Geology and Environmental Studies Major, BS – Planetary Geoscience Concentration (uTrack Requirements)

uTrack Requirements (College of Arts and Sciences)

Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students.

Following the sample academic plan and its uTrack milestones will help students stay on track to graduate in four years. For specific course requirements, refer to the description of the major and the Arts and Sciences requirements  listed in the Catalog, and consult an academic advisor.

Term 1

• ENGL 101 - English Composition I 3 Credit Hours * (or equivalent)
• GEOL 101 - The Dynamic Earth 4 Credit Hours *

•  

• Choose separate lecture and lab or honors lecture/lab combined:

• CHEM 122 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit Hours * and
• CHEM 123 - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 Credit Hours *

• or

• CHEM 128 - Honors: General Chemistry I 4 Credit Hours *

•  

• Select one course:

• MATH 132 - Calculus 1B Infused with Precalculus 3 Credit Hours *
• MATH 141 - Calculus I 4 Credit Hours *
• MATH 147 - Honors: Calculus I 4 Credit Hours *
• MATH 151 - Mathematics for the Life Sciences 3 Credit Hours *

Term 2

• Foreign Language 3 Credit Hours (intermediate level)

• GEOL 104 - Exploring the Planets 4 Credit Hours *

•  

• Choose separate lecture and lab or honors lecture/lab combined:

• CHEM 132 - General Chemistry II 3 Credit Hours * and
• CHEM 133 - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 Credit Hours *

• or

• CHEM 138 - Honors: General Chemistry II 4 Credit Hours *

•  

• Select one course:

• MATH 142 - Calculus II 4 Credit Hours *
• MATH 148 - Honors: Calculus II 4 Credit Hours *
• MATH 152 - Calculus for the Life Sciences 3 Credit Hours *

Term 3

• Foreign Language 3 Credit Hours * (intermediate level)
• Social Sciences  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

• ENGL 102 - English Composition II 3 Credit Hours * (or equivalent)
• GEOL 310 - Mineralogy 4 Credit Hours *

•  

• Select one physics course:

• EF 151 - Physics for Engineers I 4 Credit Hours *
• EF 157 - Honors: Physics for Engineers I 4 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 135 - Introduction to Physics for Physical Science and Mathematics Majors I 4 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 137 - Honors: Fundamentals of Physics for Physics Majors I 5 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 221 - Elements of Physics I 4 Credit Hours *

Term 4

• Arts and Humanities  Elective 3 Credit Hours *
• Engaged Inquiries  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

• GEOL 330 - Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology 4 Credit Hours
• GEOL 340 - Earth Sedimentary Processes 4 Credit Hours

•  

• Select one course:

• EF 152 - Physics for Engineers II 4 Credit Hours *
• EF 158 - Honors: Physics for Engineers II 4 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 136 - Introduction to Physics for Physical Science and Mathematics Majors II 4 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 138 - Honors: Fundamentals of Physics for Physics Majors II 5 Credit Hours *
• PHYS 222 - Elements of Physics II 4 Credit Hours *
• STAT 201 - Introduction to Statistics 3 Credit Hours *
• STAT 251 - Probability and Statistics for Scientists and Engineers 3 Credit Hours
• MATH 231 - Differential Equations I 3 Credit Hours
• MATH 237 - Honors: Differential Equations I 3 Credit Hours
• MATH 241 - Calculus III 4 Credit Hours
• MATH 247 - Honors: Calculus III 4 Credit Hours
• MATH 251 - Matrix Algebra I 3 Credit Hours
• BIOL 113 - Introductory Plant Biology I 3 Credit Hours *
• BIOL 115 - Introductory Plant Biology Laboratory 2 Credit Hours
• BIOL 150 - Organismal and Ecological Biology 3 Credit Hours *
• BIOL 158 - Honors: Organismal and Ecological Biology 3 Credit Hours
• BIOL 159 - Skills of Biological Investigation 2 Credit Hours *
• BIOL 167 - Honors: Skills of Biological Investigation 2 Credit Hours *

Term 5

• Arts and Humanities  (Lit/Phil/Rel Thought ) Elective 3 Credit Hours *
• Non-U.S. History 3 Credit Hours *
• Oral Communication  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

• GEOL 370 - Earth Structure and Geophysics 4 Credit Hours

•  

• Select one course:

• ASTR 151 - A Journey through the Solar System Lecture 3 Credit Hours *
• ASTR 217 - Honors: Introductory Astronomy 4 Credit Hours *
• GEOL 301 - Introduction to Scientific Field Methods and Analysis 3 Credit Hours
• GEOL 320 - Paleobiology 4 Credit Hours
• GEOL 424 - GIS for Geoscientists 3 Credit Hours

Term 6

• ² Connections 3 Credit Hours *
• Non-U.S. History 3 Credit Hours * (continuation of sequence)
• Written Communication  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

• GEOL 380 - Planetary Geoscience 4 Credit Hours

•  

• Select one course:

• GEOL 210 - Astrobiology: Life, the Universe, and Everything 3 Credit Hours
• GEOL 459 - Introduction to Oceanography 3 Credit Hours
• GEOL 465 - Geomicrobiology 3 Credit Hours
• ASTR 152 - Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology Lecture 3 Credit Hours *
• ASTR 218 - Honors: Introductory Astronomy 4 Credit Hours *
• MICR 333 - Astrobiology 3 Credit Hours *
• GEOL 432 - Geochemical Modeling 3 Credit Hours

Term 7

• ² Connections 3 Credit Hours
• Engaged Inquiries  Elective 3 Credit Hours *
• Global Citizenship – US  Elective 3 Credit Hours *
   

• Select one course:

• GEOL 450 - Landscapes: Earth and Elsewhere 3 Credit Hours
• GEOL 484 - Planetary Geodynamics 3 Credit Hours

•  

• Select one course:

• GEOL 490 - Special Problems in Geology 1-3 Credit Hours (3 hours)
• MICR 475 - Reproducible Data Analysis 3 Credit Hours

Term 8

• Applied Oral Communication  Elective 3 Credit Hours *
• ² Connections 3 Credit Hours
• ¹ Elective 1 Credit Hours
• Social Sciences  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

• GEOL 440 - Field Geology 5 Credit Hours (Complete in summer after 8th term)

Total Credit Hours 123-131

Footnotes

1. All students must complete at least 42 upper-division (300-400 level) hours in order to receive a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences.
2. The Connections requirement may be satisfied in one of three ways: (1) by completing 9 hours from one of the approved Connections packages, (2) by completing the requirements for a second major or minor, or (3) by completing 9 hours of study abroad coursework. All students must complete at least 42 upper-division (300-400 level) hours in order to receive a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences.
3. The courses indicated meet both a Volunteer Core  requirement as well as a requirement in the major. Students can choose to complete the Volunteer Core  requirement using alternative courses; however, this could increase time to degree.

* Meets Volunteer Core Requirements .