Geology, Bachelor of Science
To obtain a B.S. with a major in Geology, a student must fulfill university, college, and departmental requirements.
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Geology, Bachelor of Science Career Geology Track Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS - 34 Hours Required | ||
| Minimum of “C-“required | ||
| Fundamental Skills | 15 | |
Writing – 6 hrs. | ||
| ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | ||
| COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | ||
Oral Communication – 3 hrs. | ||
| PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS | ||
or CMST 2120 | ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE | |
Quantitative Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING | ||
or MATH 1130 | QUANTITATIVE LITERACY | |
or MATH 1140 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS | |
or MATH 1300 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT | |
Data Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
Select one from the following: | ||
| DATA LITERACY AND VISUALIZATION | ||
| ELEMENTARY STATISTICS | ||
Until Fall 2028, students can satisfy this requirement with an approved data literacy course, or any approved natural or social science general education course. | ||
| Breadth of Knowledge | 13 | |
Social Science – 3 hrs. | ||
Humanities – 3 hrs. | ||
Natural & Physical Science (must complete a lab) – 4 hrs. | ||
Arts – 3 hrs. | ||
| Individual and Social Responsibility | 6 | |
Cultural Knowledge – 3 hrs. | ||
Civic Knowledge and Engagement – 3 hrs. | ||
| MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| **Course will satisfy UNO's General Education requirement | ||
| ^Course requires pre-requisite(s) | ||
| Geology Major, Geology Career - 65-74 Hours Required | ||
| Required Coursework | 28 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOLOGY (**) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL GEOLOGY (^) | ||
| GEOSCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS AND MODELING (^) | ||
| MINERALOGY and MINERALOGY LABORATORY (^) | ||
| STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY and STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY FIELD METHODS (^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY (^) | ||
| ADVANCED FIELD COURSE (^) | ||
| Select one of the following | 4 | |
| PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY (^) | ||
| CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE (^) | ||
| SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION (^) | ||
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL/REGIONAL PLANNING/EARTH SCIENCE (** ^) | ||
| SENIOR THESIS (^) | ||
| Additional Geology or Geography courses in consultation with advisor | 12 | |
| Required Chemistry Lecture and Lab: | 4 | |
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (** ^) | ||
| Additionally, select one of the following Chemistry options: | 3-4 | |
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (^) | ||
| OR | ||
| GEOCHEMISTRY (^) | ||
| Select one of the following Mathematics options | 3-9 | |
| CALCULUS I (^) | ||
| CALCULUS II | ||
| OR | ||
| CALCULUS FOR THE MANAGERIAL, LIFE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES (^) | ||
| Required Physics Lecture and Lab | 5 | |
| GENERAL PHYSICS I - CALCULUS LEVEL and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY I (** ^) | ||
| Additionally, select one of the following Physics options: | 3-5 | |
| GENERAL PHYSICS II-CALCULUS LEVEL and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY II (^) | ||
| OR | ||
| GEOPHYSICS (^) | ||
| College Breadth (choose one option) | 15-30+ | |
| Option 1: Complete any UNO minor or undergraduate certificate - 15+ hours | ||
| Option 2: Additional General Education Requirements - 18+ hours | ||
Additional quantitative literacy - 3 hours | ||
Additional Social Science Gen. Ed. from another Discipline - 3 hours | ||
Additional Humanities Gen. Ed. from another Discipline - 3 hours | ||
Additional Nat. and Physical Science w/ or without Lab - 3-5 hours | ||
| Option 3: CAS comprehensive major (50+ hours) OR any second UNO major (30+ hours) | ||
| Bachelor of Science Cognate Requirement | 0-15 | |
| See advisor. | ||
| ELECTIVES | ||
| Elective hours as required to reach a total of 120 hours | ||
Geology, Bachelor of Science General Geology Track Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS - 34 Hours Required | ||
| Minimum of “C-“required | ||
| Fundamental Skills | 15 | |
Writing – 6 hrs. | ||
| ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | ||
| COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | ||
Oral Communication – 3 hrs. | ||
| PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS | ||
or CMST 2120 | ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE | |
Quantitative Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING | ||
or MATH 1130 | QUANTITATIVE LITERACY | |
or MATH 1140 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS | |
or MATH 1300 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT | |
Data Literacy – 3 hrs. | ||
Select one from the following: | ||
| DATA LITERACY AND VISUALIZATION | ||
| ELEMENTARY STATISTICS | ||
Until Fall 2028, students can satisfy this requirement with an approved data literacy course, or any approved natural or social science general education course. | ||
| Breadth of Knowledge | 13 | |
Social Science – 3 hrs. | ||
Humanities – 3 hrs. | ||
Natural & Physical Science (must complete a lab) – 4 hrs. | ||
Arts – 3 hrs. | ||
| Individual and Social Responsibility | 6 | |
Cultural Knowledge – 3 hrs. | ||
Civic Knowledge and Engagement – 3 hrs. | ||
| MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| **Course will satisfy UNO's General Education requirement | ||
| ^Course requires pre-requisite(s) | ||
| Geology Major, General Geology - 63-65 Hours Required | ||
| Required Coursework | 28 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOLOGY (**) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL GEOLOGY (^) | ||
| GEOSCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS AND MODELING (^) | ||
| MINERALOGY and MINERALOGY LABORATORY (^) | ||
| STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY and STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY FIELD METHODS (^) | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY (^) | ||
| ADVANCED FIELD COURSE (^) | ||
| Select one of the following | 4 | |
| PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY (^) | ||
| CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE (^) | ||
| SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION (^) | ||
