EARTH SCIENCE
The Earth Science major is a program leading to the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science.
The bachelor of arts emphasizes an interdisciplinary field and prepares the student primarily for a career in secondary education. Apart from the required and supporting coursework listed below, the B.A. program must satisfy the requirements of the Teacher Education Program. The B.S. program provides a broad overview of geology and supporting sciences. This degree pathway is also suitable for students who may want to pursue a career in secondary education or continue on to graduate school. If a student chooses this option and is interested in secondary education, they should contact Dr. Cinzia Cervato for additional guidance.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically;
- Exhibit a broad understanding of Earth systems and processes;
- Demonstrate scientific literacy and its application to scientific inquiry and societal concerns;
- Demonstrate proficiency in data collection, management, and analysis including understanding sources of error and/or uncertainty;
- Demonstrate competency with geoscience-specific techniques and field methods.
- Read and critically evaluate relevant literature and information;
- Use appropriate tools from chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and data science to solve discipline-specific problems;
- Present information effectively in written and oral forms;
- Work in a team environment in alignment with the ISU principles of community;
- Work independently;
- Attain employment in the geosciences or related fields, or pursue graduate studies.
EARTH SCIENCE
Required courses for the B.A. include:
| GEOL 100 | How the Earth Works | 3 |
| or GEOL 101 | Environmental Geology: Earth in Crisis |
| or GEOL 201 | Geology for Engineers and Environmental Scientists |
| GEOL 100L | How the Earth Works: Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 102 | History of the Earth | 3 |
| GEOL 102L | History of the Earth: Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 302 | Summer Field Studies | 6 |
| GEOL 315 | Mineralogy and Earth Materials | 3 |
| GEOL 315L | Laboratory in Mineralogy and Earth Materials | 1 |
| GEOL 316 | Optical Mineralogy | 1 |
| GEOL 356 | Structural Geology and Tectonics | 4 |
| GEOL 357 | Geological Mapping and Field Methods | 1 |
| GEOL 365 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 3 |
| GEOL 368 | Sedimentary Geology | 4 |
| MTEOR 206 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| ASTRO 120 | The Sky and the Solar System | 3 |
| ASTRO 150 | Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology | 3 |
| 3 |
| Total Credits | 43 |
Required supporting courses include:
Students pursuing the B.A. must take an American History (counts as humanities) or American Government (counts as social science).
Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 250. The department requires a grade of C or better in ENGL 309 or ENGL 314.
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 250H | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition: Honors |
| |
| ENGL 309 | Proposal and Report Writing | 3 |
| or ENGL 314 | Technical Communication |
| Total Credits | 9 |
Required courses for the B.S. include:
| GEOL 100 | How the Earth Works | 3 |
| or GEOL 101 | Environmental Geology: Earth in Crisis |
| or GEOL 201 | Geology for Engineers and Environmental Scientists |
| GEOL 100L | How the Earth Works: Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 102 | History of the Earth | 3 |
| GEOL 102L | History of the Earth: Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 302 | Summer Field Studies | 6 |
| GEOL 315 | Mineralogy and Earth Materials | 3 |
| GEOL 315L | Laboratory in Mineralogy and Earth Materials | 1 |
| GEOL 316 | Optical Mineralogy | 1 |
| GEOL 356 | Structural Geology and Tectonics | 4 |
| GEOL 357 | Geological Mapping and Field Methods | 1 |
| GEOL 365 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 3 |
| GEOL 368 | Sedimentary Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 479 | Surficial Processes | 3 |
| MTEOR 206 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| 8 |
| Total Credits | 45 |
Required supporting courses include:
Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 250. The department requires a grade of C or better in the below communication courses.
Required for B.A. and B.S.
Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. diversity and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses.
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 300/400 level in addition to the LAS world language and cultures requirement. At least 8 credits in the major from 300+ courses must earn grade C or better. The average grade of all courses in the major must be 2.0 or higher.
Earth Science, B.A.
NOTE: Course plan, sequence and credit amounts will vary depending upon which endorsement area(s) a student chooses to pursue. In addition, this plan is solely an example of one possible academic layout. This plan can and likely will be modified based on transfer credit, advanced placement (AP) credit, dual enrollment credit, "test out" credit, course offerings, schedule conflicts and entry term. It is our expectation that students know the requirements of their academic program and develop and follow an academic plan based on their academic catalog and degree audit using their individual academic advisor as a resource in this process.
Potential pathway for the B.A. in Earth Science degree:
EARTH SCIENCE, B.S.
Potential pathway for the B.S. in Earth Science degree:
Graduate Programs
The department offers programs leading to the master of science and doctor of philosophy with majors in Geology, Earth Science, and Meteorology. Students desiring a major in the above fields normally will have a strong undergraduate background in the physical and mathematical sciences. Individuals desiring to enter a graduate program are evaluated by considering their undergraduate preparation and performance along with their expressed goals in the statement of purpose. All prospective students should reach out to individual faculty members who they wish to work with prior to applying.
Programs of study are designed on an individual basis in accordance with requirements of the Graduate College and established requirements for each departmental major. Additional coursework is normally taken in complementary areas such as aerospace engineering, agronomy (soil science), chemistry, civil and construction engineering, computer engineering, computer science, engineering mechanics, environmental science, materials engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, microbiology, physics, or statistics. Departmental requirements provide a strong, broad background in the major and allow considerable flexibility in the program of each individual.
A dissertation is required of all Ph.D. candidates.
M.S. students in Geology are required to complete a thesis. The M.S. in Earth Science is available to students electing the non-thesis (Creative Component) option in Geology or Meteorology.
Graduates in Geology specialize in a sub-discipline, but they comprehend and can communicate the basic principles of geology and supporting sciences. They possess the capacity for critical and independent thinking. They are able to write a fundable research proposal, evaluate current relevant literature, carry out the proposed research, and communicate the results of their research to peers at national meetings and to the general public. They work as consultants on engineering and environmental problems, explorers for new minerals and hydrocarbon resources, researchers, teachers, writers, editors, and museum curators.
