The University of Texas at Austin Jackson School of Geosciences 54 courses 126 total credits
The Bachelor of Science in Geosciences (BSGS) serves as a professional degree for students planning careers as geologists, geophysicists, hydrologists, climate scientists, or teachers, as well as for those planning to pursue graduate work in geosciences or a profession such as law or business. Careers are available in the petroleum and related energy industries, resource evaluation, mineral exploration, geologic hazard monitoring, environmental control and reclamation, building foundation evaluation, groundwater contamination studies, soil testing, regional planning, watershed management, climate modeling, and college or secondary school teaching. Graduates may also work in state or federal agencies, in universities or museums, with consulting firms, or with service companies to the energy and mineral industries. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Geosciences degree must choose one of five majors: General Geology, Geophysics, Hydrology and Water Resources, Climate System Science, or Geosciences. In the geophysics major, we study the dynamics and structure of the Earth and other planets using observational, forward, and inverse modeling approaches. Topics include environmental studies, marine processes, hydrology, glaciology, volcanoes, earthquakes, tectonics, impacts, resources, shallow hazards, and convection of planetary mantles. From global studies to microscopic scales, and from processes happening on timescales of seconds to billions of years, geophysicists contribute fundamental insights into physical processes and properties of the Earth. With a geophysics degree, students are well-equipped to solve cutting-edge problems in a wide range of disciplines, from fundamental Earth and climate science research to applications in the energy sector, data science and technology, and national Security.
| Disciplinary Fundamentals Component | credits |
| Hours chosen from: Upper-division GEO coursework | 6 credits |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | credits |
| College Requirements - Geosciences | credits |
| General University Requirements | credits |
Major
Sequence 1
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| M 408D | Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
Major
Sequence 2
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M 408K | Differential Calculus | 4 |
| M 408L | Integral Calculus | |
| M 408M | Multivariable Calculus |
Major
Sequence 1
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHY 301 | Mechanics | 3 |
| PHY 101L | Laboratory for Physics 301 | 1 |
| PHY 316 | Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| PHY 116L | Laboratory for Physics 316 | 1 |
Major
Sequence 2
Major
Hours chosen from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 401 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| GEO 302C | Climate: Past, Present, and Future | 3 |
| GEO 302D | Age of Dinosaurs | 3 |
| GEO 302E | Earth, Wind, and Fire | 3 |
| GEO 302G | Earth Science and Sustainability | 3 |
| GEO 302J | Crisis of Our Planet | 3 |
| GEO 302M | The Age of Mammals | 3 |
| GEO 302N | Geology of National Parks | 3 |
| GEO 302Q | Gems and Gem Minerals | 3 |
| GEO 303 | Introduction to Geology | 3 |
| GEO 303C | Introduction to the Solar System | 3 |
| GEO 303E | Earth in 2100 | 3 |
| Total Major | 3 credits | |
Major
Hours chosen from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 405 | Life through Time | 4 |
| GEO 311D | Geodata | 3 |
| GEO 315L | Earth From Lab to Planet | 3 |
| GEO 420K | Introduction to Field and Stratigraphic Methods | 4 |
| Total Major | 3 credits | |
Major
Disciplinary Breadth Component
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 416E | Solid Earth Processes | 4 |
| GEO 416S | Earth and Planetary Processes Through Time | 4 |
| GEO 416W | Climate, Water, and the Environment | 4 |
Major
Hours chosen from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 325G | Computational Applications in the Geosciences | 3 |
| GEO 352P | Python for Geoscience Research | 3 |
| GEO 378D | Introduction to Machine Learning and Geosciences | 3 |
| Total Major | 3 credits | |
Major
Geophysics Component 1
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 114G | Geophysics Colloquium | 1 |
| GEO 325C | Continuum Mechanics | 3 |
| GEO 325K or GEO 325M | Computational Methods or Numerical Modeling in the Geosciences | 3 |
| GEO 354 | Physics of Earth | 3 |
Major
Hours chosen from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 365P | Potential Field Applications in Geophysics | 3 |
| GEO 366M | Mathematical Methods in Geophysics | 3 |
| GEO 465K | Seismic Exploration | 4 |
| Total Major | 6 credits | |
Major
Hours chosen from:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 660 | Field Geology | 6 |
| GEO 348K | Marine Geology and Geophysics Field Course | 3 |
| GEO 376L | Field Methods in Groundwater Hydrology | 3 |
| GEO 661 | Geophysics Field Camp | 6 |
| GEO 679G | Special Studies in Geophysics Research, Fieldwork, or Internship | 6 |
| Total Major | 6 credits | |
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