Geoscience
College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Department of Geology and Geophysics
907-474-7565
www.uaf.edu/geology/
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 120 credits
Graduates in geoscience have broad backgrounds in the earth sciences and firm foundations in mathematics, physics and chemistry. Four concentrations are available to allow students to pursue their own emphasis: geology, paleontology, geospatial science and geophysics. The concentrations allow students to focus earlier in their studies but are flexible enough to allow students to pursue their own interests in the junior and senior years. All of the concentrations are designed to prepare students for industry jobs in oil, mining and environmental consulting; jobs with agencies such as U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys; or graduate studies.
The geology concentration offers students a sound background in a spectrum geological disciplines with an emphasis on current field mapping techniques essential to exploration and research. The paleontology concentration is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to locate, excavate, interpret and curate specimens for museums, agencies or universities. The geospatial sciences concentration focuses on the principles, techniques and applications of remote sensing, GIS and GPS to prepare students for careers that require geospatial data analysis and visualization. The geophysics concentration challenges students to use physics in understanding geoscience concepts, emphasizing applications in seismology, volcanology and glaciology in the context of the Alaskan landscape. This concentration is designed to prepare students for graduate work in geophysics and environmental engineering fields or other disciplines that use geophysical tools such as ground-penetrating radar or exploration seismology.
- Complete the general university requirements. (As part of the core curriculum requirements, complete MATH F200X and CHEM F105X.)
- Complete the following:*
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
GEOS F112X--The History of Earth and Life--4 credits
GEOS F309--Plate Tectonics--3 credits - Complete one of the following concentrations:*
Geology- Complete the following:
CHEM F106X--General Chemistry II--4 credits
PHYS F103X--College Physics I--4 credits
PHYS F104X--College Physics II--4 credits - Complete the following (major) requirements:*
GEOS F213--Mineralogy--4 credits
GEOS F214--Petrology and Petrography--4 credits
GEOS F225--Field and Computer Methods in Geology--2 credits
GEOS F304--Geomorphology--3 credits
GEOS F314--Structural Geology--4 credits
GEOS F315W--Paleobiology and Paleontology--4 credits
GEOS F322--Stratigraphy and Sedimentation--4 credits
GEOS F351W--Field Geology**--8 credits
GEOS F430--Statistics and Data Analysis in Geology--3 credits
STAT F200X--Elementary Probability and Statistics (3)
or STAT F300--Statistics (3)--3 credits - Complete 12 additional credits of upper-division GEOS courses or other upper-division courses approved by the undergraduate advisor* including one O (oral intensive) course from any department.
- Complete the following:
CHEM F106X--General Chemistry II--4 credits
PHYS F103X--College Physics I--4 credits - Complete the following (major) requirements:*
GEOS F213--Mineralogy--4 credits
GEOS F214--Petrology and Petrography--4 credits
GEOS F225--Field and Computer Methods in Geology--2 credits
GEOS F314--Structural Geology--4 credits
GEOS F322--Stratigraphy and Sedimentation--4 credits
GEOS F351W--Field Geology**--8 credits
GEOS F430--Statistics and Data Analysis in Geology--3 credits
STAT F200X--Elementary Probability and Statistics (3)
or STAT F300--Statistics (3)--3 credits
GEOS F315W--Paleobiology and Paleontology--4 credits
GEOS F317O--Paleontological Research and Laboratory Methods--2 credits - Complete at least two of the following electives:*
GEOS F453--Palynology and Paleopalynology--4 credits
GEOG F485--Mass Extinctions, Neocatastrophism and the History of Life--3 credits
GEOS F486--Vertebrate Paleontology--3 credits
GEOS F488--Undergraduate Research--2 credits - Complete the requirements for a minor in biological
sciences--20 credits
- Complete the following:
CHEM F106X--General Chemistry II--4 credits
PHYS F103X--College Physics I--4 credits
PHYS F104X--College Physics II--4 credits - Complete the following (major) requirements:*
GEOS F213--Mineralogy--4 credits
GEOS F214--Petrology and Petrography--4 credits
GEOS/GEOG F222--Fundamentals of Geospatial Sciences--3 credits
GEOS F225--Field and Computer Methods in Geology--3 credits
