About this Program
- College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Science
- Specializations: Environmental Geosciences (BA) | Environmental Geosciences (BS) | Geophysics (BS)
- Credits for Degree: 120
- More Info
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Department Information
The Department of Geological Sciences aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Earth and Planetary sciences along with their formative and evolutionary processes. Geological Sciences trains students to excel in the geoscience workforce and create sustainable solutions to societal needs.
Website
CONTACT
Email | 352.392.2231
P.O. Box 112120
241 WILLIAMSON HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-2120
Map
Curriculum
Techniques such as environmental assessment, geological hazard assessment, field-based techniques, and geographic information systems (GIS) are used to evaluate the impact of humans on the physical earth and hydrologic environment. The practical and flexible curriculum, small class sizes, computer-based learning, strong faculty, and coursework in several areas of General Education make this major appealing to students who want skills linked to employment or preparation for entry to professional schools (e.g., law, medicine, business).
Geology majors learn about the Earth's physical environment including climate, non-renewable geological resources, renewable geological resources, geological hazards and remediation as well as basic skills required by geologists. These skills and the geological perspective open doors to employment in government agencies and private firms that deal with water management, mining and petroleum exploration, climate change, the environment, and education.
Note that some required courses include a field component, but alternatives to off-campus field work are available and special needs or concerns may be accommodated by speaking with a Geology advisor.
Coursework for the Major
The Geology major has five different options: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Geosciences (a joint program with the Department of Geography), the Bachelor of Science in Geology, the Bachelor of Science in Geophysics, and the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences. Students who are uncertain which program best suits them should consult the Department of Geology's undergraduate coordinator for information and guidance on curriculum planning.
Degrees and Specializations
Bachelor of Arts
The most flexible degree, and best suited for students interested in careers in education or environmental policy making. The degree also allows students flexibility to pursue advanced degrees in environmental law or environmental medicine.
Bachelor of Arts | Environmental Geosciences
Co-offered by the Department of Geography, this specialization is for students interested in land and water aspects of the environment. It can be tailored to focus on water and mineral exploration and management, geological hazards, environmental planning, resource sustainability, or earth science education.
Bachelor of Science | Geology
This degree is designed for students planning to take the professional geology (PG) licensure exam or to continue to graduate study in Geology. It emphasizes a core understanding of petrology, structural geology, field methodology and paleontology, and it requires significant introductory coursework in calculus, general chemistry, and physics.
Bachelor of Science | Geophysics
This specialization is designed for students planning to take the professional geology (PG) licensure exam or to continue to graduate study in Geophysics or related fields. It emphasizes a core understanding of earth materials, structural geology, field methodology, quantitative and computational methods, and it requires significant coursework in mathematics, computational methods, general chemistry, and physics.
Bachelor of Science | Environmental Geosciences
This specialization is designed for students planning to take the professional geology (PG) licensure exam or to continue to graduate study in Environmental Geology/Hydrogeology. It emphasizes a core understanding of earth materials, structural geology, field methodology, geobiology. geochemistry, and it requires significant introductory coursework in calculus, general chemistry, and biology.
Relevant Minors and Certificates
UFTeach Program
There is a severe shortage of qualified secondary science teachers in Florida and nationwide. Students interested in becoming part of this high-demand profession should see the undergraduate coordinator about the UFTeach program. UFTeach students can complete the UFTeach minor in science teaching along with their BA or BS in Geology and have the coursework and preparation for professional teacher certification in Florida when they graduate.
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Research
Students in geology who wish to graduate with high or highest honors will be required to conduct an independent research project under the direction of a faculty member. Students are also afforded the opportunity to conduct research within the department's laboratories regardless of their honors status.
Bachelor of Arts: Environmental Geosciences
This specialization is well-suited for students interested in environmental science, environmental policy, Earth science teaching, or environmental law and offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective between geology and geography. The major requires a minimum of 40 credits of coursework and is a joint offering between the Department of Geological Sciences and Department of Geography. Students must earn a minimum grade of C for coursework to count toward the major.
Required Coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 2200 & 2200L | Dynamic Planet Earth and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory | 4 |
| GIS 3043 | Foundations of Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GLY 2010C | Physical Geology | 4 |
| GLY 2100C | Historical Geology | 4 |
| or GLY 3105C | Evolution of Earth and Life | |
| GLY 3202C | Earth Materials | 3 |
| GLY 4155C | Geology of Florida | 3 |
| Select two geology electives: | 6-8 | |
| Oceans and Global Climate Change | ||
| Geology American National Parks | ||
| Paleontology | ||
| Hydrogeology and Human Affairs | ||
| Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | ||
| Structural Geology and Tectonics | ||
| Sedimentary Geology | ||
| Coastal Morphology and Processes | ||
| Geological Field Methods | ||
| Select three geography electives: | 9-12 | |
| Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for Geographers | ||
| Climatology | ||
| Principles of Geographic Hydrology | ||
| Extreme Floods | ||
| The Human Footprint on Landscape | ||
| Conservation of Resources | ||
| Intermediate Quantitative Analysis for Geographers | ||
| Coastal Morphology and Processes | ||
| River Forms and Processes | ||
| Water, Risk, and Extreme Events | ||
| Environmental Biogeography | ||
| Aerial Photo Interpretation | ||
| Digital Image Processing | ||
| Weather and Forecasting | ||
| Hurricanes | ||
| Total Credits | 37-42 | |
Related Coursework
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 2
- Complete one critical-tracking course with laboratory (GEO 2200/GEO 2200L or GLY 2010C) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 3
- Complete the other critical-tracking course with laboratory (GEO 2200/GEO 2200L or GLY 2010C) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 4
- Complete STA 2023 and maintain a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 5
- Complete 2 additional GLY or GEO courses with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA. (GLY 2100C or GLY 3105C recommended)
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 6
- Complete GLY 3202C
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 7
- Complete GEO level 3000 or above elective (3-4 credits)
- Complete GLY level 3000 or above elective (3-4 credits)
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 8
- Complete GLY 4155C (Capstone)
- Complete any remaining GEO and GLY level 3000 or above electives
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Students are expected to complete the Writing, Civic Literacy, summer enrollment, and Quest requirements while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S) as part of the CLAS Basic Distribution requirements. One of the two general education mathematics courses must be a pure math course.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences allows students additional flexibility in its Distribution Requirements. Students may count a maximum of 6 credits TOTAL from the CLAS Distribution course lists towards Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, or Biological and Physical Sciences, with no more than 3 credits of Humanities, 3 credits of Social and Behavioral Sciences, or 6 credits of Biological or Physical Sciences.
