Major in Geological Sciences
The Major in Geological Sciences administered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences provides interdisciplinary training for students interested in the solid Earth sciences including opportunities to study in field, laboratory, and computational environments.
The Major is available to students enrolled at Michigan State University within the College of Natural Sciences.
Students who plan to complete the requirements for the major should consult the undergraduate advisor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Geological Science Major Requirements
The Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences requires 120 credits.
The general education requirements are detailed under the Undergraduate Education section of the Registrar's website. Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences and certain major courses may be used to satisfy the alternative track. Please talk to the undergraduate advisor or see the Registrar's website for details.
The credits earned in all the major required courses listed below may be counted toward college requirements as appropriate. The credits that are used to satisfy this requirement may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the geological sciences major or the requirements for the environmental geosciences major, but not both of those requirements.
Required courses outside the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (26 or 27 credits)
(1) All of the following courses (8 credits)
- CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
- MTH 132 Calculus I (3 credits)
- MTH 133 Calculus II (4 credits)
(2) One of the following pairs of courses (7 credits)
(a)
- CEM 141 General Chemistry (4 credits)
- CEM 142 General and Inorganic Chemistry (3 credits)
(b)
- CEM 151 General and Descriptive Chemistry (4 credits)
- CEM 152 Principles of Chemistry (3 credits)
(3) One of the following options (3 or 4 credits)
- MTH 234 Multivariable Calculus (4 credits)
- One course of at least 3 credits in statistics and probability.
(4) One of the following groups of courses (8 credits)
(a)
- PHY 231 Introductory Physics I (3 credits)
- PHY 232 Introductory Physics II (3 credits)
- PHY 251 Introductory Physics Laboratory I (1 credit)
- PHY 252 Introductory Physics Laboratory II (1 credit)
(b)
- PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (4 credits)
- PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (4 credits)
Required courses in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (40 credits)
- GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth (4 credits)
- GLG 304 Physical and Biological History of the Earth (4 credits)
- GLG 321 Mineralogy and Geochemistry (4 credits)
- GLG 361 Petrology (4 credits)
- GLG 401 Global Tectonics and Earth Structure (4 credits)
- GLG 431 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4 credits)
- GLG 491 Field Geology – Summer Camp (6 credits)
- Ten additional credits in Geological Sciences courses at the 300–400 level.
Note: Plant Biology 335 and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 426 may be used to satisfy either the requirements for the major or general graduation requirements but not both of those requirements. Please talk to the undergraduate advisor for details.
Concentration in Geophysics
A concentration in geophysics is also available. Students must complete all of the following courses. Courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the concentration may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences. The concentration will be noted on the student’s transcript.
All of the following courses (22 credits)
- GLG 470 Principles of Modern Geophysics (3 credits)
- GLG 471 Applied Geophysics (4 credits)
- MTH 234 Multivariate Calculus (4 credits)
- MTH 235 Differential Equations (3 credits)
- PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (4 credits)
- PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (4 credits)