Program: Geology, B.S.
Geology Option
Program Description
The Geology option provides the most flexibility, preparing students for a full range of technical careers in geoscience and for advanced studies in graduate school. It can be specialized toward different branches of geosciences by the appropriate choices of elective courses.
The Honors Program is available for this major.
Program Requirements
A. Tier 1 (4 units)
Any 100-level GEOL course and any 100-level GEOL lab (3/1)
B. Tier Math and Science (18-20 units)
CHEM 101 General Chemistry I (3)
CHEM 101D Problem Solving in General Chemistry I (1)
CHEM 101L General Chemistry I Lab (1)
MATH 150B Calculus II (5)
or MATH 140 Introductory Statistics (4)
C. Tier 2 (16 units)
GEOL 303 Communicating Geoscience (2)
GEOL 306/L Earth Materials and Lab (3/1)
GEOL 309/L Earth Tectonics and Structure and Lab (3/1)
GEOL 313 Field Methods (2)
GEOL 314/L Earth Systems and Lab (3/1)
D. Tier 3 (24-28 units)
GEOL 307/L Petrology and Lab (3/1)
GEOL 310/L Advanced Structural Geology and Lab (3/1)
GEOL 341/L Sedimentology and Stratigraphy and Lab (3/1)
Four additional upper division GEOL courses (exclusive of GEOL 300, GEOL 301, GEOL 324, GEOL 327 and GEOL 344) including required lab if applicable (12-16 units). GEOG 365/GEOG 365L may be used as one of these four upper division elective courses.
Note: Students in the Honors Program must take GEOL 498 as one of the four upper division GEOL electives.
E. Tier 4 (7 units)
GEOL 430A/B Summer Field Geology (2-2)
GEOL 490 Senior Capstone (3)
F. General Education (43 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 43 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (E.S.) requirement.
10 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: MATH 150A satisfies Basic Skills Area 2 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning; CHEM 101 satisfies Area 5A Physical Science; CHEM 101L satisfies Area 5C Science Laboratory Activity; and GEOL 314 satisfies Area 5 Physical and Biological Sciences, Upper Division.
G. Campus Requirements (6 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 6 units of Campus Requirements as described in this Catalog.
Total Units in the Major/Option: 69-75
General Education Units: 33
Campus Requirement Units: 6
Additional Units: 6-12
Total Units Required for the B.S. Degree: 120
More information
For more information about this program, please contact geology@csun.edu.
Contact
Department of Geological Sciences
Chair: Jennifer Cotton
Live Oak Hall (LO) 1202
(818) 677-3541
Program Learning Outcomes
Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Geology will be able to:
- Demonstrate conceptual understanding of different earth materials and systems and the processes that shape them throughout their history.
- Identify geologic problems, use scientific problem solving to aid in their solution and reflect on the findings, both independently and in collaboration with others.
- Demonstrate skills in standard data-collection and data-analysis methods in both lab and field settings.
- Communicate geoscience discoveries to scientific and public audiences with precision, clarity and conviction.
ADT/STAR Act Degree Road Maps
Students who have graduated with a verified Associate Degree for Transfer and have been admitted to a CSUN program that has been deemed similar will be able to complete the baccalaureate degree within 60 semester units. For additional information, see ADT/STAR Act Degree Road Maps.
Geology/Geology Option - AS-T in Environmental Science (2023-Present)