Geology, B.S.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 121

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.50

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.50

Program Code: B475

Major Requirements

In order to progress in your curriculum, and as a specific graduation requirement, a grade of C or better is required in each course listed in the curriculum. All prerequisite courses must also be completed with a grade of C or better before proceeding to the next course.

GEOL 1114Physical Geology for Science and Engineering Majors4
GEOL 1124Earth History4
GEOL 2224Introduction to Mineral Sciences4
GEOL 3223Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology3
GEOL 3233Sedimentary Petrology and Sedimentology3
GEOL 3114Structural Geology4
GEOL 3513Fundamentals of Invertebrate Paleontology3
GEOL 4113Depositional Systems and Stratigraphy3
GEOL 3123Introductory Field Geology3
GEOL 4136Field Geology6
GEOL 4983Senior Thesis in Geology (or GEOL/GPHY Upper-Division Elective)3
GPHY 4413Global Geophysics3
or GEOL 4223 Principles of Geochemistry (Slashlisted with 5223)
Total Credit Hours43

Major Support Requirements

MATH 2423Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 13
MATH 2433Calculus and Analytic Geometry III 13
CHEM 1415General Chemistry (Continued)5
or CHEM 1435 General Chemistry II: Signature Course
ENGL 3153Technical Writing3
or GEOL 3333 Geowriting
Math/Science Elective (list maintained by the department) 23
Science Electives (9 hours including at least 3 from outside the college, and at least 6 hours need to be Upper-Division) 39
Total Credit Hours26
1

MATH 1914 and MATH 2924 may be substituted for MATH 1823MATH 2423, and MATH 2433. These tracks have a difference of one credit hour, so those enrolling in the 4 credit hour courses may need to enroll in 1 additional hour of free elective to meet the 121 total credits.

2

Students need to select one course in the areas of statistics, quantitative and computer programming. The School of Geosciences maintains list of approved courses.

3

A minimum of 9 hours of advisor approved courses from ANTH, ASTR, BIOL, CEES, CHEM, CS, ENGR, ENST, GEOG, GIS, GPHY, MATH, MBIO, METR, PBIO, and/or PE. At least 6 hours need to be upper division, and 3 hours need to be outside the College of Earth and Energy. 

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and college requirements must be from the approved General Education course list at http://www.ou.edu/content/gened/courses.htmlCourses graded P/NP will not apply

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

At least three hours of Upper-Division General Education coursework must be completed outside the major.

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-10 hours)
(0-10 hours in the same language) Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Mathematics (minimum 3 hours)
MATH 1823Calculus and Analytic Geometry I 13-4
or MATH 1914 Differential and Integral Calculus I
Core Area II: Natural Science (minimum 7 hours, 2 courses)
CHEM 1315General Chemistry (Science with Lab) 15
or CHEM 1335 General Chemistry I: Signature Course
PHYS 2514General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors 14
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities
Artistic Forms (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list.3
Western Culture (6 hours)
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (Excluding HIST 1483 and HIST 1493)3
World Culture (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours39-50
1

Mewborne College of Earth and Energy Sciences requirements that also satisfy University General Education requirements.

ADDITIONAL MEWBORNE COLLEGE OF EARTH & ENERGY REQUIREMENT

PHYS 2524General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors4
Total Credit Hours4

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to 121 including 48 upper-division hours.

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language. This additional coursework may add 6-10 hours to the minimum hours required for graduation.

In order to progress in your curriculum, and as a specific graduation requirement, a grade of C or better is required in each course listed in this curriculum. Students must also successfully complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better before proceeding to the next course.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
MATH 1823 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I 1 3
GEOL 1114 Physical Geology for Science and Engineering Majors 4
First Year Experience (Core V) 3 3
General Education Artistic Forms (Core IV) 3 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
MATH 2423 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 1 3
GEOL 1124 Earth History 4
CHEM 1315 General Chemistry 2 5
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
MATH 2433 Calculus and Analytic Geometry III 1 3
GEOL 2224 Introduction to Mineral Sciences 4
CHEM 1415 General Chemistry (Continued) 2 5
General Education Western Culture (Core IV) 3 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
PHYS 2514 General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors (Core II) 4
GEOL 3223 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology 3
GEOL 3233 Sedimentary Petrology and Sedimentology 3
Math/Science Elective from approved list maintained by the department 8 3
 Credit Hours13
Junior
First Semester
GEOL 3114 Structural Geology 4
GEOL 3513 Fundamentals of Invertebrate Paleontology 3
GEOL 4113 Depositional Systems and Stratigraphy 3
PHYS 2524 General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors 4
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
GEOL 3123 Introductory Field Geology 3
ENGL 3153
Technical Writing 6
or Geowriting
3
Science Elective (outside the major) 5 3
Free Elective 4 3
 Credit Hours12
Summer
GEOL 4136 Field Geology 6
 Credit Hours6
Senior
First Semester
GEOL 4983 Senior Thesis in Geology (or upper-division GEOL/GPHY Elective ) 3
Science Elective (outside the College) 5 3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government 3
General Education World Culture (Core IV) 3 3
Free Elective (Upper-division) 4 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
GPHY 4413
Global Geophysics 7
or Principles of Geochemistry (Slashlisted with 5223)
3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
Science Elective (outside the major) 5 3
General Education Social Science (Core III) 3 3
Free Elective (Upper-division) 4 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours121
1

MATH 1914 and MATH 2924 may be substituted for MATH 1823, MATH 2423, and MATH 2433. These tracks have a difference of one credit hour, so those enrolling in the 4 credit hour courses may need to enroll in 1 additional hour of free elective to meet the 121 total credits.

2

CHEM 1335 and CHEM 1435 may be substituted for CHEM 1315 and CHEM 1415.

3

To be chosen from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List. Three hours of General Education must be upper-division outside the major.

4

Nine hours of free electives.  Foreign Language courses taken to satisfy University-Wide General Education Requirements may be counted as lower-division free electives. However, in order to satisfy the college requirement of 48 hours of upper-division coursework, six hours of free electives must be taken as upper-division.

5

A minimum of 9 hours of advisor approved courses from ANTH, ASTR, BIOL, CEES, CHEM, CS, ENGR, ENST, GEOG, GIS, GPHY, MATH, MBIO, METR, PBIO, and/or PE. At least 6 hours need to be upper division, and 3 hours need to be outside the College of Earth and Energy. 

6

GEOL 3333 is taught on an irregular basis and may be substituted for ENGL 3153.

7

Only one of the following courses is required. GPHY 4413 is taught fall semesters; GEOL 4223 is taught alternate spring semesters.

8

Students need to select one course in the areas of statistics, quantitative and computer programming. The School of Geosciences maintains list of approved courses.