DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR ACADEMIC ADVISING
 (for AB degrees academic year 2007-2008 and later)

DEPARTMENT: Geosciences

UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS:
Writing Requirement - A 100-level course in the subject area of WRI.

GENERAL AB REQUIREMENTS:

Distribution Area Requirements - 10 courses in the following areas:  one course in Epistemology and Cognition (EC); one course in Ethical Thought and Moral Values (EM); one course in Historical Analysis (HA); two courses in Literature and the Arts (LA); one course in Quantitative Reasoning (QR); two courses in Science and Technology, with laboratory (ST); and two courses in Social Analysis (SA).

Foreign Language - Course number 107 (or 108) in a Foreign Language including the pre-requisites. AP, SAT II, or PU Placement Tests may result in placement at the 200-level or above meeting this requirement.  

Total number of courses – A minimum of 31 courses are required to graduate, excluding GEO 981, GEO 983, and GEO 984.

Breadth – A maximum of 12 courses may be taken in GEO; 19 courses must be outside of GEO.

Transfer Credit Limitation - Maximum 3 courses TRANSFER, exclusive of special programs (i.e., foreign study).

P/D/F Grading - Maximum of 4 P/D/F graded courses as an undergraduate.

GEO DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS:
Prerequisite – Students must take one 200-level GEO course or GEO freshman seminar. GEO 235 is generally recommended.

Core –

• Complete (MAT 101 & 102) or (MAT 103 & 104) or AP equivalent
• Students must take three of the following, or earn the AP equivalent: CHM 201, CHM 202; PHY 101 & 103; PHY 102 & 104; EEB 211, MOL 214. Students considering post-graduate studies in Geosciences are advised to pursue rigorous training in mathematics and one or more of the basic natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology).
• Students must take eight ‘departmental’ courses. At least five of these should be GEO course at the 300-level or higher. If the student takes more than one course among the 200-level GEO courses and freshman seminars and receives a grade of A- or better in at least one of them, then the student may count one of these courses toward their 300-level requirements. Students may take up to three non-geosciences 300-level courses in the following departments: CHM, PHY, MAT, EEB, MOL, CEE, CHE, COS, ELE, MAE; and up to two courses in: WWS, ENV. 
• To fulfill the breadth requirement, among the student’s core courses or prerequisite course, the student must take at least one freshman seminar or 200- or 300-level course in each of the two defined course categories, “Environmental Geosciences (EG)” and “Solid Earth (SE)”. If a freshman seminar or 200-level course is taken to fulfill the requirement, the student must receive an A- or better. Courses are listed under their appropriate category (EG or SE) on the Geosciences web site.

Junior Independent Work: - 2 semesters of GEO 981

Senior Thesis: - 2 semesters of GEO 984

Senior Departmental Examination: - GEO 983

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