The full list of major-specific requirements for this major can be found on the Overview tab. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree requirements can be found on the College’s degree requirements page.
3000 level or above Geography courses may count towards 3000 level electives outside of the major.
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest 1 | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Mathematics | 3 | |
| CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 1 | 4-5 | |
| Credits | 13-14 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| Select one: | 4 | |
| Physical Geology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) | ||
| Dynamic Planet Earth and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) |
||
| State Core Gen Ed Biological Sciences | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 1 | 3-5 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16-18 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| Quest 2 | 3 | |
| Select one (course not taken in semester two): | 4 | |
| Physical Geology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences; or equivalent) | ||
| Dynamic Planet Earth and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) |
||
| State Core Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) | 3 | |
| Elective (or CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement if 4-3-3 option) 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Four | ||
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) | 3 |
| Gen Ed Biological Sciences | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Five | ||
| GIS 3043 | Foundations of Geographic Information Systems (Critical Tracking) | 4 |
| Select one: | 4 | |
| Historical Geology (Critical Tracking) | ||
| Evolution of Earth and Life (Critical Tracking) | ||
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 6 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| GLY 3202C | Earth Materials (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| Geology elective | 3-4 | |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 9 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| Geography elective (Critical Tracking) | 3-4 | |
| Geology elective (Critical Tracking) | 3-4 | |
| Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15-17 | |
| Semester Eight | ||
| GLY 4155C | Geology of Florida (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| Geography electives | 6-8 | |
| Electives | 7 | |
| Credits | 16-18 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Arts in Geology provides knowledge of the basic concepts related to earth materials and processes, and how to collect and organize geological data in the field. Through laboratory and field-based exercises, students will learn how to interpret geologic maps and cross sections, and to understand the application of the scientific method to solve these problems in teams and individually.
Before Graduating Students Must
- Pass GLY 4155C according to the department grading rubric.
- Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.
Students in the Major Will Learn to
Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs
Content
- Identify, describe and define the basic concepts related to earth materials and processes.
- Collect data in the field.
- Organize geologic, temporal and spatial data.
Critical Thinking
- Interpret geologic maps and cross sections.
- Interpret results using the scientific method.
Communication
- Produce a clearly and effectively written synthesis of data collected in the field.
- Work in teams to solve geologic problems and to present the results of such collaboration effectively.
Curriculum Map
I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed
| Courses | SLO 1 | SLO 2 | SLO 3 | SLO 4 | SLO 5 | SLO 6 | SLO 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLY 2010C | I | I | I | I | I | I | I |
| GLY 2100C | R | R | R | R | I | R | |
| GLY 3202C | R | R | R | R | |||
| GLY 3603 | R | R | R | R | |||
| GLY 4155C Capstone | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
Assessment Types
- Lab assignments
- Projects
- Exams
Bachelor of Science
The Bachelor of Science in Geology provides knowledge of the basic concepts, theories, observational findings related to earth materials and processes, minerals and rocks, geologic time, stratigraphy, and landforms. Through laboratory and field-based exercises, students will learn how to analyze data in the published literature, synthesize analog and digital datasets to produce geological maps, and understand the application of the scientific method to solve geological problems in teams and individually.
Before Graduating Students Must
- Pass GLY 4790 Summer Field Camp according to the department grading rubric.
- Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.
Students in the Major Will Learn to
Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs
Content
- Identify, describe, and define the basic concepts related to earth materials and processes.
- Identify and describe minerals and rocks.
- Define geologic time, stratigraphy, and landforms.
Critical Thinking
- Analyze data in the published literature.
- Synthesize analog and digital datasets to produce geologic maps.
- Apply the scientific method to the analysis of published and self-generated data.
Communication
- Use computers for the presentation of geologic maps and data.
- Solve geologic problems in teams and present the result of such collaboration effectively.
Curriculum Map
I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed
| Courses | SLO 1 | SLO 2 | SLO 3 | SLO 4 | SLO 5 | SLO 6 | SLO 7 | SLO 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLY 2010C | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| GLY 2100C | R | R | R | R | I | R | I | R |
| GLY 3200C | R | R | R | R | R | R | ||
| GLY 4310C | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| GLY 4790 Capstone | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
Assessment Types
- Six weeks of practical field exercises and mapping, including observation and data collection in New Mexico and the western USA