structure: GLY 3402C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 1 - Sedimentary Processes & Petrology: GLY 3552C (4 credits)
  • Fluid Earth 1 - Basic Principles: GLY 3720C (4 credits) OR
    Fluid Earth 2 - Hydrogeology: GLY 4822C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 3 - Paleontology and Earth Evolution* (see Note)

*Note: Requirement is waived for students who have taken Dynamic Earth: Introduction to Physical Geology with Lab(GLY 2010/L), or Earth and Environmental Systems with Lab(GLY 2000/GLY 2010L), and History of the Earth and Life with Lab(GLY 2100/L).

Upper-Level Electives (14 credit hours):
  • Fluid Earth 1 - Basic Principles: GLY 3720C (4 credits) OR
    Fluid Earth 2 - Hydrogeology: GLY 4822C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 3 - Paleontology and Earth Evolution* (see Note)
  • Petrology: GLY 4310C (4 credits)
  • Physical Volcanology: GLY 4324C (4 credits)
  • Seismology: GLY 4480C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 2 - The Earth’s Surface: GLY 4554C (4 credits)
  • Geologic Field Studies: GLY 4780 (3 credits)
  • Computational Geology: GLY 4866 (3 credits)
  • Geocommunications: GLY 4921 (3 credits)
  • and/or other 3000 or 4000 level GLY courses, as approved by the Undergraduate Advisor

*Note: (If not counted toward Core requisites)

Quantitative Requirement (6+ credit hours):
  • Physical Volcanology: GLY 4324C (4 credits)
  • Seismology: GLY 4480C (4 credits)
  • Fluid Earth 2 - Hydrogeology: GLY 4822C (4 credits)
  • Computational Geology: GLY 4866 (3 credits)
  • Other courses may be approved by the Undergraduate Advisor
Capstone Sequence (6 credit hours):
  • 3 Field Camp Sessions (2 credits per session, 4 sessions available): see Field Camp webpage as these course numbers change

The final responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements stated in the catalog rests with the student. See the USF Undergraduate Catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Requirements for the Bachelors of Arts Degree (BA) in Geology

Supporting (non-geology) Courses (24 credit hours):

  • Calculus I & II: MAC 2281 and MAC 2282 (recommended), or MAC 2311 and MAC 2312, or MAC 2241 and MAC 2242
  • General Chemistry I & II with Lab: CHM 2045/L and CHM 2046/L
  • Physics I & II with Lab: PHY 2048/L and PHY 2049/L (recommended), or PHY 2053/L and PHY 2054/L

Geology courses (36 credit hours):

Introductory Sequence* (4 credit hours):

Choose one (3 credit) lecture course and the required (1 credit) lab course.

  • Dynamic Earth: GLY 2010 (3 credits) (recommended)
  • Hazards of Earth's Surface: GLY 2030 (3 credits)
  • History of Life: GLY 2100 (3 credits)
  • Intro to Oceanography: OCE 2001 (3 credits)
  • or another 3 credit course approved by the Undergraduate Advisor
  • and Essentials of Geology Lab: GLY 2000L (1 credit) **Required**
Core Courses (20 credit hours):
  • The Solid Earth - Petrology and Geochemistry: GLY 3311C (4 credits)
  • The Solid Earth - Plate Tectonics and Earth Structure: GLY 3402C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 1 - Sedimentary Processes & Petrology: GLY 3552C (4 credits)
  • Fluid Earth 1 - Basic Principles: GLY 3720C (4 credits) OR
    Fluid Earth 2 - Hydrogeology: GLY 4822C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 3 - Paleontology and Earth Evolution* (see Note)

*Note: (Requirement is waived for students who have taken GLY 2010, GLY 2000L or GLY 2010L, & GLY 2100, GLY 2100L)

Upper-Level Electives (12 credit hours):
  • Fluid Earth 1 - Basic Principles: GLY 3720C (4 credits) OR
    Fluid Earth 2 - Hydrogeology: GLY 4822C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 3 - Paleontology and Earth Evolution* (see Note)
  • Petrology: GLY 4310C (4 credits)
  • Physical Volcanology: GLY 4324C (4 credits)
  • Seismology: GLY 4480C (4 credits)
  • Sedimentary Record 2 - The Earth’s Surface: GLY 4554C (4 credits)
  • Geologic Field Studies: GLY 4780 (3 credits)
  • Computational Geology: GLY 4866 (3 credits)
  • Geocommunications: GLY 4921 (3 credits)
  • and/or other 3000 or 4000 level GLY courses, as approved by the Undergraduate Advisor

*Note: (If not counted toward Core requisites)

The final responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements stated in the catalog rests with the student. See the USF Undergraduate Catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.