School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Geosciences (BS)

Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)

Four-Year Degree Plan (Example)

This is an example only. Please see advisor to develop individual four-year plan.

Freshman Year
Fall Semester	SCH	Spring Semester	SCH
CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I2 3	3	CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II3	3
or CHEM 1315 Honors Freshman Chemistry I2 3		or CHEM 1316 Honors Freshman Chemistry II3
CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I2 3	1	CHEM 1112 General Chemistry Laboratory II2	1
or CHEM 1115 Honors Freshman Chemistry Laboratory I2		or CHEM 1116 Honors Freshman Chemistry Laboratory II2
Core Course	3	GEOS 1304 History of Earth and Life2 3	3
GEOS 1303 Physical Geology2 3	3	GEOS 1104 History of Earth and Life Laboratory	1
GEOS 1103 Physical Geology Laboratory	1	GEOS 2306 Essentials of Field Geologic Methods	3
MATH 2417 Calculus I2 3 4 5	4	MATH 2419 Calculus II2 3 4 5	4
NATS 1101 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Freshman Seminar1	1
UNIV 1010 Freshman Seminar1	0
	16		15

Sophomore Year
Fall Semester	SCH	Spring Semester	SCH
GEOS 2409 Rocks and Minerals2 3	4	GEOS 3434 Paleobiology	4
Math Elective	4	Core Course	3
PHYS 2325 Mechanics2 3   and PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I2 3	4	PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves2 3	3-4
or PHYS 2421 Honors Physics I - Mechanics and Heat2 3 6		or PHYS 2422 Honors Physics II - Electromagnetism and Waves2 3
Core Course	3	PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II	1
		Core Course	3
	15		14-15

Summer Semester
GEOS 3300 Field Geology I (Summer Field Camp I)	3
	3

Junior Year
Fall Semester	SCH	Spring Semester	SCH
Core Course	3	GEOS 3470 Structural Geology	4
GEOS 3421 Stratigraphy and Sedimentology	4	Core Course	3
GEOS 3464 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology	4	Core Course	3
Core Course	3	Free Elective	3
	14		13

Summer Semester
GEOS 4300 Field Geology II (Summer Field Camp II)	3
	3

Senior Year
Fall Semester	SCH	Spring Semester	SCH
GEOS 4320 The Physics and Chemistry of the Solid Earth	3	GEOS 4322 The Earth System	3
GEOS 4430 Hydrogeology and Aqueous Geochemistry	4	GEOS 4390 Communication in the Geosciences	3
Core Course	3	Free Elective	7-8
Free Elective	3
	13		13-14

NOTES:
1	Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2	Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3	A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement.
4	Three semester credit hours are counted to fulfill the Mathematics Core Requirement with the remaining semester credit hour to be counted under the major requirements.
5	The MATH calculus sequence can be replaced with other options, see advisor.
6	Students who complete PHYS 2421 do not need to complete PHYS 2125.
51 Hours of upper division courses (course numbers beginning with 3 or greater) are required for all degrees.
Be sure to check prerequisites of Level 2 courses
120 semester credit hours required for graduation
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) during the summer are highly recommended for Physics majors planning to continue their education in graduate school, whether in physics or another discipline. Formal REU programs exist at many universities, national laboratories, and even overseas, and usually offer a stipend typical of a graduate teaching assistantship. Announcements for REU programs usually appear online in December and application deadlines usually range from late January to early March. Requirements vary, but students are often eligible if they have completed their freshman year.
This plan is a resource tool only; it does not replace your degree plan or academic advising.