For those interested in the oceans, oceanic physical and biological processes, climates, global nutrient and elemental cycling, and the interaction of the oceans with the atmosphere, this program provides a thorough grounding in basic sciences and the flexibility to enter virtually any field in geology and oceanography.

The Geology and Geological Oceanography major is offered jointly through the Geosciences Department and the Graduate School of Oceanography. It includes a comprehensive background in geology and a solid introduction to geological oceanography. Students are advised by faculty members from both the Geosciences Department and the Graduate School of Oceanography.

REQUIREMENTS
All students admitted to the University of Rhode Island are eligible to major in Geology & Geological Oceanography.

Prospective majors should take GEO 103 – Understanding Earth, in their freshman year.

The program requires:
This program includes a comprehensive background in geology and a solid introduction to geological oceanography. The curriculum includes the full set of geology, chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics courses required for a B.S. in Geosciences.

Beyond these, students take basic and elective courses in oceanography and pursue independent oceanographic research with the guidance of oceanography faculty.

Geology & Geological Oceanography majors are required to complete:

GEO 103 – Understanding the Earth (4 credits)
GEO 204 – Evolution of Earth (4 credits)
GEO 210 – Landforms: Origin and Evolution (4 credits)
GEO 320 – Earth Materials (4 credits)
GEO 370 – Structure of the Earth (4 credits)
GEO 450 – Introduction to Sedimentary Geology (4 credits)
GEO 483 - Hydrogeology (4 credits)
GEO 480 – Summer Field Camp (4 – 6 credits)
6-8 credits of GEO electives (200-level or above)

In addition to the core Geoscience courses, students must complete Oceanography course work and an independent Research Project:

OCG 401 - General Oceanography or OCG 451 - Oceanographic Science
OCG 540 - Geological Oceanography
Oceanography elective (400-level or above)
OCG 493/494 Senior Research Project

In addition to the specific requirements outlined above, students selecting this major are required to complete:

2 semesters each of chemistry, physics, biological science and calculus
1 semester of computer science or statistics

These supporting sciences courses are normally completed in the first two years of study, satisfying prerequisites for upper division geology courses and fulfilling the Natural Science and Mathematics Division General Education requirements.

A total of 126 credits is required for graduation.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Students graduating in this program are well prepared to pursue either conventional geology career options or careers in geological oceanography.

Many opportunities currently exist in aspects of environmental protection and management. There is demand at present for both B.S. and M.S. graduates, and job prospects should remain good in the coming years. The energy industry continues to be a potentially important source of employment for geologists.

Although there are government jobs for B.S. graduates, federal, state, and local governments tend to hire more individuals with M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Some examples of the agencies that geologists work in are the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as the Departments of Interior, Energy, Agriculture and Commerce.

Academic institutions employ geologists at all three levels, although a Ph.D. degree is mandatory for professional positions. B.S. and M.S. graduates are employed in lab and field staff positions by all major research-oriented universities.

There is a shortage of qualified earth-science teachers at the secondary school level and some community colleges; prospects are good for qualified B.S. graduates and excellent for those with M.S. degrees.

FURTHER STUDIES
Students who continue on to graduate studies can expect to find a demand for geological oceanographers with advanced degrees. Because of the importance placed on advanced degrees in geology and oceanography, graduate programs are offered at all state universities in the United States and at many private universities and colleges.

The Geosciences Department also offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, and the Graduate School of Oceanography offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Geological Oceanography.

Students entering the Graduate School of Oceanography from the B.S. program in Geology and Geological Oceanography will have a significant head start in satisfying core requirements in comparison with those entering from most other undergraduate institutions.

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