Section I:
The University

Section II:
Graduation Requirements

Section III:
Majors, Minors, Courses

Geosciences       (Program Homepage)

Faculty: T. Cope, J. Mills, F. Soster, M. Wilkerson

Geoscientists study the Earth, including the materials that compose the planet, the processes that continuously change the planet, and the evolution of the earth and life through time. Because these studies involve investigations of relationships between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, the Geosciences are inherently interdisciplinary by nature and include aspects of chemistry, biology, and physics.

Geoscientists also are addressing increasingly challenging problems that confront a growing human population as we begin the twenty-first century: dwindling water, mineral, and energy resources; earthquake prediction and natural hazard identification; human impacts on the environment at regional and global scales; and safe disposal of toxic and radioactive waste materials.

The goal of the Department of Geosciences is to expose students to the complex interplay of Earth systems through active, hands-on learning. Therefore, a DePauw education in the Geosciences goes far beyond the traditional classroom. Students work in modern laboratories with extensive mineral, rock, fossil, and map collections. They use computers to model complex systems and simulate geological processes. They receive training on emerging technological tools such as GPS (global positioning systems) and GIS (geographic information systems). They participate on field trips that take them to some of the best geological exposures in the world. Many students spend a summer working closely with faculty on important research problems using state-of-the-art instrumentation. These student-faculty collaborations commonly result in student presentations at national meetings and co-authored publications in refereed journals. Current research topics include: understanding the fate of pollutant materials in aquatic ecosystems, sedimentation rates in modern depositional environments, origin and evolution of igneous rocks in the southwestern United States and northeastern Canada, 2-D and 3-D mapping, modeling, and computer visualization of faults and folded rocks with applications in various mountain belts, geochemical analysis and remediation of acid mine drainage from Indiana coal mines, and sedimentary basins in China.

Many DePauw Geoscience graduates receive scholarships to attend leading graduate schools to continue their education. Other graduates pursue a variety of successful careers in industry (e.g., oil and gas exploration, mining and mineral exploration, environmental and geological consulting firms, and water resource management), government agencies (federal or state), or academic institutions (e.g., K-12, colleges, and universities). The long-range outlook for employment in geosciences is good at this time, especially for women and ethnic minorities.

The Department of Geosciences offers majors and minors in Geology, Environmental Geoscience, and Earth Science, and a minor in Geography. Students planning to major in any of these fields should consult with a departmental faculty member. During the senior year, all majors are required to participate in a senior seminar. Students preparing for secondary teaching: review Section V, Teacher Education, and confer with the chair of the education department about requirements for admission and certification.

Requirements for a major in Geology:

Total courses required:

9.5 GEOS + 1.25 CHEM

Core courses:

GEOL 110, GEOL 280, GEOL 310, GEOL 350

Other required courses:

GEOL 210, GEOL 320, GEOL 450 CHEM 130 & 170 (1.25 credit) At least 3 course credits from the following courses: GEOL 220, GEOL 330, GEOL 370, GEOL 380, GEOG 315 GEOL 470*, GEOL 480*, GEOL 490* *only 1 course credit counts towards major CHEM 130 and 170 (1.25 credit)

# 300 and 400 level courses:

Four and one-half

Senior requirement:

The senior requirement consists of GEOL 450.

Additional information:

Recommended courses from which to choose: MATH 151-152 PHYS 120 and 130 CSC 121-122 POLS (Political Science)courses (e.g., POLS 110, 180, 382 ANTH 253 Off-campus study in an approved geoscience program Additional GEOS (GEOL/GEOG), CHEM, and/or BIO courses Winter Term internship in a geoscience-related field Summer geology field camp

Requirements for a major in Environmental Geoscience:

Total courses required:

8.0 GEOS + 1 UNIV + (4.25-4.75) Areas

Core courses:

GEOL 110, GEOL 280, GEOL 310, GEOL 350

Other required courses:

GEOL 109, GEOG 125 UNIV 170, UNIV 390 At least 2 course credits from the following courses: GEOL 330, GEOL 370, GEOL 380 GEOL 470*, GEOL 480*, GEOL 490* (*only 1 course credit counts towards major) At least 2 of the following area concentrations: Area 1: CHEM 120, 130, & 170 (2.25 credit) Area 2: BIO 135 & 145 (2.0 cr) Note: BIO 342 also is highly recommended. Area 3: ECON 100 & 294 (2 cr)Note: Econ 335 also is highly recommended.

# 300 and 400 level courses:

Four and one-half

Senior requirement:

The senior requirement consists of UNIV 390.

Additional information:

Recommended courses from which to choose: MATH 151-152 PHYS 120 and 130 CSC 121-122 POLS (Political Science) courses (e.g., POLS 110, 160, 382) ANTH 253 Additional GEOS (GEOL/GEOG), CHEM, and/or BIO courses Winter Term internship in a geoscience-related field Off-campus study in an approved geoscience program Summer geology field camp

Requirements for a major in Earth Science:

Total courses required:

8.5 GEOS + 2.25 CHEM/PHYS

Core courses:

GEOL 110, GEOL 280, GEOL 310, GEOL 350

Other required courses:

GEOG 115, GEOL 450 an astronomy course CHEM 130 & CHEM 170 (1.25 total credit) At least 3 course credits from the following courses (at least one of the three must be at the 300 or higher level): GEOL 107, GEOL 109, GEOL 210, GEOL 220, GEOL 320, GEOL 330, GEOL 370, GEOL 380, GEOG 105, GEOG 125, GEOG 135, GEOG 315 GEOL 470*, GEOL 480*, GEOL 490* *only 1 course credit counts towards major

# 300 and 400 level courses:

Three and one-half

Senior requirement:

The senior requirement consists of GEOL 450.

Additional information:

Recommended courses from which to choose: MATH 151-152 PHYS 120 and 130 CSC 121-122 POLS (Political Science) courses (e.g., POLS 110, 160, 382) ANTH 253 Additional GEOS (GEOL/GEOG), CHEM, and/or BIO courses Winter Term internship in a geoscience-related field Off-campus study in an approved geoscience program Summer geology field camp

Requirements for a minor in Geology:

Total courses required:

Four

Core courses:

GEOL 110

Other courses:

# 300 and 400 level courses:

One

Requirements for a minor in Environmental Geoscience:

Total courses required:

Five

Core courses:

Choose 5 course credits from the following: GEOL 109, GEOL 110, GEOL 197, GEOL 280, GEOL 310, GEOL 330, GEOL 350, GEOL 370, GEOL 380, GEOG 125, UNIV 170, UNIV 390.

Other courses:

# 300 and 400 level courses:

One

Requirements for a minor in Earth Science:

Total courses required:

Four

Core courses:

GEOL 110, GEOG 115

Other courses:

# 300 and 400 level courses:

One

Requirements for a minor in Geography:

Total courses required:

Four

Core courses:

GEOG 115

Other courses:

# 300 and 400 level courses:

One

Courses in Geosciences

Courses in Geology

Courses in Geography

©2001 DePauw University

email: sbates@depauw.edu