Geological Sciences, Bachelor of Science (5008)
Program Coordinator
Nahid Gani, nahid.gani@wku.edu, (270) 745-2813
Geological science can assist in tackling global challenges like managing land, water, ocean, space, mineral, and energy resources in a sustainable way. The time has never been better to become a geological scientist. The B.S. degree in Geological Sciences can provide a wide variety of career options, including jobs in the corporate (oil & gas, mining, environmental, engineering), government (surveys, agencies, park service), and academic sectors. Our program takes a holistic approach, as the traditional geology has become increasingly interdisciplinary. With three concentrations (Geology, Environmental Earth Science, and General), the program has a common core, providing the knowledge base for students to pursue the Professional Geologist licensure. Each concentration has different other requirements, specializing in different subjects. Our classes feature interactive learning, both in the field exploring the earth and in the lab doing simulations and analytical work. Students also enjoy excellent opportunities to work with faculty and other students on a variety of research topics.
Concentrations
- Geology (GEOL)
- Environmental Earth Science (ENES)
- General (GGEN)
Program Requirements (30-48 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major in Geological Sciences requires a minimum of 30-48 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. Other required math and science cognate courses total an additional 11-17 semester hours. This major provides students with a versatile background in geological sciences for entry-level employment or graduate school.
Geological Sciences Major - Common Core (22 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 111 | The Earth | 3 |
| GEOL 112 | Earth's Past and Future | 3 |
| GEOL 113 | The Earth Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 114 | Earth's Past and Future Lab | 1 |
| GEOL 350 | Mineralogy and Petrology | 4 |
| GEOL 360 | Sedimentology and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| GEOL 408 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 499 | Professional Preparation in Geology | 2 |
| Total Hours | 22 | |
Geology Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| In addition to the Common Core, take the following courses to fulfill the Geology concentration: | 22 | |
| Required Course (10 hours) | ||
| GEOL 380 | Introductory Field Techniques | 3 |
| GISC 316 | Geographic Information Systems I | 4 |
| GEOG 300 | Writing in the Geosciences | 3 |
| Elective Courses (16 hours) | ||
| Select 16 hours from any 200-level or above GEOL course or from GEOG 391 or GEOG 452 with advisor approval. | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Additional Required Courses Outside of the Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Take the following required courses towards the Geology concentration: | ||
| MATH 136 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 137 | Calculus II | 4 |
| CHEM 120 & CHEM 121 | College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Laboratory | 5 |
| PHYS 231 & PHYS 232 | Introduction to Physics and Biophysics I and Laboratory for Physics and Biophysics I | 4 |
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Environmental Earth Science Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| In addition to the Common Core, take the following courses to fulfill the Environmental Earth Science concentration: | 22 | |
| Required Course (19 hours) | ||
| GEOL 250 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 310 | Global Hydrology | 3 |
| GEOL 415 | Applied Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 420 | Geomorphology | 3 |
| GISC 316 | Geographic Information Systems I | 4 |
| GEOG 300 | Writing in the Geosciences | 3 |
| Elective Courses (7 hours) | ||
| Select 7 hours from any 300-400 level GEOL course with advisor approval. | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Additional Required Courses Outside of the Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Take the following additional courses towards the Environmental Earth Science concentration: | ||
| MATH 183 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| CHEM 105 & CHEM 106 | Fundamentals of General Chemistry and Fundamentals of General Chemistry Laboratory (or higher) | 4 |
| BIOL 207 & BIOL 208 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
| Total Hours | 11 | |
General Concentration
A second major or a minor of at least 24 hours is required with this concentration.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| In addition to the Common Core, take the following courses to fulfill the General Concentration: | 22 | |
| Elective Courses (8 hours) | ||
| Select 8 hours from any 300-level or above GEOL course with advisor approval. | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Additional Required Courses Outside of the Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Take the following additional courses towards the General Concentration: | ||