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL/REGIONAL PLANNING/EARTH SCIENCE (^) | ||
| SENIOR THESIS (^) | ||
| Additional Geology or Geography courses in consultation with advisor | 12 | |
| An approved Statistics course | 3 | |
| Other required coursework | 10 | |
| FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (** ^) | ||
| PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCE I and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY I (** ^) | ||
| Select one of the following options | 3-5 | |
| PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCE II and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY II | ||
| OR | ||
| GEOPHYSICS (^) | ||
| College Breadth (choose one option) - 15-30+ Hours Required | 15-30+ | |
| Option 1: Complete any UNO minor or undergraduate certificate - 15+ hours | ||
| Option 2: Additional General Education Requirements - 18+ hours | ||
Additional quantitative literacy - 3 hours | ||
Additional Social Science Gen. Ed. from another Discipline - 3 hours | ||
Additional Humanities Gen. Ed. from another Discipline - 3 hours | ||
Additional Nat. and Physical Science w/ or without Lab - 3-5 hours | ||
| Option 3: CAS comprehensive major (50+ hours) OR any second UNO major (30+ hours) | ||
| Bachelor of Science Cognate Requirement | 0-15 | |
| See advisor | ||
| ELECTIVES | ||
| Elective hours as required to reach a total of 120 hours | ||
On This Page
Geology, Bachelor of Science Geology Career Track Four Year Plan
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGL 1150 | ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| GEOL 1170 | INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | 4 |
| MATH 1300 or MATH 1320 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT or COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 3-4 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend Durango Days; other campus events. | ||
Set up a Handshake account and take the Pathway U career assessment. | ||
Attend the Student Involvement & Volunteer Fair to explore student organizations. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
| Credits | 13-14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 1180 | INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL GEOLOGY | 4 |
| CHEM 1180 & CHEM 1184 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 4 |
| MATH 1330 | TRIGONOMETRY | 3 |
| CMST 1110 | PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS | 3 |
Attend campus events such as major exploration week to get an idea of interests and career paths. | ||
Schedule a resume review with UNO Career Services. | ||
Visit faculty office hours and ask about undergraduate research opportunities. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 14 | |
| Summer | ||
| MATH 1950 | CALCULUS I | 5 |
| Credits | 5 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 2750 & GEOL 2754 | MINERALOGY and MINERALOGY LABORATORY | 4 |
| GEOL 2300 | GEOSCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS AND MODELING | 3 |
| PHYS 2110 & PHYS 1154 | GENERAL PHYSICS I - CALCULUS LEVEL and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY I | 5 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend the Career & Internship Fair to start networking with employers. | ||
Look for volunteer, research, or part-time work to gain experience. | ||
Join a student organization or club related to your field or interests. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 3300 & GEOL 3310 | STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY and STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY FIELD METHODS | 4 |
| CHEM 1190 & CHEM 1194 or GEOL 4540 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II or GEOCHEMISTRY | 3-4 |
| Approved GEOL Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend a career fair for informational and networking purposes. | ||
Update your resume and LinkedIn profile with new experiences. | ||
Investigate and apply for summer internships, research, or study abroad programs. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 13-14 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 3400 | INTRODUCTION TO SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY | 3 |
| ENGL 1160 | COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | 3 |
| MATH 1960 | CALCULUS II | 4 |
| Approved GEOL Elective | 1 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Apply for a paid internship or research assistantship. | ||
Attend a mock interview workshop or use online interview tools with Career Services. | ||
Start researching and visiting graduate programs or professional schools. | ||
Visit Career Center, continue updating resume. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHYS 2120 & PHYS 1164 | GENERAL PHYSICS II-CALCULUS LEVEL or GEOPHYSICS or GEOPHYSICS | 3-5 |
| GEOL 4640 | CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | 4 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Request letters of recommendation from faculty for jobs or grad school. | ||
Attend the All-Majors Career Fair with a plan to network. | ||
Meet with your advisor or submit for a graduation check-in to review remaining degree requirements. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Summer | ||
| GEOL 4620 | ADVANCED FIELD COURSE | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 4260 | PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | 4 |
| GEOL elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Check in with Career Center for networking tips. | ||
Finalize graduate school applications or job search strategy. | ||
Attend a career fair and start applying for full-time jobs. | ||
Prepare for interviews and salary negotiations with Career Services. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 4800 or GEOL 4950 | INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL/REGIONAL PLANNING/EARTH SCIENCE or SENIOR THESIS | 3 |
| Approved GEOL Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 2-3 | |
Complete your final advising check before graduation. | ||
Polish your resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. | ||
Stay connected by joining alumni networks and professional organizations. | ||
Apply for graduation via MavLink. | ||
| Credits | 11-12 | |
| Total Credits | 120-125 | |
Geology, Bachelor of Science Geology General Track Four Year Plan
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| GEOL 1170 | INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | 4 |
| ENGL 1150 | ENGLISH COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| MATH 1300 or MATH 1320 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT or COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 3-4 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend Durango Days; other campus events. | ||
