Geosciences Major, Bachelor of Science (BS)
Geoscientists study the Earth and our relationship to it by providing opportunities to observe natural processes in action. By applying knowledge of the forces that are constantly reshaping our planet, one can seek to reconstruct the past and anticipate the future. Students can benefit society by understanding our planet and the life it sustains. Employed in a wide spectrum of academic, industrial, and government positions, geoscientists can be found collecting samples from the moon, the ocean floor, and active lava flows. They discover and manage resources, consult on engineering and environmental issues, conduct research, teach, write, and use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to make positive change.
Career opportunities can include: Geotechnical and environmental fields, Hydrology, economic geology, GIS, energy companies, Governmental regulation and natural resource departments, and public health.
| Required Quantitative Core: | 5 | |
| Choose one of the following quantitative courses. Note: for the Professional Geology certificate, students are required to take MATH 142. | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING | ||
| PRECALCULUS MATH II | ||
| Required Science Core: | 10 | |
| Choose two from the following list. Note: for the Professional Geology certificate, students are required to take CHEM 171 & CHEM 171L. | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY and INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY LAB | ||
| BIOLOGY I and BIOLOGY I LAB | ||
| BIOLOGY II and BIOLOGY II LAB | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II | ||
| PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES I | ||
| CALCULUS I | ||
or HONS 161 | CALCULUS I | |
| DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY | ||
| MAKING SENSE OF THE COSMOS | ||
| INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I and MECHANICS LABORATORY | ||
| GENERAL PHYSICS I and MECHANICS LABORATORY | ||
| Required Core | 30 | |
| DISCOVERING GEOLOGY and DISCOVERING GEOLOGY LAB | ||
| THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER and THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER LAB | ||
| GLOBALIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS and GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS LAB | ||
| GEOSTATISTICS and GEOSTATISTICS LAB | ||
| WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR | ||
| Elective Credits | 45 | |
| In consultation with a faculty advisor, take one of the following certificates or minor, a GEOS capstone and additional GEOS electives to total at least 45 credits. | ||
| Note that 60 credits of 300- or 400-level courses are required for graduation. | ||
Earth Systems Science Minor (25 credits) + 20 credits of GEOS electives and capstone | ||
Geographic Information Systems Certificate (30 credits) + 15 credits of GEOS electives and capstone | ||
Professional Geology Certificate (42 credits) and capstone | ||
| Capstone | ||
Choose a capstone course option in consultation with a faculty advisor. A minimum of 4 credits in capstone is required for graduation. | ||
| THE GEOSCIENTIST'S CAPSTONE | ||
| SENIOR CAPSTONE: WATER AND THE WEST, WATER RESOURCES IN ARID LANDS and SENIOR CAPSTONE: WATER AND THE WEST, WATER RESOURCES IN ARID LANDS LAB | ||
| CAPSTONE: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY and CAPSTONE: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY LAB | ||
| SENIOR CAPSTONE: GEOLOGY FIELD CAMP | ||
| SENIOR THESIS | ||
| Total Credits | 90 | |
Plan of Study
The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.
Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| ENGL 101 | 5 | ENGL 201 | 5 | GEOS 113 & 113L (Natural Science BACR 2) | 5 |
| GEOS 100 & 100L (Natural Science BACR 1) | 5 | GEOS 200 (Social Science BACR 1) | 5 | MATH 142 or CSCD 110 | 5 |
| MATH 114 | 5 | MATH 141 | 5 | Diversity - graduation requirement1 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| GEOS 321 & 321L | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| Global Studies - graduation requirement (GEOS 230 recommended)1 | 5 | Science Core3 | 5 | Humanities & Arts BACR 21 | 5 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 11 | 5 | Social Science BACR 21 | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| GEOS 497 | 5 | GEOS 460 & 460L | 4 | GEOS 497 | 1 |
| Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Science Core3 | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | ||||
| 15 | 14 | 16 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geoscience capstone - select from approved list (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement) | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||
- 1
University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
- 2
Electives: In consultation with a faculty advisor, take one of the listed minors or certificates, a GEOS capstone, and additional GEOS electives to total at least 45 credits. Note that 60 credits of 300- or 400-level courses are required for graduation.
- Earth Systems Minor
- Geographic Information Systems Certificate
- Professional Geology Certificate
- 3
Required Science Core–choose two courses from the approved list (CHEM 171 and CHEM 171L are required for the Professional Geology certificate).
General Education Requirements (GER)
- Minimum Quarter Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
- 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 45 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
- Minimum Semester Credits—120 cumulative credit hours
- 40 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 30 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 10 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
- Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0
University Competencies and Proficiencies
Writing
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB
Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)
Humanities and Arts
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
University Graduation Requirements (UGR)
Diversity Course List
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).
Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
- The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
- The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.
Students who earn a BS in Geosciences from EWU should be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of human–environment interactions;
- apply geoscience techniques to a complex problem;
- produce a professionally formatted report that effectively communicates;
- demonstrate advanced analytical skills in the geosciences in preparation for the professional job market or graduate studies.