Degree Requirements for Geology

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General Requirements for the Major or Minor

General university degree requirements stipulate that 1) at least four units of the major or three units of the minor be taken in residence at Puget Sound; 2) students earn at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken for the major or the minor; and 3) all courses taken for a major or minor must be taken for graded credit. Any exceptions to these stipulations are indicated in the major and minor degree requirements listed below.

Requirements for the Major in Geology (BS)

Geology is the application of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics to the study of the earth. Students majoring in Geology must understand the principles and techniques of these disciplines as well as the basic skills and concepts of geology. A Geology major consists of the following sequence of related courses:

Ten Geology units to include:
1. One unit from GEOL 101, 104, 110, or 140;
2. GEOL 200, 302, a departmentally approved summer Geology field camp, normally taken between the junior and senior years, and one of the following: GEOL 305, 306, 330, or 340 taken in the junior or senior year;
3. Five units from the following: GEOL 206, 301, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 310, 315, 320, 324, 330, 340, 492
CHEM 110 and 120 or 115 and 230, MATH 180 and 181 (or 160 or CSCI 161), PHYS 111/112 or 121/122;
A grade of C or better must be received in all Geology Department courses.

The Geology Department does not accept courses more than 10 years old towards the major.

Requirements for the Minor in Geology

The minor consists of at least 6 required courses and must include one unit from GEOL 101, or 104, or 110, or 140 (only one unit counts toward the minor) plus GEOL 200 and any four additional Geology courses.

The Geology Department does not accept courses more than 10 years old towards the minor.