Tue Feb 16 14:59:00 2010
| Jump down to: General | Narrative | Admission | Program | Sub-plan | ||
| Completed Approvals: | ||
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General Information
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| Campus: | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | |
| Career: | Undergraduate | |
| Program type: | Baccalaureate | |
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Program title (short):
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Earth Sci, B.S. | |
| Program title (long): | Earth Sciences, B.S. | |
| Additional terms: |
This program is 8 semesters (4 years) long.
This program needs summer terms. |
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| Stakeholder college(s): |
Technology, Institute of |
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| Degree-granting college(s): |
Technology, Institute of |
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| Approver college(s): |
Technology, Institute of |
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| Administrative college(s): |
Technology, Institute of |
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| Budgetary college(s): |
Technology, Institute of : 100% |
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| Department(s): |
Geology & Geophysics |
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| First term admitting students: | Fall 2010 | |
| Effective date: |
Fall 2010 |
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| Degree: |
Bachelor of Earth Sciences
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| Catalog description: |
Earth Sciences is the study of the composition, structure, and history
of the Earth and of the processes that operate on and within it, with
emphasis on the crust, oceans, and atmosphere. The department's
programs emphasize applications of physics, chemistry, and biology to
understanding the Earth. Earth scientists are employed in a wide range of fields, including exploration for and development of natural resources (hydrocarbons, minerals, groundwater); environmental science; urban planning; education; and oceanography. Potential employers include the oil, gas, and minerals industries; environmental consultants; federal and private research institutions; universities; schools; and government agencies. An advanced degree is usually required for a career in research or teaching. |
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| RIASEC Codes: | 1.IRS 2. 3. | |
| Field of Study: | Math, Engineering, and Science | |
| Program contact's U of M Internet ID: | dlfox | |
| Program contact's full name: | David Fox | |
| Program contact's campus mail address: | Geology & Geophysics, Room 108 PillsH, 0211, 310 Pillsbury Dr S E, Minneapolis, MN 55455 | |
| Program contact's email address: | dlfox@umn.edu | |
| Program contact's phone number: | 612/624-6361 | |
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Narrative Materials
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| Brief summary or overview of reason for proposed new program or rationale for changes: | Combining two previous programs (Geology and Geophysics) into one program meets the needs of changing priorities in the Earth Sciences that place more emphasis on the interrelationships between the Earth's lithosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. | |
| Site(s) beyond the home campus where this program will be delivered: | NA | |
| External accrediting agency for this program: | NA | |
| External accrediting agency address: | NA | |
| External accrediting agency phone number: | NA | |
| External accrediting agency Web site URL: | NA | |
| Frequency of agency review: |
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| Scheduled time of upcoming review: | ||
| Academic Exchange or Articulation Agreement: | NA | |
| Mission, Priorities and Interrelatedness: | Our proposal to combine the current two bachelors degrees in Geology and Geophysics into a single bachelor of Earth Sciences continues to promote the highest quality of instruction and research, and to prepare our students for productive careers in the Earth Sciences. The proposed new program is in response to changing priorities which focus more than ever on the interrelationships of the Earth's lithosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. Two new required courses, Earth Surface Dynamics and Earth History, complete our curricular reorganization of our lower division core. Two additional new but optional courses help round out recommended lists of upper division courses as part of six focus groups that leads to the single proposed degree of a Bachelor of Earth Sciences. | |
