Department of Earth and Space Sciences
Location: 113 Geology Building, Phone: (409) 880-8236
Chair: Joseph Kruger
The mission of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences as a group, and earth and space sciences as disciplines, is to integrate a broad diversity and range of scientific information regarding the Earth and its surroundings in space into a coherent and understandable framework. This integration of Earth and space-related information is unique among the sciences and makes the department an important part of the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, the department functions as a major contributor to students' appreciation of the importance of their physical surroundings and environment to their daily lives.
The Department of Earth and Space Sciences specializes in undergraduate instruction and offers bachelor’s degrees in Geology and Earth Science, minors in Geology, Earth Science, and Space Science, undergraduate and graduate certificates in GIS, and a master’s degree in Geospatial Sciences. Graduates may be employed in industry (petroleum, mining, engineering, hydrogeology, environmental geology, and aerospace), by government agencies, educational institutions, and by other industries and organizations that employ geoscientists or geospatial scientists. Students may also elect to pursue a graduate degree here or at another institution.
Department faculty have a broad range of research and scholarly interests. These include traditional specializations in geology such as stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural geology, paleontology, petroleum geology, petrology, environmental geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, and geophysics. In addition, faculty have interests and expertise in lunar and planetary science, GIS, GPS, and remote sensing.
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Geology -120 hrs
Bachelor of Science in Earth Science -120 hrs
GIS Certificate - 15 Hours
Minor in Geology -21 hrs
Minor in Earth Science -21 hrs
Minor in Space Science -21 hrs
Graduate
Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences - Thesis Option (30 Hours) - Non-Thesis Option (36 Hours)
GIS Certificate - 15 Hours
Bachelor of Science – Geology
Advisors: Edgardo Pujols
The Bachelor of Science in Geology will be awarded upon completion of the minimum following requirements:
- General Requirements: See General Education Core Curriculum, 42 semester hours
- Geology Courses: 42 semester hours. GEOL 1403/1404 (2 hours) GEOL 2471, GEOL 2377 + GEOL 4101 Geomorphology Lab, GEOL 2373, GEOL 3450, GEOL 3420, GEOL 4410, GEOL 4420, GEOL 4301 Geoscience Seminar, GEOL 4330 + GEOL 4101 Geophysics Lab, GEOL 3600
- Other Required Courses: 21 semester hours. CHEM 1311, 1111, 1312, 1112 – 8 semester hours; PHYS 1401, 1402 or 2425, 2426 – 8 semester hours; PSYC 2317 or MATH 1342 – 3 semester hours; MATH 2413/2414 (2 hours)
- Prescribed Electives – 15 semester hours. Electives from the 3000-4000 level sciences, math and engineering courses, a minimum of 9 hours must be Geology courses.
Total: 120 semester hours
Recommended Program of Study
| First Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 1403 | 4 | GEOL 1404 | 4 |
| CHEM 1311 | 3 | CHEM 1312 | 3 |
| CHEM 1111 | 1 | CHEM 1112 | 1 |
| MATH 2413 | 4 | MATH 2414 | 4 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 2471 | 4 | GEOL 2373 | 3 |
| GEOL 2377 | 3 | GEOL 4410 | 4 |
| GEOL 4101 (Geomorphology Lab) | 1 | PHYS 1402 of PHYS 2426 | 4 |
| PHYS 1401 or PHYS 2425 | 4 | Advanced Elective | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 3450 | 4 | GEOL 3420 | 4 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | GEOL 4420 | 4 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | Advanced Elective | 3 |
| 13 | 14 | ||
| Summer | |||
| GEOL 3600 | 6 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| PSYC 2317 or MATH 1342 | 3 | GEOL 4330 | 3 |
| POLS 2301 | 3 | GEOL 4101 (Geophysics Lab) | 1 |
| Creative Arts | 3 | POLS 2302 | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| GEOL 4301 (Geoscience Seminar) | 3 | Language, Philosophy, Culture | 3 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total: 120 | |||
The State of Texas has legislated that any geologist practicing geology in the public domain affected by engineering and environmental geology policies in the State of Texas must be registered as a Professional Geoscientist (P.G.). Acquiring the P.G. license requires passing two exams: the Fundamentals of Geology (F.G.) and the Professional Geoscientist (P.G.) exams prepared and distributed by the Association of State Boards of Geologists (ASBOG). The license also requires at least five years of experience practicing geology in addition to passing the exams. Students seeking the P.G. are also strongly encouraged to take Hydrogeology, GIS, and Remote Sensing in addition to required geology courses. For more information on P.G. licensing requirements, go to the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists at .
