IUPUI Bulletins » Schools » purdue-science » Departments & Programs » Department of Earth Sciences » Bachelor of Arts in Geology

Departments & Programs

Department of Earth Sciences
Bachelor of Arts in Geology

(Granted by Indiana University)

Degree Requirements

First-Year Experience Course  Beginning freshmen and transfer students with less than 19 credit hours are required to take SCI-I120 Windows on Science (1 cr.) or an equivalent first-year experience course.

Area I English Composition and Communication Competency  See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin. The second semester of English composition may be satisfied by ENG-W270, ENG-W231, ENG-W230 or ENG-W350. GEOL-G205 may satisfy the second writing requirement in Area I, but the 3 credit hours cannot then also be counted as part of the geology credit hours required in Area IV.

Area II World Language Competency  First-year proficiency in a modern world language is required for the Bachelor of Arts degree program. See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.

Area IIIA Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Cultural Understanding Competencies  See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin.

For the most current list of courses in the areas of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Understanding, please refer to the IUPUI General Education Curriculum.

Area IIIC Life and Physical Sciences Competency  See the School of Science requirements under “Undergraduate Programs” in this bulletin, but all four courses must include laboratories; two of the four courses must include CHEM-C105 / CHEM-C125 and CHEM-C106 / CHEM-C126 and at least one of the four courses must be in biological sciences. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.

Area IIID Analytical Reasoning Competency  MATH 15300 / MATH 15400 or MATH 15900 and CSCI-N207 or another CSCI course approved by the Department of Earth Sciences. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.

Note: Computer Science CSCI-N100 level courses and CIT 10600 do not count for credit toward any degree in the School of Science. Also, CSCI-N241 and CSCI-N299 do not count in Area IIID, but may count as an elective.

Area IV Geology Concentration Requirements  GEOL-G110, GEOL-G120, GEOL-G205, GEOL-G335, GEOL-G221, GEOL-G222, GEOL-G334 and four 300-level or higher geology courses, and a capstone course (GEOL-G420, GEOL-G460, or GEOL-G495). Thirty-eight (38) credit hours in GEOL-G course work required. Geology majors cannot earn credit for both GEOL-GG221/GEOL-G222 and GEOL-G306.  Other 100-level courses and 1 - 2 credit courses do not count toward the geology concentration, but may be applied as electives toward the university-required total of 120 credit hours. No grade below C- will be accepted in any of these courses.

Other Requirements

See the School of Science requirements under Undergraduate Programs, Baccalaureate Degree, General Requirements in this bulletin. GEOL-G420, GEOL-G460, or GEOL-G495 may be used to satisfy the School of Science capstone requirement, with approval by the Department of Earth Sciences.

Bachelor of Arts Sample Program (120 cr. required)

Freshman Year
First Semester
GEOL-G110 Physical Geology   3
GEOL-G120 Physical Geology Laboratory   1
CHEM-C105 Principles of Chemistry I  3
CHEM-C125 Experimental Chemistry I  2
ENG-W131 Reading, Writing and Inquiry 3
MATH 15300 Algebra and Trigonometry I  3
SCI-I120 Windows on Science  1
Total 16
Second Semester    
CHEM-C106 Principles of Chemistry II   3
CHEM-C126 Experimental Chemistry II   2
MATH 15400 Algebra and Trigonometry II   3
COMM-R110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication  3
2nd written communication course    3
Elective (GEOL-G130 course suggested) 1
Total 15
Sophomore Year
Third Semester
GEOL-G335 Evolution of the Earth and Life 4
GEOL-G221 Introductory Mineralogy 4
Approved Biology course with laboratory 5
Arts and Humanities (choose from list) 3
Total 16
Fourth Semester  
GEOL-G205 Reporting Skills in Geoscience   3
GEOL-G222 Petrology 4
Approved Science course with laboratory 5
CSCI-N207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets 3
World Language Course 3
Total 18
Junior Year
Fifth Semester
GEOL-G300/GEOL-G400 elective   3
GEOL-G334 Principles of Sedimentation and Stratigraphy  4
Social Sciences (choose from list) 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Total 16
Sixth Semester
GEOL-G300/GEOL-G400 elective   3
Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences (choose from list) 3
World Language Course 3
Elective   3
Elective   3
Total 15
Senior Year
Seventh Semester
GEOL-G300/GEOL-G400 electives   3
World Language Course 3
Elective 3
Elective   3
Total 12
Eighth Semester  
GEOL-G300/GEOL-G400 elective 3
Geology Capstone Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Total 12