This is a sample curriculum plan for the Geosciences BS, Geology Emphasis within the College of Arts and Sciences at Boise State University.
If you are a prospective student viewing this document, please note curriculum is subject to change and specific per catalog year.
For current students, this plan is intended to be a glimpse at key sequencing within the major and includes some common/important advising notes. Sample plans are meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. This plan does not replace the advice of academic advisors. Please refer to the Advising Contacts page for information about advising within the College of Arts and Sciences and how to contact advisors within each department.
First Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 133 | Elementary Models w/Functions | 3 |
| FH | Foundations of Humanities* | 4 |
| ENGL 101 | Intro to College Writing | 3 |
| UF 100 | Foundations of Intellectual Life | 3 |
| FS | Foundations of Social Sciences* | 3 |
| TOTAL | 5 courses | 16 credits |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS or GEOL 101 | Global Environmental Science OR Physical Geology | 4 |
| MATH 143 | College Algebra I | 3 |
| MATH 144 | Precalculus II: Trigonometric Functions | 2 |
| ENGL 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I | 3 |
| FA | Foundations of Arts* | 3 |
| TOTAL | 5 courses | 16 credits |
Second Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS 200 | Evolution of Western North America | 4 |
| GEOS 220 | Seeing the Unseen: An Introduction to Geophysics | 4 |
| MATH 175 | Calculus II | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 112L | General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| TOTAL | 5 courses | 16 credits |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 175 | Calculus II | 4 |
| GEOS 212 | Water in the West | 4 |
| GEOS 313 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| COMM 101 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
| TOTAL | 4 courses | 15 credits |
Third Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS 300 | Earth Materials | 4 |
| GEOS 315 | Sedimentation and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| PHYS 111 or 211 | General Physics or Physics with Calculus I | 4-5 |
| TOTAL | 5 courses | 16-17 credits |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS 314 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| MATH 254 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 112L | General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| PHYS 112 or 212 | General Physics or Physics with Calculus II | 4 or 5 |
| TOTAL | 5 courses | 15 or 16 credits |
Summer Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS 482 | Geoscience Field Studies | 6 |
| TOTAL | 1 course | 6 credits |
Fourth Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| GEOS 425 | Whole Earth Geochemistry | 3 |
| GEOG 360 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| GEOS 498 (FF) | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| GEOS XXX | Upper-division elective | 3 |
| TOTAL | 4 courses | 12 credits |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
|---|---|---|
| FS | Foundations of Social Sciences* | 3 |
| GEOS 345 | Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology | 4 |
| GEOS 357 | Computation in Geosciences | 3 |
| Elective | Varies | 3 |
| TOTAL | 4 courses | 13 credits |
Comments/Notes
- Courses listed may require prerequisites. Please view the Undergraduate catalog to view prerequisites
- The major’s curriculum starts at Math 133. Enrollment in a math course below Math 133 has the potential to extend date of graduation
- Information Subject to Change.
- This is not a contract.
- *Foundational course offerings here.