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Nov 21, 2024
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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Geology B.A.
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TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120
Plans of Study
The Bachelor of Arts program is designed primarily for the liberal arts student who has an interest in careers in Geoscience education or environmental policy and law. A student who elects the B.A. program and decides to pursue the geology profession or attend graduate school will need at least field geology in their program.
This degree emphasizes a comprehensive understanding of the Earth’s structure, materials, processes, and history. The intent of a Geology Bachelor’s degree is to provide students with a strong foundation in geology and the skills necessary to pursue various career paths within the geosciences, including environmental consulting, natural resource exploration, geological surveys, research, or further studies at the graduate level. Specifically, a geology degree aims to achieve the following:
- Foundational Knowledge of the basic principles of geology such as mineralogy, petrology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, structural geology, and plate tectonics.
- Field-based courses where students learn to gather data and observations, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings.
- Laboratory work to teach students essential analytical and scientific techniques.
- Earth History and Processes that shape the Earth’s surface, such as volcanism, erosion, weathering, and the formation of geological structures.
- Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking. Students learn to analyze geological data, interpret complex geological phenomena, and make informed decisions based on evidence and scientific principles.
- Environmental and Resource Management.
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University Admissions - College of Arts and Sciences
Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:
For Admission information specific to the College of Arts & Sciences, see the information at College of Arts and Sciences.
Graduation Requirements - College of Arts and Sciences
Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:
- Students must complete all State and University level graduation requirements.
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in USF coursework. Note: Some Departments/program/major require a higher GPA. Students should refer to Department/program/major specific catalog requirements.
- The College may approve an exception when a student has successfully earned the minimum grade required for all courses applied in the major but does not have a major GPA of 2.0.
- Physical Education coursework is limited to two (2) semester hours.
- ROTC courses that are primarily physical training and field experiences will not be applied to College of Arts and Sciences degree programs. All other military Science coursework will apply, in particular, coursework utilized toward completing an established ROTC minor will be applied to the total hours toward degree.
- When earning a second degree, double major or concurrent degree, the Major Core and Major Elective/Concentration areas of the degree audit must not overlap for both degrees. All other areas of the degree audit may have overlapping credit hours applied.
- Maximum of 20 hours of S/U option. S/U contracts must be negotiated in writing within the first three (3) weeks of the term. None of the 20 credits may be taken in the student’s major unless S/U is the only grading option. Coursework fulfilling the General Education Core Curriculum Requirements and the State Communication Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Writing) and State Computation Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Math) may not be taken S/U.
- The Audit option is available only during the first 5 days of classes.
- Complete all major course requirements.
- College of Arts and Sciences students are expected to complete a minimum of 50% of their major and/or minor coursework in residence at USF. Some College of Arts and Sciences Departments/programs/majors have established additional major course hours to be taken in residency at USF. See the major or program section of the catalog for these credit-hour requirements.
Required Courses: (68 credit hours)
State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - Geology B.A. (24 credit hours)
Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program.
Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program.
Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.
- (CHM X045 AND CHM X045L) OR (CHM X040 AND CHM X041) OR CHM X045C - 4-6 credit hours
- (CHM X046 AND CHM X046L) OR CHM X046C - 4 credit hours
- MAC X311 OR MAC X281 - 4 credit hours
- GLY X010C OR (GLY X010 and GLY X010L) - 4 credit hours
- (PHY X048C AND PHY X049C)* OR [(PHY X048 AND PHY X048L) AND (PHY X049 AND PHY X049L)] OR [(PHY X053 AND PHY X053L) AND (PHY X054 AND PHY X054L)] OR (PHY X054C AND PHY X053C) - 8-10 credit hours
FOR ALL MAJORS: Students are strongly encouraged to select required lower division electives that will enhance their general education coursework and that will support their intended baccalaureate degree program. Students should consult with an academic advisor in their major degree area.
* The choice of Physics sequence depends on the area of Geology specialization.
Historical Geology STRONGLY recommended.
State Mathematics Pathway – Geology B.A. (7 Credit Hours)*
The Geology B.A. uses the Statistical Reasoning Mathematics Pathway with the following requirements:
Geology Supporting Required Course: 3 credit hours
Major Core Courses: 8 courses; 23 credit hours
Introductory Sequence: 4 courses; 8 credit hours
Core Courses: 4 courses; 15 credit hours
Geology Elective Courses: 5 courses; 15 credit hours
Quantitative Requirement
Of these upper-level electives, at least three (3) hours must be drawn from courses identified by the department as including high-quantitative content. Courses that meet this requirement are indicated with a ***. Other comparable quantitative offerings in Geology may be approved by the undergraduate advisor.
Additional Information - Geology B.A.
GPA Requirements
Major GPA (All USF courses which are applied to major requirements): 2.0
General Education GPA (All USF courses which are applied to General Education requirements): 2.0
USF GPA: 2.0
Overall GPA: 2.0
Grading Requirements
A C- or better to meet major course requirements unless specified elsewhere. Will vary by area.
Note: Some USF courses have higher grade criteria to meet prerequisite knowledge necessary for progression into higher level courses.
Residency Requirements
Department and College of Arts & Sciences Major Academic Residency Requirement - 50% of major must be completed at USF.
USF Academic Residency Requirement - 30 of the last 60 hours earned must be from USF.
Research Opportunities - College of Arts and Sciences
Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914 course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research is able to assist with further inquiries.
Advising Information - College of Arts and Sciences
Undergraduate Advising Information
The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Advising Team provides students with support to create timely graduation plans that will integrate both their academic and professional goals. Each of our undergraduate programs has dedicated professional advisors with specialized knowledge and understanding of the major requirements, course offerings, undergraduate research, and career opportunities in their field. Additionally, we have dedicated pre-health and prelaw advisors to help students prepare for admission to professional graduate programs.
CAS Academic Advisor Contact information can be found here: CAS Advisors
To schedule an advising appointment: Advising Appointments
Plans of Study - Geology B.A.
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