The B.S. in Geosciences at the University of Rhode Island is obtained through a combination of:
- General Education courses
- Supporting Science courses
- A core series of Geosciences courses; and
- Specialized Geosciences courses pertaining to the major option.
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| General Education Courses |
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| The general education course requirement is a University-wide policy designed to
build a basic academic foundation for all undergraduates. A total of thirty-seven
credits is required. This is divided in the following manner: Five courses (totaling 15 credits),
apportioned among the fine arts/literature, letters, and languages (and related culture courses),
two courses (6 credits) in the social sciences, a writing course, a communications course, and
freshman seminar (URI 101). The natural science (6 credits) and mathematics (3 credits)
general education requirements are covered under supporting sciences below. Courses that
meet the general education requirements at the University of Rhode Island can be found
in the catalog. |
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| Supporting Sciences |
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| The B.S. in Geosciences requires 1 year each, of calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology,
and a course in either computer science or statistics (totaling between 33-35 credits, 9 of
which are applicable to the general education requirement).
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| Core Geoscience Courses |
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All Geosciences majors take a suite of courses that are basic to the Geosciences degree.
These courses are:
- 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).
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| All majors must take a field course, preferably during the summer of the junior or senior year.
Such courses are offered by a variety of different schools around the country, and involve
4 – 6 weeks of intensive field work including rock identification, mapping, and structural and stratigraphic studies.
To broaden their geological experiences, we encourage our students to take advantage
of one of the many courses offered in the western United States. Students may substitute an approved
field experience for this course requirement. In addition to the core courses, students must complete
2 GEO electives (at the 200-level or above) and select one of the following three Geosciences options:
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| Suggested sequence of Courses |
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Freshman, Fall (15)
GEO 103
CHM 101, 102
URI 101
COM 100 or WRT 104
Gen Ed. elective
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Freshman, Spring (14)
GEO 210
CHM 112, 114
WRT 104 or COM 100
MTH 111, if needed, or Gen. Ed. elective
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Sophomore, Fall (14)
GEO 204
PHY 111, 185 or 203, 273
MTH 131 or 141
Gen. Ed. Elective
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Sophomore, Spring (17)
GEO 320
PHY 112, 186 or 204,274
MTH 132 or 142
Gen. Ed. Elective
Gen. Ed. Elective
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Junior, Fall (15)
GEO 450
GEO 483 or elect.
BIO 101
Gen. Ed. elective
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Junior, Spring (14-15)
GEO 370
GEO option/elective
BIO 102
STA 308 or CSC 201
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Senior, Fall (17)
GEO elect. or 483
GEO option/elective
Gen. Ed. Elective
Free elective
Free elective
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Senior, Spring (17)
GEO option/elective
GEO option/elective
Gen. Ed./Free Elective
Free elective
Free elective
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Semester of GEO option courses and electives may vary depending on the Geology option selected.
Note that GEO 483 is only offered in Fall of even-numbered years. Summer Field Camp (GEO 480) should
be taken during the summer between the junior and senior years, or the summer following the senior year.
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| Number of free electives will vary depending on the supporting science and Geoscience electives selected
and the number of credits for field camp. |