| Need and Demand: | There is a growing demand for a single undergraduate degree that better integrates the growing diversity in Earth Sciences, yet provides for specialization. All students are required to take the newly integrated core curriculum. The proposed six focus groups better address the needs of society and better prepare students for graduate study. For example, the hydrogeology focus group provides courses that can be directly applied to societal problems of contamination and water resources. Similarly, the Biogeoscience focus group provides a focus on a rapidly emerging field that combines elements of both biology and geology. Focus groups in Geochemistry and Environmental Geology serve their constituents in a similar way. The remaining two focus groups, Geology and Geophysics, retain the traditional but still useful separation that the Department of Geology and Geophysics has maintained for over 100 years. | |
| Comparative Advantage: | Our proposed program is similar in its organization to that of the Chemical Engineering Department on the Twin Cities campus with a core of required courses followed by focus groups at the upper division level. Some of our focus groups such as hydrogeology address needs that are unique to the upper Midwest and it's water resources. Another track, Biogeosciences, provides study in an area represented at most by six other universities in the country. | |
| Efficiency, Effectiveness, and use of Resources: | The newly proposed program requires no additional resources than those already within our budget. We have recently added two full time faculty members who will play key roles in the new curriculum. Dr. Katsumi Matsumoto is a world expert on global climate change and Dr. Jake Bailey is a biogeologist. By eliminating some courses in our old curriculum, we anticipate no increased teaching load for our faculty. | |
| Program Quality and Assessment: | Learning outcomes from the proposed new program will be evaluated in the short term by course evaluations and by student input to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. We have an Undergraduate Studies Committee comprised of three faculty and an undergraduate representative who will evaluate the effectiveness of the new curriculum each semester. In the longer term, the Department will continue to solicit advice from the private sector and governmental agencies, who typically employ our graduates, as to the appropriateness of the program. | |
| Program Development: | Departmental development of the proposed program was conducted over a three-year period and was the topic of many faculty meetings. An all-day faculty retreat in October, 2009 was devoted to the curriculum, and a special faculty meeting was convened a week later to finalize the changes. The Institute of Technology Curriculum Committee approved the last two courses of the new curriculum in their December meeting, 2009. | |
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Admission Requirements
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| Preferred freshman writing course(s): | ||
| Enter the minimum courses or credits to be completed before admission, if applicable: | 5 Courses | |
| Indicate students that are usually admitted to pre-major status before admission to this major: | Yes, Both Freshmen and Transfer students | |
| Enter the preferred minimum G.P.A. above 2.0 for students already admitted to the degree-granting college(s) and now seeking entry to the major, if applicable: | No G.P.A. Requirement above 2.0. | |
| Enter the preferred minimum G.P.A. above 2.0 for students transferring from another U of M college (I.U.T.s), if applicable: | No G.P.A. Requirement above 2.0. | |
| Enter the preferred minimum G.P.A. above 2.0 for students transferring from outside the University, if applicable: |
Preferred G.P.A.: 2.5 |
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| Explanation of G.P.A. above 2.0 requirements: | Laboratory space restrictions. | |
| Explanation of other requirements to be completed before admission: | Students interested in the earth sciences as a major may want to consider taking GEO 1001 or other GEO 1xxx course, which can be counted as an elective. | |
| Required course(s): |
Mathematics
MATH 1271 - Calculus I, MATH (4.0 cr) or MATH 1371 - IT Calculus I, MATH (4.0 cr) MATH 1272 - Calculus II (4.0 cr) or MATH 1372 - IT Calculus II (4.0 cr) MATH 2243 - Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (4.0 cr) or MATH 2263 - Multivariable Calculus (4.0 cr) or MATH 2373 - IT Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (4.0 cr) or MATH 2374 - IT Multivariable Calculus and Vector Analysis (4.0 cr) Physical Sciences CHEM 1021 - Chemical Principles I, ENVT, PHYS SCI/L (4.0 cr) or CHEM 1031H - Honors Chemistry I, ENVT, PHYS SCI/L, H (4.0 cr) CHEM 1022 - Chemical Principles II, PHYS SCI/L, ENVT (4.0 cr) or CHEM 1032H - Honors Chemistry II, ENVT, PHYS SCI/L, H (4.0 cr) PHYS 1301W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering I, PHYS, WI (4.0 cr) or PHYS 1401V - Honors Physics I, PHYS, WI, H (4.0 cr) PHYS 1302W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering II, PHYS, WI (4.0 cr) or PHYS 1402V - Honors Physics II, PHYS, WI, H (4.0 cr) ^ Return to top |
