Bachelor of Science in Geoscience
The Bachelor of Science with a major in geoscience requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 76 s.h. of work for the major (at least 45 s.h. in earth and environmental sciences courses and at least 31 s.h. in supporting disciplines). Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. A cumulative g.p.a. of at least 2.00 is required for graduation. Students must also complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 15 s.h. of coursework in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
The department recommends that students fulfill the GE CLAS Core World Languages requirement with French, German, Russian, or Spanish and the Social Sciences requirement with approved coursework in economics, geography, or anthropology.
Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Bachelor of Science in geoscience, visit the UI General Catalog.
| Title | Hours |
|---|---|
| Earth and Environmental Sciences Required Courses | 45-50 |
| Mathematics Courses | 11-12 |
| Chemistry Courses | 8 |
| Physics Courses | 8 |
| Biology Course | 4 |
| Independent Research Option (see below) | - |
| Total Hours | 76-82 |
Independent Research Option
A junior or senior who is ready to pursue independent research for credit in geoscience may assist a faculty member or graduate student with a current research project EES:2190 - Directed Study or may initiate a small-scale project involving a combination of field, laboratory, and library investigation in EES:3190 - Directed Study. Independent study is encouraged and may lead to an honors thesis in EES:4999 - Honors Thesis in Geoscience or a senior thesis in EES:4990 - Senior Thesis in Geoscience that may be published subsequently.
Teacher Licensure
Students interested in teaching in elementary and/or secondary schools should seek admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the College of Education.
To qualify for licensure in secondary teaching, students in the TEP complete a degree in education as well as a related College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. See Teacher Education Program Application and Admission on the College of Education website for details on requirements and deadlines for applying to the College of Education and about TEP choices of majors leading to licensure.