Set up a Handshake account and take the Pathway U career assessment. | ||
Attend the Student Involvement & Volunteer Fair to explore student organizations. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
Complete your final advising check before graduation. Polish your resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. Stay connected by joining alumni networks and professional organizations. Apply for graduation via MavLink. | ||
| Credits | 13-14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 1180 | INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL GEOLOGY | 4 |
| CHEM 1140 & CHEM 1144 | FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY and FUNDAMENTALS OF COLLEGE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 5 |
| ENGL 1160 | COLLEGE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY | 3 |
| GEOL 2500 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN GEOGRAPHY-GEOLOGY (may be taken multiple times under different topics.) | 1 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend campus events such as major exploration week to get an idea of interests and career paths. | ||
Schedule a resume review with UNO Career Services. | ||
Visit faculty office hours and ask about undergraduate research opportunities. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 2750 & GEOL 2754 | MINERALOGY and MINERALOGY LABORATORY | 4 |
| GEOL 2300 | GEOSCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS AND MODELING | 3 |
| CMST 1110 | PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS | 3 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend the Career & Internship Fair to start networking with employers. | ||
Look for volunteer, research, or part-time work to gain experience. | ||
Join a student organization or club related to your field or interests. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 3300 & GEOL 3310 | STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY and STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY FIELD METHODS | 4 |
| Approved GEOL Elective | 1 | |
| An approved statistics course | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Attend a career fair for informational and networking purposes. | ||
Update your resume and LinkedIn profile with new experiences. | ||
Investigate and apply for summer internships, research, or study abroad programs. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 14 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 3400 | INTRODUCTION TO SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY | 3 |
| GEOL 4260 | PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY (or an approved GEOL elective) or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | 4 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 1 | |
Apply for a paid internship or research assistantship. | ||
Attend a mock interview workshop or use online interview tools with Career Services. | ||
Start researching and visiting graduate programs or professional schools. | ||
Visit Career Center, continue updating resume. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 4640 | CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE (or an approved GEOL elective) or CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or PROCESS GEOMORPHOLOGY or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION or SOIL GENESIS, MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | 4 |
| PHYS 1110 & PHYS 1154 | PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCE I and GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY I | 5 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept-Oct. | ||
Attend the All-Majors Career Fair with a plan to network. | ||
Meet with your advisor or submit for a graduation check-in to review remaining degree requirements. | ||
Make advising appointment for summer and fall: February – March. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| GEOL 4620 | ADVANCED FIELD COURSE | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHYS 1120 & PHYS 1164 or GEOL 4400 | PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCE II or GEOPHYSICS | 3-5 |
| Approved GEOL elective | 3 | |
| Approved GEOL Elective | 1 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
Check in with Career Center for networking tips. | ||
Finalize graduate school applications or job search strategy. | ||
Attend a career fair and start applying for full-time jobs. | ||
Prepare for interviews and salary negotiations with Career Services. | ||
Make advising appointment for spring: Sept. - Oct. | ||
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GEOL 4800 or GEOL 4950 | INTERNSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL/REGIONAL PLANNING/EARTH SCIENCE or SENIOR THESIS | 3 |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
Complete your final advising check before graduation. | ||
Polish your resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profile. | ||
Stay connected by joining alumni networks and professional organizations. | ||
Apply for graduation via MavLink. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 119-122 | |
College Breadth: Students should plan on using at least 15 hours of "Electives" to fulfill Option 1, 2, or 3, of the College of Arts and Sciences' breadth requirement.
Upper Level Credits: Students need 27 upper level credits throughout the degree with at least 18 upper level credits within the major. Electives may need to be selected at the 3000-4000 level to reach these minimums.
Additional Information About this Plan:
University Degree Requirements: The minimum number of hours for a UNO undergraduate degree is 120 credit hours. Please review the requirements for your specific program to determine all requirements for the program. In order to graduate on-time (four years for an undergraduate degree), you need to take 30 hours each year.
Placement Exams: For Math, English, World Language, a placement exam may be required. More information on these exams can be found at https://www.unomaha.edu/enrollment-management/testing-center/placement-exams/information.php
Transfer credit or placement exam scores may change suggested plan of study
GPA Requirements: 2.0
Note: This plan provides a general guide, but your specific courses, experiences, and career goals may differ. Work with your academic advisor to ensure you’re meeting degree requirements and consult with career advisors to explore internships, research opportunities, and post-graduation plans. Regular check-ins will help you stay on track and make the most of your time at UNO!