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 1000, 1000L, 1020, 1020L, 3020, 3150, 3150L, 3160, 3560, 3570, 3650, 3680, 4790 and 9 credits of geology electives. Required supporting courses include Chem 1770, 1770L, 1780, 1780L, Phys 1110 and 1120; Math 1650, 1660 or 1810, 1820, Engl 3090 or 3140, 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 (5000-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 1010 3CE 11103SP CM 2120
3CE 1600 2CE 17003Engl 1500
4Math 1650 4Math 1660
4CHEM 17705Phys 2210
1CHEM 1770L 3Geol 1020
3Geol 2010 1Geol 1020L
1Lib 1600
1CE 1050
1CE 1200
18 Total credits14+4 Total Credits 6 Total Credits

Second Year

Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 2650 3Math 26605Phys 2220
3EM 27403EM 34503Eng. elective
4Chem 1780/1780L3EM 3240
3Geol 31503EM 3780
1Geol 3150L3CE 2060
3Engl 2500
14+4 Total Credits 15 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Third Year

Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
3CE 3320 3CE 3330/33403Statistics elective
3CE 3260 3CE 30603Social Sci & Hum. elective
3CE 3600 3CE 3820
1EM 3270 3Geol 3650
3CE 3550 3CE 3720
3Technical Comm.
1Geol 3160
17 Total Credits 12+3 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Fourth Year

Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Int. Persp. electiveRCE 4030 6Geol 3020
3Geol 4790/Eng. Topics
elective
3Civ Eng Design elective
3CE 46003CE 4850
3Diversity elective 3Eng. Topics elective
2Eng. topics elective 3Social Sci.& Hum. elective
4Geol 3680 4Geol 3560
1Geol 3570
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 1010 3CE 11103SP CM 2120
3CE 1600 2CE 17003Engl 1500
4Math 1650 4Math 1660
4CHEM 17705Phys 2210
1CHEM 1770L 3Geol 1020
3Geol 2010 1Geol 1020L
1Lib 1600
1CE 1050
1CE 1200
18 Total credits14+4 Total Credits 6 Total Credits

Second Year

Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 2650 3Math 26605Phys 2220
3EM 27403EM 34503Eng. elective
4Chem 1780/1780L3EM 3240
3Geol 31503EM 3780
1Geol 3150L3CE 2060
3Engl 2500
14+4 Total Credits 15 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Third Year

Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
3CE 3320 3CE 3330/33403Statistics elective
3CE 3260 3CE 30603Social Sci & Hum. elective
3CE 3600 3CE 3820
1EM 3270 3Geol 3650
3CE 3550 3CE 3720
3Technical Comm.
1Geol 3160
17 Total Credits 12+3 Total Credits6 Total Credits

Fourth Year

Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Int. Persp. electiveRCE 4030 6Geol 3020
3Geol 4790/Eng. Topics
elective
3Civ Eng Design elective
3CE 46003CE 4850
3Diversity elective 3Eng. Topics elective
2Eng. topics elective 3Social Sci.& Hum. elective
4Geol 3680 4Geol 3560
1Geol 3570
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 1100 1EnSci 2030
2EnSci 2010 3Biol 2110
1EnSci 2020 1Biol 2110L
3.Geol 1000 3Geol 1020
1Geol 1000L1Geol 1020L
5Chem 1770 + 1770L 3Gen Ed elective
3Stat 1010 or 10404Math 1650
12+4 Total Credits12 + 4 Total Credits

Second Year

Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4
3EnSci 25003EnSci 2510
3Gen Ed elective4Chem 1780+1780L
4Phys 11104Chem 2310+2310L
3Engl 25003Geol 3650
3Geol 31503Gen Ed Elective
1Geol 3150L
1Geol 3160
13+5 Total Credits 14+3 Total Credits

Third Year

Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Summer 3
3EnSci 3810 3EnSci 38206Geol 3020
4Math 16603EnSci 3840
4Geol 3680 4Geol 3560
3Gen Ed elective3EnSci choice
4Phys 11203Gen Ed elective
1Geol 3570X
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 3090/31403EnSci 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 17703Chem 1780
1Chem 1770L1Chem 1780L
3Engl 15004Math 1660
REngr 1010 5Phys 2210
3Engr 1600 3Geol 1000 (Gen Ed)
4Math 16501Geol 1000L
1Lib 1600
16 Total credits17 Total Credits

Second Year


Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4Math 2650 4Math 26703US Diversity (Gen Ed)
3Mat E 2150 3Mat E 2140
1Mat E 2150L3Mat E 2160
5Phys 2220 1Mat E 2160L
3Engl 25004Geol 1020/1020L
16 Total credits17 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Third Year


Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6
3Mat E 3110RMat E 3010
3Mat E 31703Mat E 3140
3Specialization3Stat 3050
3Materials Elective 3Mat E 3190
3Geol 31503Specialization
1Geol 3150L4Geol 3560
1Geol 3160 1Geol 3570
17 Total Credits17 Total Credits

Fourth Year


Cr.Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3Mat E 4130 3Mat E 4140 6Geol 3020
3Mat E 4180 3Specialization
3Specialization3Geol 3650
3Materials Elective 3Technical Writing
4Geol 3680 3International Perspective
16 Total credits15 Total Credits6 Total Credits

2019-2020 Catalog
143 credits

First Year


Cr.Semester 1Cr.Semester 2Cr.Summer 1
4CHEM 1630 or 1770 3MTEOR 20605PHYS 2220
1CHEM 1630L or 1770L 4MATH 16603ENGL 2500
3Engl 15005PHYS 2210
1LIB 16003GEOL 1020
4MATH 1650 1GEOL 1020L
1MTEOR 1110
3GEOL 1000
1GEOL 1000L
18 Total credits16 Total Credits8 Total Credits

Second Year


Cr.Semester 3Cr.Semester 4Cr.Summer 2
4MATH 2650 3MATH 26603Humanities/Social
Science
RMTEOR 2010 4MTEOR 3010
3GEOL 31503ST CM 2120
1GEOL 3150L3STAT 3050
1GEOL 31603GEOL 3650
3MTEOR 2270
3Humanities/Social
Science
15 Total credits16 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Third Year


Cr.Semester 5Cr.Semester 6Cr.Summer 3
2MTEOR 3110 3MTEOR 34203Humanities/Social
Science
3MTEOR 3410 3MTEOR 4430
4GEOL 36803ENGL 3090
3Humanities/Social
Science/U.S. Diversity
4GEOL 3560
3Humanities/Social
Science/Intern.
Perspectives
3Humanities/Social
Science
1GEOL 3570
16 Total credits16 Total Credits3 Total Credits

Fourth Year


Cr.Semester 7Cr.Semester 8Cr.Summer 4
3MTEOR 4110 3MTEOR 41706GEOL 3020
3MTEOR 4540 3MTEOR 4320
2MTEOR 4990 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 1000, 1000L, 1020, 1020L, 3020, 3150, 3150L, 3160, 3560, 3650, 3680, 3 credits of a geology elective, Mteor 2060, 2 and Astro 1200 and 1500. Additional courses in geology and agronomy are strongly recommended. The required supporting courses include Chem 1770, 1770L, 1780, 1780L, Phys 1110 and 1120, Math 1510 or 1600 or 1650 or 1810, Stat 1010 or 1040 or Com S 1070, 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.