Program: Geosciences, Geology Concentration (Earth Science), B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Geosciences
Mark Abolins, program coordinator
615-494-7986
Mark.Abolins@mtsu.edu

This Earth Science career pattern is designed for students who plan to become professional earth scientists or who wish to pursue graduate study in earth science.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Geoscience, Geology (Earth Science), B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	60 hours
Major Core	42 hours*
Math/Science Cognate	18 hours*
Electives	19-26 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

GEOL 1030 /GEOL 1031 or GEOL 1040 /GEOL 1041 (Nat Sci)
MATH 1530 (Math) required in major or MATH 1730 (Math) required in cognate

Major Requirements (42 hours)

GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science 3 credit hours AND
GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab 1 credit hour
OR
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours
(may be counted in General Education)
GEOL 1050 - Historical Geology 4 credit hours
GEOL 3000 - Mineralogy 5 credit hours
GEOL 3010 - Oceanography 3 credit hours
GEOL 3050 - Field Methods in Geology 3 credit hours
GEOL 4020 - Geomorphology 4 credit hours
GEOL 4050 - Meteorology 3 credit hours
MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours
Geoscience electives from any GEOL or PGEO course or any Geosciences mentor-approved math or science electives 13 credit hours

Math/Science Cognate (18 hours)

PLSO 3340 - Fundamentals of Soil Science 3 credit hours
PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
MATH 1730 - Pre-Calculus 4 credit hours (3 credit hours may be counted in General Education)
Additional MATH/SCI electives to be approved by Geosciences mentor; 4 hours must be from General Education Natural Science 8 credit hours

Electives (19-26 hours)

Approved by Geosciences mentor

Curriculum: Geoscience, Geology Concentration (Earth Science)

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Following is a suggested pattern of study for the first two years; however, consultation with the assigned advisor is necessary before registration.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
GEOL 1050 - Historical Geology 4 credit hours
MATH 1730 - Pre-Calculus 4 credit hours (Math)
MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 credit hours
GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science 3 credit hours (Nat Sci) AND
GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab 1 credit hour
OR
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 33 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
PLSO 3340 - Fundamentals of Soil Science 3 credit hours
GEOL 3000 - Mineralogy 5 credit hours
GEOL 3010 - Oceanography 3 credit hours
General elective 3 credit hours
Geoscience elective 3 credit hours
GEOL 4020 - Geomorphology 4 credit hours
GEOL 4050 - Meteorology 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Junior

GEOL 3050 - Field Methods in Geology 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
Geoscience electives 6 credit hours
Math/Sci cognate electives 8 credit hours
General electives 8 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Senior

PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Geoscience elective 4 credit hours
General electives 15 credit hours

Geosciences, Geology Concentration (Earth Science), B.S.