Overview
David Bailey
Catherine Beck, chair
Kristopher Kusnerik
Todd Rayne
Nicolas Roberts
Barbara Tewksbury
The goal of the Geosciences Department is to ensure that students are actively engaged in developing a broad and deep background in how the Earth works, in analyzing compelling and relevant questions from a geoscience perspective, and in communicating their work effectively in order to prepare them to make better personal and professional decisions involving Earth-related issues.
Students Will Learn to:
- Evaluate, using reliable sources, the current state of knowledge, major controversies, and unknowns about a geoscience topic
- Collect appropriate data to solve geologic problems
- Defend arguments with evidence
- Effectively communicate to a variety of audiences the geological ideas and data that inform decision-making involving geoscience issues
A concentration in Geosciences consists of 10 units of credit in Geosciences, including one course in Principles of Geoscience (GEOSC-101 to GEOSC-115), GEOSC-209, GEOSC-211, GEOSC-220, GEOSC-230, GEOSC-290, GEOSC-510, GEOSC-511, GEOSC-551, GEOSC-552 and two other courses in Geosciences numbered 200 or higher, and a two-course sequence in a supporting science. The sequence of two courses in one of the supporting sciences consists of CHEM-120 or CHEM-125 and a second chemistry course numbered 190 or above, PHYS-100 and PHYS-105 or PHYS-190 and PHYS-195, MATH-113 and MATH-116, CPSCI-101 and CPSCI-102, or any 100-level Biology course and a second Biology course at the 200-level or higher with a lab. The supporting science requirement must be discussed with the department chair at the time of declaration of concentration and should be completed before the start of senior year. All concentrators, especially those planning a career in the Earth and Environmental Sciences, should take additional courses in chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science and biology according to the student’s interests.
A Senior Project consisting of four half-credit courses (GEOSC-510, 511, 551, 552) is required for the concentration. The College’s Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies (SSIH) requirement is integrated into the department’s Senior Seminar.
Departmental honors will be awarded on the basis of excellence in coursework, a superior Senior Project, and completion of two additional courses in the supporting sciences as listed above.
A minor is Geosciences consists of 5 courses in the department: one course in Principles of Geoscience, one of the 200-level core Geosciences courses, and three units of credit in other 200-level or above Geoscience courses. GEOSC-212 cannot count towards a minor in Geosciences.