Bachelor of Science – Earth Science
Advisors: Edgardo Pujols
The Bachelor of Science in Earth Science will be awarded upon completion of the following requirements:
- General Requirements: See General Education Core Curriculum, 42 semester hours
- Other Sciences and Mathematics Requirements: 24 semester hours. CHEM 2411; CHEM 1306 with CHEM 1106; PHYS 1407; PHYS 1411; BIOL 1406, 1407
- Geology Requirements: 32 semester hours
GEOL 1403/1404 (labs) – 2 semester hours
GEOL 2471 – 4 semester hours
GEOL 2377 and GEOL 4101 (Geomorphology Lab) – 4 semester hours GEOL 3101 Physical Geology Lab Instruction – 1 semester hour
GEOL 4101-Physical Geology lab Assistant - 1 semester hour
GEOL 3390 - 3 semester hours
GEOL 4360, GEOL 4370, GEOL 4380 and GEOL 4101 (Oceanography Lab), GEOL 4390 – 13 semester hours
GEOL 3000/4000 level - 4 elective hours - Optional electives if seeking Teacher Certification in Secondary School Science - 30 semester hours
- Free electives if not seeking Teacher Certification – 22 semester hours. Electives must be selected from 3000-4000 level.
Total: 120 semester hours
Teacher Certification
Students wishing to teach earth science in Texas public schools should consult with the department chair for detailed information.
Recommended Program of Study
The following is a recommended program of study for completion of the degree plan in the minimum semester hours with the specified option. Additional requirements may be required for specialized areas, i.e. certain minor requirements, preparation for graduate school, certifications, or licensures. Please see a program advisor or the department chair for details.
| First Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 1403 | 4 | GEOL 1404 | 4 |
| CHEM 1306 | 3 | PHYS 1407 | 4 |
| CHEM 1106 | 1 | PSYC 2317 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| MATH 1314 | 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 14 | Total Hours | 14 |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 2471 | 4 | CHEM 2411 | 4 |
| GEOL 2377 | 3 | GEOL 3390 | 3 |
| GEOL 4101 (Geomorphology Lab) | 1 | BIOL 1407 | 4 |
| BIOL 1406 | 4 | Advanced Elective | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | Total Hours | 14 |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| GEOL 4370 | 3 | GEOL 4380 | 3 |
| GEOL 3101 | 1 | GEOL 4101 (Oceanography Lab) | 1 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | GEOL 4101 (Phys Geol Lab Inst) | 1 |
| PHYS 1411 | 4 | Creative Arts | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | Advanced Elective | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 14 | Total Hours | 14 |
| Summer | |||
| GEOL 4360 | 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 3 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| COMM 1315 | 3 | GEOL 4390 | 3 |
| POLS 2301 | 3 | POLS 2302 | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | Advanced Electives | 8 |
| Advanced Electives | 6 |
| Total Hours | 15 | Total Hours | 14 |
| Total Hours | 120 |
Minors
The Department of Geology offers three minor degree programs: Geology, Earth Science and Space Science. The programs require 21 hours, a minimum of nine of which must be in upper-division courses. The course options for individual programs are described below.
Minor in Geology (21 credit hours required, no grade less than “C”). Required lower-division courses (12 hours): GEOL 1403 Physical Geology, GEOL 1404 Historical Geology, GEOL 2471 Mineralogy-Petrology. Upper-division courses (9 Hours): GEOL 2373 Optical Mineralogy, GEOL 3450 Petrology, GEOL 3420 Structural Geology, GEOL 4330 Geophysics, GEOL 4361 Geochemistry, GEOL 4410 Stratigraphy and
Sedimentology, GEOL 4420 Paleontology, GEOL 3315 Hydrogeology, GEOL 3316 Petroleum and Subsurface Geology.
