Minor in Geophysics
The Minor in Geophysics provides interdisciplinary training for students interested in applying physics to solve geological and environmental problems. In addition to foundational math and physics courses, the minor requires a course broadly introducing the Earth sciences and a suite of courses that focus on the application of physics to our understanding of Earth and other planetary bodies. This minor augments a student’s major program by adding quantitative training in the physical processes that govern Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences. The minor will broaden the application of the student’s primary major through complementary skills in applied physics, computational analysis, and geophysical methods used to investigate subsurface structure, natural hazards, resources, and planetary interiors.
This minor is available as an elective to all students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. This minor provides a foundation in geophysics that particularly enriches those majoring in fields such as (but not limited to):
- Astrophysics
- Civil Engineering
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Environmental Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physical Sciences
- Physics
With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s major degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy this minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree. However, at least 6 credits counted towards the requirements for this minor must be unique. Unique credits must not be used to fulfill another university, college, or major requirement in the student’s program.
The minor is administered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences within the College of Natural Sciences. Students who wish to consider or plan to complete the requirements for the minor should consult the undergraduate advisor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Geophysics Minor Requirements
The minor requires a minimum of 27 credits selected according to the following rules.
All of the following courses (12 credits)
- MTH 234 Multivariate Calculus (4 credits)
- PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (4 credits)
- PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (4 credits)
One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits)
- CMSE 202 Computational Modeling and Data Analysis II (4 credits)
- MTH 235 Differential Equations (3 credits)
- MTH 314 Matrix Algebra with Computational Applications (3 credits)
One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits)
- GLG 201 Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences (4 credits)
- GLG 203 Geology of the Great Lakes Region (3 credits)
Three of the following courses (9 or 10 credits)
- GLG 411 Hydrogeology (3 credits)
- GLG 445 Planetary Science (3 credits)
- GLG 470 Solid Earth Geophysics and Geodynamics (3 credits)
- GLG 471 Applied Geophysics (4 credits)