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Program Requirements
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| Program length in credits: | 120 to 120 credits | |
| Major length in credits: | 58 to 58 credits | |
| How many semesters of a second language are required? | 0 semester(s) | |
| Specific language(s) required |
No Second Language |
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| Other requirements, if applicable: | ||
| Required course(s): |
Major Courses
Major core courses required for all focus groups. GEO 2201 - Solid Earth Dynamics (4.0 cr) GEO 2202 - Earth History (4.0 cr) GEO 2203 - Earth Surface Dynamics (4.0 cr) GEO 2301 - Mineralogy (3.0 cr) GEO 3303W - Geochemical Principles, WI (4.0 cr) GEO 3202 - Geodynamics II: The Fluid Earth (3.0 cr) GEO 3891 - Field Methods (1.0 cr) Fieldwork Take introductory field geology (GEO 3911) and choose one advanced field course from advanced field geology (GEO 4911) or field hydrogeology (GEO 4971W). GEO 3911 - Introductory Field Geology (4.0 cr) GEO 4911 - Advanced Field Geology (4.0 cr) or GEO 4971W - Field Hydrogeology, WI (4.0 cr) Technical Electives Take 8 credits of additional elective courses in physical and natural sciences or mathematics, chosen in consultation with an advisor. 8 cr additional sciences Upper Division Requirements The general requirement for completion of upper division is 26 credits in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may chose one of six focus groups (Geology, Geophysics, Biogeoscience, Hydrogeology, Geochemistry, or Environmental Geology) for a recommended list of upper division courses. |
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| Focus course groups: |
Title for this set of focuses:
Earth Sciences Focus Groups
Description for this set of focuses: Six focus groups exist: Geology, Geophysics, Biogeoscience, Hydrogeology, Geochemistry, and Environmental Geology. |
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Geology
GEO 2302 - Petrology (3.0 cr) GEO 4501 - Structural Geology (3.0 cr) GEO 4602 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (3.0 cr) GEO 4702 - General Hydrogeology (3.0 cr) GEO 4701 - Geomorphology (3.0-4.0 cr) or GEO 4703 - Glacial Geology (4.0 cr) 3-4 additional GEO credits Take 7 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx -OR- Geophysics GEO 2302 - Petrology (3.0 cr) GEO 4211 - Solid Earth Geophysics I (3.0 cr) GEO 4501 - Structural Geology (3.0 cr) MATH 2374 - IT Multivariable Calculus and Vector Analysis (4.0 cr) PHYS 2303 - Physics III: Physics of Matter (4.0 cr) or PHYS 2503 - Physics III: Intro to Waves, Optics, and Special Relativity (4.0 cr) Choice of two from Take 2 or more course(s) from the following: · GEO 4212 - Solid Earth Geophysics II (3.0 cr) · GEO 4203 - Principles of Geophysical Exploration (3.0 cr) · GEO 4204 - Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism (3.0 cr) · GEO 5203 - Mineral and Rock Physics (3.0 cr) · GEO 5205 - Fluid Mechanics in Earth and Environmental Sciences (3.0 cr) Take 3 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx -OR- Biogeoscience GEO 4801 - Geobiology and Astrobiology (3.0 cr) GEO 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry (3.0 cr) or GEO 4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean (3.0 cr) 5 additional GEO credits Take 12 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx -OR- Hydrogeology GEO 4403 - Atmosphere, Oceans, and the Climate System (3.0 cr) GEO 4602 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (3.0 cr) GEO 4702 - General Hydrogeology (3.0 cr) GEO 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry (3.0 cr) or GEO 4701 - Geomorphology (3.0-4.0 cr) or GEO 4703 - Glacial Geology (4.0 cr) 4-5 additional GEO credits Take 9 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx -OR- Geochemistry GEO 2302 - Petrology (3.0 cr) GEO 4501 - Structural Geology (3.0 cr) GEO 4801 - Geobiology and Astrobiology (3.0 cr) GEO 5302 - Isotope Geology (3.0 cr) GEO 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry (3.0 cr) or GEO 4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean (3.0 cr) 2 additional GEO credits Take 9 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx -OR- Environmental Geology GEO 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry (3.0 cr) GEO 4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean (3.0 cr) GEO 4403 - Atmosphere, Oceans, and the Climate System (3.0 cr) GEO 4702 - General Hydrogeology (3.0 cr) GEO 4703 - Glacial Geology (4.0 cr) or GEO 4801 - Geobiology and Astrobiology (3.0 cr) 1-2 additional GEO credits Take 9 or more credit(s) from the following: · GEO 4xxx · GEO 5xxx ^ Return to top |
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Sub-plans
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| Sub-plan requirement for this program: | No | |
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