Paleontology, B.S.
View ChecksheetMinimum Total Credit Hours: 120
Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48
Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.50
Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.50
Program Code: B760
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.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 1114 | Physical Geology for Science and Engineering Majors | 4 |
| GEOL 1124 | Earth History | 4 |
| GEOL 2224 | Introduction to Mineral Sciences | 4 |
| GEOL 3223 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 3 |
| GEOL 3233 | Sedimentary Petrology and Sedimentology | 3 |
| GEOL 3114 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 4113 | Depositional Systems and Stratigraphy | 3 |
| GEOL 3513 | Fundamentals of Invertebrate Paleontology | 3 |
| GEOL 3123 | Introductory Field Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 4513 | Evolutionary Paleobiology 1 | 3 |
| GEOL 4413 | 1 | 3 |
| GEOL 4136 | Field Geology | 6 |
| GPHY 4413 | Global Geophysics | 3 |
| or GEOL 4223 | Principles of Geochemistry (Slashlisted with 5223) | |
| Total Credit Hours | 46 | |
- 1
GEOL 4513, GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 are taught in alternate years in the Junior and Senior Spring semesters. Students should plan their coursework based on when the courses are offered. If GEOL 4513 is offered Junior Spring, then GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 must be taken Senior Spring. If GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 are offered Junior Spring, then GEOL 4513 must be taken Senior Spring.
Major Support Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 2423 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 1 | 3 |
| MATH 2433 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry III 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 1415 | General Chemistry (Continued) | 5 |
| or CHEM 1435 | General Chemistry II: Signature Course | |
| BIOL 1124 | Intro Biol: Molecule/Cell/Phys | 4 |
| BIOL 2013 | 3 | |
| BIOL 3403 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4204 | Vertebrate Paleobiology | 4 |
| ENGL 3153 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| or GEOL 3333 | Geowriting | |
| Math/Science Elective (list maintained by the department) 2 | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 31 | |
- 1
MATH 1914 and MATH 2924 may be substituted for MATH 1823, MATH 2423, 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 120 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.
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.html. Courses 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.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication | ||
| English Composition (6 hours) | ||
| ENGL 1113 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 1213 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| 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 Course | 0-5 | |
| Beginning Course, continued | 0-5 | |
| Mathematics (minimum 3 hours) | ||
| MATH 1823 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I 1 | 3-4 |
| or MATH 1914 | Differential and Integral Calculus I | |
| Core Area II: Natural Science (minimum 7 hours, 2 courses) | ||
| CHEM 1315 | General Chemistry (Science with Lab) 1 | 5 |
| or CHEM 1335 | General Chemistry I: Signature Course | |
| PHYS 2514 | General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors 1 | 4 |
| Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours) | ||
| P SC 1113 | American Federal Government | 3 |
| Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list | 3 | |
| 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 1483 | United States to 1865 | 3 |
| 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 list | 3 | |
| Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 39-50 | |
- 1
Mewborne College of Earth and Energy Sciences requirements that also satisfy University General Education requirements.
ADDITIONAL MEWBORNE COLLEGE OF EARTH & ENERGY REQUIREMENT
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 2524 | General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours | 4 | |
Free Electives
Electives to bring total applicable hours to 120 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 in this curriculum. Students must also successfully complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better before proceeding to the next course.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit 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 Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213 | Principles of English Composition (Core I) or Expository Writing | 3 |
| MATH 2423 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 1315 | General Chemistry 2 | 5 |
| GEOL 1124 | Earth History | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MATH 2433 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry III 1 | 3 |
| GEOL 2224 | Introduction to Mineral Sciences | 4 |
| BIOL 1124 | Intro Biol: Molecule/Cell/Phys | 4 |
| CHEM 1415 | General Chemistry (Continued) 2 | 5 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PHYS 2514 | General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors (Core II) | 4 |
| GEOL 3233 | Sedimentary Petrology and Sedimentology | 3 |
| GEOL 3223 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 3 |
| Math/Science Elective from approved list maintained by the department 7 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| 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 Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GEOL 3123 | Introductory Field Geology | 3 |
| ENGL 3153 or GEOL 3333 | Technical Writing 5 or Geowriting | 3 |
| Choose one (offered alternating Spring semesters): 4 | 3-7 | |
| Evolutionary Paleobiology | ||
GEOL 4413 & BIOL 4204 | and Vertebrate Paleobiology | |
| General Education Western Culture (Core IV) 3 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12-16 | |
| Summer | ||
| GEOL 4136 | Field Geology | 6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Senior | ||
| First Semester | ||
| GPHY 4413 or GEOL 4223 | Global Geophysics 6 or Principles of Geochemistry (Slashlisted with 5223) | 3 |
| BIOL 2013 | 3 | |
| BIOL 3403 | Principles of Ecology | 3 |
| P SC 1113 | American Federal Government (Core III) | 3 |
| General Education Social Science (Core III) 3 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Choose one (offered alternating Spring semesters): 4 | 3-7 | |
| Evolutionary Paleobiology | ||
GEOL 4413 & BIOL 4204 | and Vertebrate Paleobiology | |
| HIST 1483 or HIST 1493 | United States to 1865 (Core IV) or United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| General Education World Culture (Core IV) 3 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9-13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 1
MATH 1914 and MATH 2924 may be substituted for MATH 1823, MATH 2423, 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 120 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
GEOL 4513, GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 are taught in alternate years in the Junior and Senior Spring semesters. Students should plan their coursework based on when the courses are offered. If GEOL 4513 is offered Junior Spring, then GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 must be taken Senior Spring. If GEOL 4413 and BIOL 4204 are offered Junior Spring, then GEOL 4513 must be taken Senior Spring.
- 5
GEOL 3333 is taught on an irregular basis and may be substituted for ENGL 3513.
- 6
Only one of the following courses is required. GPHY 4413 is taught alternate fall semesters; GEOL 4223 is taught alternate spring semesters.
- 7
Students need to select one course in the areas of statistics, quantitative and computer programming. The School of Geosciences maintains list of approved courses.