Information for First Year Students

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Geology Major Requirements

(Go to 4-Year Planning Document)

Students entering the geology major take the following nine to eleven courses to meet minimum department requirements for graduation with the Bachelor of Science degree in geology:

Required Cognates (3.5 units)

Majors are required to take at least one semester of the following courses:

  • CHEM 103.        General Chemistry
  • MATH 135.        Calculus
  • PHYS 151.          University Physics or BIO 101. General Biology

None of the required core courses will be accepted toward the major if taken pass/fail. Certain courses are designated as Major Credit Restricted (MCR). Only one such course can count toward the geology, geology-physics or environmental studies–geology combined major as an elective. 

It is highly recommended to take the two-semester sequence of the cognate courses for both geology and environmental studies–geology majors. Career and graduate school options may be limited otherwise.

Students should consult the course descriptions in this Catalog for information on prerequisites and sequencing of both required and advanced courses. No student is permitted to take more than 14 units in any one department.

Suggested Courses

It is strongly recommended that students who anticipate graduate study or a professional career in geology also take some/all of the following courses

  • (SYE)/Directed studies/senior honors thesis (arranged with geology faculty) members. 
  • (STAT 103) statistics
  • (GIS) geographic information systems
  • Attend a summer field camps (off campus program)

Combined Major Geology/Environmental Studies

Students with an interest in combining the integrative approaches of environmental studies with the focused scientific study of geology may wish to pursue the combined major of environmental studies–geology. The combined major includes six to seven geology courses, three cognates, and seven units in environmental studies (16.5 units total) as follows:

  • 7 units  Environmental Studies courses (for specifics see the Environmental Studies section of this catalog).

Geology (6-6.5 units)

Required Cognates (3.5 units)

Majors are required to take at least one semester of the following courses:

  • CHEM 103.        General Chemistry
  • MATH 135.        Calculus
  • PHYS 151.          University Physics or BIO 101. General Biology

It is highly recommended to take the two-semester sequence of the cognate courses for both geology and environmental studies–geology majors. Career and graduate school options may be limited otherwise.

Students should consult the course descriptions in this Catalog for information on prerequisites and sequencing of both required and advanced courses. No student is permitted to take more than 14 units in any one department.

None of the required core courses will be accepted toward the major if taken pass/fail. Certain courses are designated as Major Credit Restricted (MCR). Only one such course can count toward the geology, geology-physics or environmental studies–geology combined major as an elective. 

Minor Requirements

Students with a general interest and who wish to have a basic understanding of the Earth and its processes, or who have a strong interest in a particular aspect of geology or earth science teaching and want to learn more about the subject, may minor in geology.  There are several areas of potential concentration, and student should consult with their advisor in designing a minor. 

Honors and Senior Thesis

Senior thesis study is undertaken voluntarily by students who wish to conduct original research in a close working relationship with one or more geology faculty members. (See also Honors in the Curriculum section of this Catalog). A 3.5 GPA upon completion of all courses in the major and the completed senior thesis chaired by a member of the geology faculty are both needed for the distinction of honors. The senior thesis course (GEOL 489, 490) may be taken regardless of a student’s average in the major if permission of a faculty member is obtained. Thesis work is expected to lead to a finished written product (thesis) for appropriate credit. The department encourages its students to consider a senior thesis as part of a capstone experience; this should be undertaken only after careful discussion with faculty advisors. Guidelines for the thesis are available from the department chair.

Certification to Teach Earth Science

The teacher certification minor is only available to students who matriculated before fall semester 2019. For information on teacher certification options approved by the New York State Board of Regents, requirements for the certification minor, and the requirements for the professional semester (including student teaching) please go to the Education department's website (https://www.stlawu.edu/education) or contact the Coordinator of the Teacher Education Program.  Students who are eligible to pursue this minor must complete all requirements and the professional semester by the end of spring semester 2022.