Mission Statement

Our mission is to serve two vital needs of the JMU students. First, the majors in geology present high-quality programs of specialized study focusing on Earth materials, internal and external Earth processes, analysis of Earth history and application of geology to environmental and engineering issues. In support of this mission is a commitment to foster the ability to think analytically and to communicate both within the discipline and with non-scientists. Course work and research experiences prepare the student for postgraduate study or professional careers that are subject to rapidly changing societal needs. Second, our department strives to enhance the university's general education program by offering timely and challenging courses that provide insight into Earth processes and human-environment interactions. These courses promote life-long liberal learning by fostering critical thinking and an awareness of natural science.

Goals

Provide a stimulating, intellectual environment for students in geology and environmental science that will generate interest and enthusiasm for learning and will provide a solid foundation for graduate work and careers in geology and environmental science.

Teach science as science is practiced. Since the advancement of scientific knowledge often occurs within a social context – collaboration among scientists, conferences, seminars – the goal is to develop a similar mode of operation for the geology program.

Provide high-quality, relevant general studies courses within the discipline that focus on the fundamental science in the societal context (e.g., environmental change, climate change, hazards). These courses will incorporate critical thinking and an appreciation of human-environment interactions.

Career Opportunities

• Earth Science Teacher
• Engineering Geologist
• Environmental Geologist
• Environmental Scientist/Specialist
• Geochemist
• Government or Industry Geologist
• Geological Oceanographer
• Geomorphologist
• Geophysicist
• Hydrogeologist
• Meteorologist
• Science Museum Curator
• Paleoclimatologist/paleoceanographer
• Paleontologist
• Petroleum Geologist
• Soil Scientist

Co-curricular Activities and Organization

The department encourages majors and minors to participate in the student Geology Club, which sponsors field trips, camping excursions, and hosts educational activities for elementary school students. Geology majors are encouraged to apply to be laboratory teaching assistants and research assistants for faculty in the department. Majors and minors are also strongly encouraged to become members of one or more of the following geoscience organizations and to present their research at the affiliated regional or national meetings:

• Geological Society of America (GSA)
• American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)

Degree and Major Requirements

There are two bachelor degrees offered in the Department of Geology and Environmental Science, a B.S. in geology and a B.A. in Earth science. Both degree options have a research requirement that includes a formal presentation. The B.S. degree has two concentrations: a general geology concentration designed for students who want to take a wider range of geology elective courses and an environmental and engineering geology concentration designed for students who want to focus their geology electives toward applied environmental science.

The B.A. in Earth science prepares individuals to work in a wide range of professional public sector service careers where preparation in Earth science and communication of science to nonscientific audiences is a requirement or an asset. This includes the preparation of Earth science teachers.

Bachelor of Science in Geology

Degree Requirements

1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.

2 The quantitative and scientific literacy requirements are met by courses required by the major.

Major Requirements

The B.S. degree in geology is designed for students who plan to obtain professional employment in geology or enter graduate school upon graduation. It is recommended that incoming B.S. degree students complete the following courses prior to enrolling in required geology courses numbered 300 and higher.

Students planning graduate study in some areas of the geosciences should consider courses in mathematics, physics or chemistry beyond those required for the B.S. major.

Concentrations

The B.S. degree option requires that each student complete at least 12 credit hours chosen from one of the two concentrations.

Recommended Schedule for B.S. Degree in Geology

Bachelor of Arts in Earth Science

The B.A. in Earth science degree is designed to integrate all the Earth sciences in a systems approach to understanding the Earth. This includes incorporating and integrating subjects such as oceanography, meteorology and astronomy. The emphasis is on the preparation of individuals to work in a wide range of professional public sector service careers where preparation in Earth science and communication of science to non-scientific audiences is a requirement or an asset.

Degree Requirements

1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.

2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student's chosen language (typically 232), or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures' placement exam.

3 100, 200, 300 or 400-level course acceptable or consult the list of courses satisfying B.A. degree requirements at http://www/jmu.edu/registrar.

Major Requirements

B.A. degree students are expected to complete CHEM 131-131L before enrolling in geology courses numbered 300 and higher.

The B.A. degree option requires that each student complete at least 16 hours of cognate science credit hours with at least one course from biology, physics and chemistry chosen from:

Recommended Minors for the Bachelor of Arts in Earth Science

The B.A. Earth science degree recommends (but does not require) that students complete a minor in a complementary program, suitable toward the career goals of the student. Approved minors include:

1 Credit hours for courses in the minor that are already required courses for the B.A. in Earth Science major have been subtracted from the total hours listed here.

Students may also propose a minor that is not listed above to their adviser for approval.

Recommended Schedule for B.A. Degree in Earth Science

1 Foreign language at the intermediate level.

Teaching Licensure

Students interested in becoming teachers must meet specific curriculum requirements in their major as part of the undergraduate academic degree. The B.A. in Earth science includes state course requirements in astronomy, meteorology and oceanography, to total no less than 32 hours in the Earth sciences (including geology) and a minimum of 16 hours total in physics, chemistry and biology.

In addition to the general education and academic major requirements, Earth science majors desiring secondary teacher licensure must be admitted to the pre-professional program in secondary education at the undergraduate level and complete the graduate level Master of Arts in Teaching degree.

It is critical that students seeking teaching licensure consult regularly with both their education adviser and their major adviser to support their progression through the programs.

For a full description of the program in secondary teaching, refer to the Department of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education, in addition to the College of Education.

Minor Requirements

Geology Minor

The requirement for a minor in geology is a minimum of 18 credit hours of geology approved by the student's geology adviser.

Geophysics Minor

The minor in geophysics is designed to provide adequate training for professional work or graduate school in geophysics in the broad sense. No more than 10 credits from the geophysics minor may be used to double count with a major. The requirements for the geophysics minor are a minimum of 21 credits, including at least one semester each of geology, mathematics and physics, distributed as follows:

1 Additional elective courses permitted upon approval from minor adviser.

Note for geology majors: The geology major requires a sequence of math and physics courses (see major program for details). The following sequence of courses will satisfy the major requirements and is strongly recommended for students interested in geophysics. In particular, MATH 236 is a prerequisite for several courses included in the geophysics minor.

• MATH 235-236. Calculus I & II
• PHYS 240-250. Physics I & II (and Lab)