Listed below are the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Geosciences. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the College of Letters & Science breadth and other degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. You are strongly advised to consult both the Geosciences advisor and your L&S advisor to ensure you stay on track towards a degree. Read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages.
Major Requirements
All students who major in Geosciences must complete at least 15 credits in Geosciences courses at the advanced level (numbered 300 or above) in residence at UWM as part of the 36 advanced-level credits required for the L&S degree. The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| GEO SCI 100 | Introduction to the Earth | 3 |
| GEO SCI 102 | Principles of Historical Geology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 301 | Principles of Mineralogy | 4 |
| GEO SCI 302 | Elementary Petrology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 316 | Introduction to Geophysics | 4 |
| GEO SCI 414 | Structural Geology (satisfies L&S research requirement) | 4 |
| GEO SCI 455 | Field Geology (normally taken over the summer) 1 | 4-8 |
| GEO SCI 511 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation | 4 |
| Electives | ||
| Select two (6 – 8 credits) of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Water Quality | ||
| General Soil Science | ||
| Process Geomorphology | ||
| Glacial and Pleistocene Geology | ||
| Physical Hydrogeology | ||
| Chemical Hydrogeology | ||
| Physical Sedimentology | ||
| Terroir: Geology in a Glass | ||
| Field Methods in Hydrogeology | ||
| Principles of Stream Management and Restoration | ||
| Select 10-12 additional credits from Geosciences Department courses at the 300 level or above, for a total of 18 elective credits. | 10-12 | |
| Other Requirements | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 231 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| Students are encouraged to take the following: | ||
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | ||
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry III | ||
| Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| Students are encouraged to take the following course as well as courses in organic and inorganic chemistry: | ||
| General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | ||
| Physics | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 5 | |
| Option 1: | ||
| General Physics I (Non-Calculus Treatment) and General Physics Laboratory I (Non-Calculus Treatment) | ||
| Option 2: | ||
| Physics I (Calculus Treatment) and Lab Physics I (Calculus Treatment) | ||
| Students are encouraged to take: | ||
| General Physics II (Non-Calculus Treatment) and General Physics Laboratory II (Non-Calculus Treatment) | ||
| OR | ||
| Physics II (Calculus Treatment) and Lab Physics II (Calculus Treatment) | ||
| Total Credits | 60-68 | |
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GEO SCI 455 is required but not offered at UWM. Students must enroll in a field course at another university to satisfy the requirement.
Students are advised strongly to increase their scholastic breadth by selecting courses from among several subdisciplines of the geosciences, in consultation with Geosciences Department faculty.
Students who are interested in general geology are encouraged to include courses from among the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO SCI 409 | Process Geomorphology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 420 | Methods in Paleomagnetism and Environmental Magnetism | 3 |
| GEO SCI 515 | Physical Sedimentology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 520 | Introduction to Paleontology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 545 | X-Ray Analytical Methods | 3 |
| GEO SCI 614 | Advanced Structural Geology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 635 | Volcanology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 638 | Advanced Igneous Petrology | 3 |
| Students are encouraged to consider topics offered under the following: | ||
| GEO SCI 696 | Topics in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
| GEO SCI 697 | Seminar in the Geological Sciences: | 1-3 |
Students who are interested in environmental geology or hydrogeology are encouraged to include courses from among the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO SCI 400 | Water Quality | 4 |
| GEO SCI 409 | Process Geomorphology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 443 | Glacial and Pleistocene Geology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 463 | Physical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 464 | Chemical Hydrogeology | 4 |
| GEO SCI 545 | X-Ray Analytical Methods | 3 |
| GEO SCI 562 | Environmental Surface Hydrology | 3 |
| GEO SCI 563 | Field Methods in Hydrogeology | 4 |