GEOS F304--Geomorphology--3 credits
GEOS F314--Structural Geology--4 credits
GEOS F322--Stratigraphy and Sedimentation--4 credits
GEOS F351W--Field Geology**--8 credits
GEOS F430--Statistics and Data Analysis in Geology--3 credits
STAT F200X--Elementary Probability and Statistics (3)
or STAT F300--Statistics--3 credits - Complete at least two of the following remote sensing electives:*
GEOS F408--Photogeology--2 credits
GEOS F422--Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing--3 credits
GEOS F488--Undergraduate Research--2 credits
NRM F641--Remote Sensing of Natural Resources--4 credits - Complete at least two of the following GIS electives:*
GEOG F309--Cartography and Geovisualization--4 credits
GEOG F435--GIS Analysis--3 credits
GEOS F458--Geoscience Applications of GPS and GIS--3 credits
NRM F338--Introduction to GIS--3 credits - Complete 9 additional credits of upper-division GEOS courses or other upper-division courses approved by the undergraduate advisor* including one O (oral intensive) course and one additional W (writing intensive) course from any department
- Complete the following:*
GEOS F262--Rocks and Minerals--3 credits
GEOS F318--Solid Earth Geophysics--3 credits
GEOS F406--Vulcanology--3 credits
GEOS F431--Foundations of Geophysics--4 credits
GEOS F475W,O--Presentation Techniques in the Geosciences--2 credits
GEOS F477O--Ice in the Climate System--3 credits
GEOS F488--Undergraduate Research--2 credits
MATH F201X and MATH F202X--Calculus II and III--8 credits
MATH F302--Differential Equations--3 credits
MATH F314--Linear Algebra--4 credits
PHYS F211 and PHYS F212--General Physics--8 credits
PHYS F213X--Elementary Modern Physics--4 credits
PHYS F220--Introduction to Computational Physics--4 credits - Complete at least three of the following science and engineering electives:*
ES F331--Mechanics of Materials--3 credits
ES F341--Fluid Mechanics--4 credits
GEOS F314--Structural Geology--4 credits
GEOS F322--Stratigraphy and Sedimentation--4 credits
GEOS F422--Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing--3 credits
ME F441--Heat and Mass Transfer--3 credits
PHYS F301--Introduction to Mathematical Physics--4 credits
PHYS F313--Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics--4 credits
PHYS F341--Classical Physics I: Particle Mechanics--4 credits - Complete 3 additional upper-division GEOS courses or other upper-division courses as approved by the undergraduate advisor*
- Complete one W (writing intensive) course approved by the undergraduate advisor.*
- Complete the following:
- Minimum credits required--120 credits
* Students must earn a C- grade or better in each of these courses.
** GEOS F351 is offered at UAF during the summer of odd-numbered years. Students may substitute a 6-credit field geology class at another institution. The geology and geophysics undergraduate advisor will assist students in placement in an approved field geology class.
Geology
- Complete the following:
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
GEOS F112X--The History of Earth and Life--4 credits - Complete 12 additional credits of GEOS courses as approved by the undergraduate geoscience advisor: --12 credits
- Minimum credits required--20 credits
Paleontology
- Complete the following:
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
GEOS F112X--The History of Earth and Life--4 credits - Complete three of the following:
GEOS F315W--Paleobiology and Paleontology--4 credits
GEOS F317O--Paleontological Research and Laboratory Methods--2 credits
GEOS F322--Stratigraphy and Sedimentation--4 credits
GEOS F453--Palynology and Paleopalynology--4 credits
GEOS F485--Mass Extinctions, Neocatastrophism and the History of Life--3 credits
GEOS F486--Vertebrate Paleontology--3 credits - Minimum credits required:--16 - 20 credits
Geospatial Sciences
- Complete the following:
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
GEOS F112X--The History of Earth and Life--4 credits
GEOS/GEOG F222--Fundamentals of Geospatial Sciences--3 credits
GEOS F225--Field and Computer Methods in Geology--2 credits
GEOS F422--Geoscience Applications of Remote Sensing--3 credits
GEOS F458--Geoscience Applications of GPS and GIS--3 credits - Minimum credits required:--19 credits
Geophysics
- Complete the following:
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
GEOS F112X--The History of Earth and Life--4 credits
GEOS F318--Solid Earth Geophysics--3 credits
GEOS F406--Volcanology--3 credits
GEOS F431--Foundations of Geophysics--4 credits
GEOS F477O--Ice in the Climate System--3 credits - Minimum credits required:--21 credits