| MATH 115 | Applied College Algebra | 3-4 |
| or MATH 116 | College Algebra | |
| or MATH 183 | Introductory Statistics | |
| or MATH 136 | Calculus I | |
| CHEM 120 & CHEM 121 | College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOL 120 & BIOL 121 | Biological Concepts: Cells Metabolism and Genetics and Biological Concepts: Cells, Metabolism, and Genetics Lab | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 122 & BIOL 123 | Biological Concepts: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecology and Biological Concepts: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecology Lab | |
| or PHYS 180 & PHYS 181 | Introductory Modern Physics and Introductory Modern Physics Laboratory | |
| or PHYS 201 | College Physics I | |
| or PHYS 231 & PHYS 232 | Introduction to Physics and Biophysics I and Laboratory for Physics and Biophysics I | |
| or PHYS 255 & PHYS 256 | University Physics I and University Physics I Lab | |
| Total Hours | 12-14 | |
Geological Sciences - Geology Concentration
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 111 | 3 | GEOL 112 | 3 |
| GEOL 113 | 1 | GEOL 114 | 1 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | CHEM 120 & CHEM 121 | 5 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | Geology Concentration Elective 1 - Recommend GEOL 250 | 3 |
| GEOG 175 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 350 | 4 | GEOL 360 | 4 |
| GEOL 380 | 3 | Geology Concentration Elective 2 | 3 |
| MATH 136 | 4 | MATH 137 | 4 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Arts & Humanities) | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Social & Behavioral) | 3 | ||
| 17 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PHYS 231 & PHYS 232 | 4 | GEOL 408 | 4 |
| GISC 316 | 4 | Geology Concentration Elective 4 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) - Recommend GEOL 301/315 | 3 | Colonnade: Writing in the Disciplines - Recommend GEOG 300 | 3 |
| Geology Concentration Elective 3 | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 |
| Geology Concentration Elective 5 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 499 | 2 | General Elective - Recommend GEOL 399 | 3 |
| Geology Concentration Elective 6 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective - Recommend GEOL 399 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
Geological Sciences - Environmental Earth Science (EES) Concentration
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 111 | 3 | GEOL 112 | 3 |
| GEOL 113 | 1 | GEOL 114 | 1 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | CHEM 105 & CHEM 106 | 4 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | GEOL 250 | 3 |
| GEOG 175 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 350 | 4 | GEOL 360 | 4 |
| GEOL 301, GEOL 311, GEOL 315, GEOL 440, GEOL 445, or GEOL 465 (EES Choice 1) | 3 | GEOL 310 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Arts & Humanities) | 3 | BIOL 207 & BIOL 208 | 4 |
| MATH 183 | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Social & Behavioral) | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 420 | 3 | GEOL 408 | 4 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) - Recommend GEOL 301/315 | 3 | GEOL 415 | 3 |
| GISC 316 | 4 | GEOL 301, GEOL 311, GEOL 315, GEOL 440, GEOL 445, or GEOL 465 (EES Choice 2) | 3 |
| EES Elective | 3 | Colonnade: Writing in the Disciplines - Recommend GEOG 300 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 | General Elective - Recommend GEOL 399 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 499 | 2 | General Elective - Recommend GEOL 399 | 3 |
| General Elective - Recommend GEOL 399 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
Geological Sciences - General Concentration
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 111 | 3 | GEOL 112 | 3 |
| GEOL 113 | 1 | GEOL 114 | 1 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | CHEM 120 & CHEM 121 | 5 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 |
| GEOG 175 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 350 | 4 | GEOL 360 | 4 |
| MATH 115 (or MATH 116 or MATH 183 or MATH 136) | 3 | General Concentration Elective 2 | 3 |
| General Concentration Elective 1 | 3 | Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 |
| Colonnade Explorations - Arts & Humanities | 3 | Colonnade Connections - Social & Cultural | 3 |
| Colonnade Explorations - Social & Behavioral | 3 | Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Cognate science requirements w/Lab | 4 | GEOL 408 | 4 |
| Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 | Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 |
| Colonnade Connection - Systems (GEOL 301) | 3 | ENG 300 or GEOG 300 | 3 |
| General Concentration Elective 3 | 3 | Colonnade Connections - Local to Global | 3 |
| Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 | ||
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEOL 499 | 2 | General Elective | 3 |
| Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| Course in 2nd Major or Minor | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||