Minor in Earth Science (21 credit hours required, no grade less than “C”). Required lower-division courses (12 hours): GEOL 1403 Physical Geology, GEOL 1404 Historical Geology, GEOL 2471 Mineralogy-Petrology. Upper-division courses (9 Hours): GEOL 2373 Optical Mineralogy, GEOL 3450 Petrology, GEOL 3390 Environmental Geography and Geology, GEOL 3420 Structural Geology, GEOL 3315 Hydrogeology, GEOL 3316 Petroleum and Subsurface Geology, GEOL 4370 Meteorology, GEOL 4380 Oceanography with Lab (GEOL 4101), GEOL 4390 Rocks and Stars, GEOL 4410 Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, GEOL 4420 Paleontology.
Minor in Space Science (21 credit hours required, no grade less than “C”) Must have taken at least three (12 hours) of the following required lower-division courses: PHYS 1406, 1407 General, PHYS 2425, 2426 Calculus-based, PHYS 1411 Astronomy, SPSC 1401 Space Science. Upper-division courses (9 hours): SPSC 3301 Microgravity, SPSC 3302 Space Transportation Systems, SPSC 3303 Orbital & Celestial Mechanics, SPSC 4302 Space Vacuum Physics, SPSC 4303 Planetary Materials, SPSC 4301 Special Topics in Space Science, GEOL 4330 Geophysics, GEOL 4361 Geochemistry, GEOL 4390 Rocks and Stars
GIS Certificates
91ÖÆƬ³§ offers the region's first complete certificate program in Geographic Information Systems. The Department of Earth and Space Sciences offers a GIS Certificate for undergraduate, graduate students and professionals.
GIS offers an integral aspect for supporting decision-making in a variety of fields, such as physical and environmental sciences, urban planning and management, political science, civil engineering, economy/business, education administration, real estate, public health and health care.
The goal of the program is to ensure that you become sufficiently grounded in the concepts behind GIS, including organization, management and visualization of geospatial data. You will have the opportunity to gain valuable GIS knowledge and skills that can be applied to careers in both academia and industry. GIS certificates will provide 91ÖÆƬ³§'s students and professionals with additional future career opportunities. The GIS certificate is a 15-hour program administered by the Department of Earth and Space Sciences
Coursework for the certificate consists of three core courses and two elective courses:
Required Courses:
GEOL 3311
GEOL 3312
GEOL 3314
Elective Courses:
GEOL 4313
GEOL 4316
GEOL 4301
GEOL 3303
CPSC 4335
COSC 4334
CVEN 2370
For more information on the undergraduate certificate, please visit our web page at /arts-sciences/earth-and-space-sciences/degrees/gis-certificate.html.
Geographic Information Systems has become an integral aspect for supporting decision-making in a variety of fields, such as physical and environmental sciences, urban planning and management, political science, civil engineering, economy/business, education administration, real estate, public health and health care.
The goal of the program is to ensure that you become sufficiently grounded in the concepts behind GIS including organization, management and visualization of geospatial data. You will have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and skills that can be applied to careers in both academia and industry. GIS certificates will provide 91ÖÆƬ³§ students with additional future career opportunities. The GIS certificate is a 15-hour program administered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Coursework for the certificate consists of THREE core courses, and TWO elective courses:
Required Courses:
GEOL 5311
GEOL 5312
GEOL 5315
Elective Courses:
GEOL 5313
GEOL 5316
GEOL 5301
GEOL 5303
GEOL 5311
GEOL 5340
CVEN 5370
For more information on the graduate certificate, please visit our web page at /arts-sciences/earth-and-space-sciences/degrees/gis-certificate.html.
Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences
The thesis-based Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences is a 30-credit hour graduate program comprised of 15 credit hours of core courses, 9 credit hours of elective courses and 6 credit hours of thesis.
Required Courses (4 Courses):
GEOL 5311
GEOL 5312
GEOL 5314
GEOL 5398
Elective Courses (5 courses from):
GEOL 5316
GEOL 5317
GEOL 5313
GEOL 5301 (Drone Photogrammetry or Independent Study)
GEOL 5303
CVEN 5370
COSC 5311
COSC 5340
The non-thesis Master of Science in geospatial sciences is a 36-credit hour graduate program.
Required Courses (12 Courses):
GEOL 5311
GEOL 5312
GEOL 5314
GEOL 5316
GEOL 5317
GEOL 5313
GEOL 5301 (Drone Photogrammetry and Independent Study)
GEOL 5303
CVEN 5370
COSC 5311
COSC 5340