Earth Science, B.S. - Geology

The program course outline and graduation requirements for this catalog year are listed below. To graduate, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be achieved, and a total of 120 credits is required. This total includes both the required courses for the program and any free electives selected. The department website provides an overview of the program, admission requirements for the major (when applicable), faculty biographies, learning outcomes, and careers: https://www.southernct.edu/academics/earth-science/programs. 

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (46 Credits)

All bachelor’s degree programs include liberal education (LEP) and writing (W) course requirements. To review more detailed information, please visit General Education (LEP) Degree Requirements.   

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (62 Credits)

Up to three courses in the major/cognate may also satisfy LEP requirements and will be indicated below; no more than two courses in the same subject may be used towards LEP Explorations.  

‘C-’ or better required.

ESC 200 – Physical Geology (T2PR)
ESC 201 – History of Earth and Life (T2LE)
ESC 210 – Principles of Astronomy (T2TP)
ESC 235 – Computation and Visualization of Data in the Earth Science
ESC 311 – Mineralogy
ESC 312 – Petrology
ESC 325 – Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
ESC 350 – Structural Geology and Tectonics
ESC 430 – Field Methods

Select seven courses from:
ESC 205 – Principles of Meteorology (T2PR)
ESC 220 – Physical and Chemical Oceanography (T2PR)
ESC 303 – Environmental Earth Science
ESC 315 – Geomorphology and Natural Hazards
ESC 332 – Invertebrate Paleontology and the Fossil Record
ESC 420 – Earth Resources
ESC 421 – Marine Geology
ESC 457 – Hydrology
ESC 458 – Soil Science
ESC 459 – Engineering Geology
ESC 460 – Geochemistry
ESC 461 – Glacial Geology

Select one option from the two listed below:
ESC 492 – Undergraduate Thesis Proposal and ESC 493 – Undergraduate Thesis
Two additional ESC courses at or above the 200-level

COGNATE REQUIREMENTS (16 Credits)

CHE 120 – General Chemistry I (T2PR)
PHY 200 – General Physics I  (T2PR) OR PHY 230 – Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (T2PR)

Select one from:
BIO 102 – Biology I
BIO 120 – Microbiology (T2LE)
CHE 121 – General Chemistry II (T2LE)
PHY 201 – General Physics II or PHY 231 – Physics for Scientists and Engineers II

Select one from: (T1QR)
MAT 122 – Precalculus
MAT 150 – Calculus I

Non-Course Requirements:
Pass Praxis® II with a score of 157 or higher

ACCELERATED PATHWAY OPTION (12 Credits)

Students with an overall 3.0 GPA may be approved to complete an accelerated pathway. Graduate courses may be completed during their senior year when a student has earned at least 90 credits. Courses successfully completed with a grade of 'C' or higher will earn dual credit to be applied to both the undergraduate and graduate transcript. Approval to start graduate coursework does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

Accelerated Pathway to Graduate Program
In consultation with their advisor, students may select up to 12 credits of graduate level coursework (500-level or higher) appropriate to their intended graduate program of study.