OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25
Geological Sciences—Environmental Geoscience Major (B.S.) |
Major code BS3326
College of Arts and Sciences
Earth and Environmental Geosciences
Clippinger Laboratories 316
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1101
geological.sciences@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/cas/geology
Eung Seok Lee, Chair
leee1@ohio.edu
Greg Springer, Advising Coordinator
springeg@ohio.edu
Program Overview
The preprofessional program in environmental geoscience is designed to provide you with broad training for careers in many aspects of environmental science. In many areas, you should anticipate further training at the graduate level. Consult with the undergraduate advisor in the Earth and Environmental Geosciences Department before planning your schedule of coursework.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy
No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
Graduates with a degree in Geological Sciences – Environmental Geoscience are prepared for a variety of career paths. Students can pursue positions with employers in the petroleum industry, state, and national government agencies, research laboratories, state highway departments, mining companies, civil engineering firms, surveying companies, consulting firms, museums, public and private K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, etc. Students are also adequately prepared to pursue graduate work in their field of interest.
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Requirements
University-wide Graduation Requirements
Ohio University requires the completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours for the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. This program can be completed within that 120-hour requirement. For more information on the minimum hours requirement and other university-wide requirements, please review the Graduation Requirements – University-wide page.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement
View the College and Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirements .
Geological Sciences - Environmental Geoscience Major Requirements
The major requirement for the (B.S.) degree in Geological Sciences — Environmental Geoscience requires 44 hours.
Option 2
Complete the following course, plus an additional course as a prerequisite.
- GEOL 2020 - Introductory Geology Lab Credit Hours: 1
Plus one of the following courses
- GEOL 1200 - The Mobile Earth Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 1300 - Geology of the National Parks Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 1350 - Natural Disasters Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 1400 - Dinosaurs and the Mesozoic Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2080 - Geology of the Solar System Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2110 - Introductory Oceanography Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2150 - Environmental Geology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2170 - Water Resources and Sustainability Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2210 - Earth and Life History Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2310 - Water and Pollution Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 2550 - Historical Geology Credit Hours: 3
Geology Core Courses
Complete a total of 28 semester hours of GEOL coursework, including the following:
- GEOL 2550 - Historical Geology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 3120 - Earth Materials and Resources Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 3300 - Principles of Geomorphology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 3500 - Stratigraphy-Sedimentology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 3600 - Structural Geology Credit Hours: 4
- GEOL 3700 - Groundwater Fundamentals and Practices Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4060 - Geodata analysis for Geological Sciences Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4750 - Watershed and Stream Hydrology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4800 - Principles of Hydrogeology Credit Hours: 3
Statistics Course
Complete one of the following courses.
- GEOG 2710 - Introduction to Statistics in Geography Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 3050 - Statistical Methods in Geology Credit Hours: 4
- MATH 2500 - Statistics and Probability Credit Hours: 4
- PSY 2110 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences Credit Hours: 4
-
Please note only GEOL 3050 will count toward GEOL required hours.
Advanced Electives
Complete courses from the following 3000- or 4000-level courses, totaling at least 12 credit hours.
- ES 3620 - Environmental Science and Public Policy Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4250 - Watershed Management Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4300 - Field Methods in Environmental Studies Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4500 - Environmental Studies Capstone Seminar Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4710 - Bioenergy: Science, Policy, and Business Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4720 - Energy Systems and Policy Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4730 - Environmental Entrepreneurship Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4832 - Sustainability Implementation Practicum Credit Hours: 3
- ES 4910 - Environmental Studies Leadership Experience Credit Hours: 1 - 5
- GEOG 3430 - Global Issues in Environment Credit Hours: 3
- GEOG 3440 - Agricultural Ecosystems Credit Hours: 3
- GEOG 4470 - Natural Resource Conservation Credit Hours: 3
- GEOG 4560 - The Just and Sustainable City Credit Hours: 3
- GEOG 4660 - Principles of Remote Sensing Credit Hours: 4
- GEOG 4730 - Principles of GIS Credit Hours: 4
- GEOL 4270 - Water Geochemistry Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4290 - Contaminant Geochemistry Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4320 - Origin and Classification of Soils Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4390 - Stream Geomorphology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4480 - Paleoecology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4811 - Advanced Hydrogeology Credit Hours: 3
- GEOL 4960 - Field Geology Credit Hours: 6
- PBIO 4380 - Soil Properties and Ecosystem Processes Credit Hours: 4
- PHIL 3350 - Environmental Ethics Credit Hours: 3
- POLS 4250 - Environmental and Climate Change Politics and Policy Credit Hours: 3
- POLS 4260 - Politics of the Contemporary Environmental Movement Credit Hours: 3
- POLS 4840 - The Politics of Sustainability Credit Hours: 3
Option 1: Principles of Chemistry
Complete the following courses:
- CHEM 1210 - Principles of Chemistry I Credit Hours: 4
- CHEM 1220 - Principles of Chemistry II Credit Hours: 4
Option 2: Principles of Chemistry
Complete the following courses:
- CHEM 1510 - Fundamentals of Chemistry I Credit Hours: 4
- CHEM 1520 - Fundamentals of Chemistry II Credit Hours: 4
Option 1: Physics
Complete the following courses:
- PHYS 2001 - Introduction to Physics Credit Hours: 4
- PHYS 2002 - Introduction to Physics Credit Hours: 4
Option 2: Physics
Complete the following courses/sequences:
- PHYS 2051 - General Physics Credit Hours: 5
-
or
- PHYS 2054 - General Physics 1 classical mechanics and thermodynamics Credit Hours: 3
-
and
- PHYS 2055 - General Physics 1 laboratory course Credit Hours: 1
- PHYS 2052 - General Physics Credit Hours: 5
-
or
- PHYS 2056 - General Physics 2 electricity and magnetism Credit Hours: 3
-
and
- PHYS 2057 - General Physics 2 laboratory course Credit Hours: 1
Option 3: Biology
Complete the following courses:
- BIOS 1700 - Biological Sciences I: Molecules and Cells Credit Hours: 3
- BIOS 1705 - Biological Sciences I Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
- BIOS 1710 - Biological Sciences II: Ecology, Evolution, Animal Body Systems Credit Hours: 3
- BIOS 1715 - Biological Sciences II Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
Option 4: Plant Biology
Complete the following courses:
- PBIO 1140 - Foundations of Plant Biology Credit Hours: 4
- PBIO 1150 - Plant Structure and Development Credit Hours: 4