Geosciences

What are the Geosciences?

Geosciences is a multidisciplinary field that studies the features, processes and history of the earth. The role of geoscientists will be central to the primary challenges facing the world in the 21st century, including global climate change and evolving demands for energy resources, construction and manufacturing materials, food and agricultural products, and building sites necessary to support a growing population. The geosciences are distinct from other natural sciences in that knowledge from many other fields is integrated to explore questions that arise as humans interact with the Earth.

What do Geoscientists do?

Geoscientists investigate processes that change the Earth over time, including dramatic geological processes such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and ongoing processes associated with rivers, wind, glaciers, oceans, and soil erosion. Geoscientists are trained to explore how the materials of the Earth react over different time scales, from seconds to billions of years, and over different spatial scales, from atomic to planetary. Study in the geosciences requires creativity, collaboration, and the ability to integrate information from a wide range of connected topics such as chemistry, biology, physics, and geography. In this light, geoscientists have a particularly flexible professional skillset that is founded in core analysis and interpretation skills developed in the field and laboratory. Successful students must be able to think three dimensionally, have strong quantitative skills, and be able to communicate clearly through writing and speaking. Field trips are included in most courses.

Why study Geosciences at PLU?

Pacific Lutheran University is located at the leading edge of western North America offering a unique setting for the study of geosciences. The natural environments of the Pacific Northwest region are unsurpassed in providing a rich variety of geologic field studies in the Cascade Mountains, the Columbia River Basalt Plateau, the coastal areas of the Puget Sound, the Pacific Ocean, and the Olympic Peninsula. The student/faculty ratio in geosciences at PLU allows students to work closely with faculty in classes, laboratories, and field studies. Faculty members work individually with students in small seminar groups and on research projects.

Geosciences graduates who elect to work after completing a PLU degree are employed by the U.S. Geological Survey, natural resource companies, governmental agencies, and private-sector geotechnical and environmental consulting firms. Graduates who combine geosciences with education are employed in primary and secondary education.

Careers in geosciences often require post-graduate degrees. Many B.S. majors have been successful at major research graduate schools.

Degree Offerings and Policies

The Bachelor of Science degree is intended as a pre-professional degree, and is best suited to students interested in graduate school in the natural sciences or as a career as a professional geoscientist. The Bachelor of Arts degree is the minimum preparation appropriate for the field and is best combined with other degree programs, such as a second major or a minor. The minor in geosciences is ideal for those who do not have the time or space to complete a major in the field.

The department strongly recommends that all students complete MATH 140 or higher before enrolling in 300-level and higher courses in geosciences. The department also strongly encourages students to complete the chemistry and physics requirements as early as possible. Students should also note that upper-division courses are offered on a two-year cycle. Early declaration of majors or minors in geosciences will facilitate development of individual programs and avoid scheduling conflicts.

Students must complete a geosciences capstone project for the major. They may not use the capstone of another major to fulfill the geosciences capstone. While there can be overlap in the topic chosen, they must complete all of the geosciences capstone requirements and take GEOS 498 and GEOS 499.

Prerequisite Requirement

Students may enroll in a course that has GEOS 201 as a prerequisite only when they have completed GEOS 201 with a grade of C+ or higher. In the case of other prerequisite courses, they must be successfully completed with a C- or higher before enrolling in the next course.

All courses taken for the major (either B.A. or B.S.) must be completed with a grade of C- or higher; overall geosciences GPA of 2.00 or higher is required for graduation.

All courses taken for the minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

Major in Geosciences

32 semester hours in following geosciences courses, plus 4 semester hours in supporting courses

• Required: GEOS 201, 401, 498, 499
• 8 semester hours from: GEOS 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, or 109
• 16 semester hours from: GEOS 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 331, 332, 334, 335, 340, or 350
• Required supporting non-geoscience course: CHEM 104 or CHEM 115
• Students completing the B.A. degree in geosciences are recommended to take a departmentally approved field camp from another college or university. Students would normally take this during the summer, after their junior year or after their senior year depending upon their level of preparation. This field experience may be a traditional field geology course or a field-based course in hydrology, environmental geology or geophysics, etc. Students must have approval of the department chair before enrolling in the field experience.
• Options reflect a student’s interests and are discussed with an advisor

Bachelor of Science Degree

Major in Geosciences

42 to 44 semester hours in following geosciences courses, plus 26 semester hours in required and recommended supporting courses

• Required: GEOS 201, 325, 327, 401, 498, and 499
• 4 semester hours from: GEOS 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, or 109
• 18 semester hours from: GEOS 324, 326, 328, 329, 331, 332, 334, 335, 340, or 350
• Required (minimum of 4 semester hours): Geological Field Experience
  Students completing the B.S. degree in geosciences are required to take a departmentally approved field camp from another college or university. Students would normally take this during the summer, after their junior year or after their senior year depending upon their level of preparation. This field experience may be a traditional field geology course or a field-based course in hydrology, environmental geology or geophysics, etc. Students must have approval of the department chair before enrolling in the Field Experience.
• Required supporting courses
  Minimum 26 semester hours

• CHEM 115 and 116
• PHYS 125, 126 (with 135,136 labs) or PHYS 153, 154 (with 163, 164 labs)
• MATH 151 and either MATH 152 or CSCE 120
• Recommended: BIOL 226 and additional courses are recommended when paleontology is a major intent.

Minor

20 semester hours

• All courses for the minor must be completed with grade of C or higher.
• Required: GEOS 201 and at least 3 upper-division geosciences courses (a minimum of 8 upper-division semester hours).

Department Honors

In recognition of outstanding work the designation with Departmental Honors may be granted to Bachelor of Science graduates by a vote of the faculty of the Department of Geosciences, based upon the student’s performance in these areas:

• Course work: The grade point average in geoscience courses must be at least 3.50.
• Written work: From the time a student declares a major in geosciences, copies of outstanding work (e.g., laboratory reports, poster presentations, written reports) will be kept for later summary evaluation.
• Oral communication: Students must evidence ability to communicate effectively as indicated by the sum of their participation in class discussions, seminars, help sessions, and teaching assistantship work.
• Other activities: Positive considerations for honors include involvement in the department, doing independent research, geoscience-related employment, and participation in professional organizations.

The departmental honors designation will appear on the transcript of a student graduating with a geosciences major.

Course Offerings by Semester/Term

• Fall Semester: 201, 324, 326, 332, 335, 340, 498
• J-Term: 331, 387
• Spring Semester: 201, 325, 327, 328, 329, 334, 350, 401, 499
• Alternate Years: 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 331, 332, 334, 335, 340, 350, 401