Frequently Asked Questions About the Geoscience Major

• FAQ: How do I declare a major in Geoscience?

  To declare a major in Geoscience, please see Abigail Hastillo (geology@uconn.edu) in Room 207 Beach Hall or Jean Crespi in 105 or 228 Beach Hall. They can help you fill out the Major Change or School Change form necessary.

You will be assigned an advisor when you declare your major.

• FAQ: Can I obtain a B.A. in the major in Geoscience?

Yes, you can obtain a B.S. or a B.A. in the major in Geoscience.

• FAQ: What courses should I take to fulfill requirement II?

  You may find that you have an interest in a specific subfield of geoscience and would like to concentrate your coursework accordingly to prepare for a particular career path or graduate school. Following are some examples of areas in which you can focus your studies in geoscience. If you would like to focus in one of these areas, we recommend that you take at least three courses from those listed in the group you select. Alternatively, you may find, as many students do, that you would like a broad background in geoscience. In this case, we recommend that you take one or two courses from those listed in each of the groups below.

  Focus in geophysics

  GSCI 3710 Engineering and Environmental Geology 3 credits
  GSCI 4510C Applied and Environmental Geophysics 3 credits
  GSCI 4520C Exploration Seismology 3 credits
  GSCI 4550 Physics of the Earth's Interior 3 credits
  GSCI 4560 Fundamentals of Planetary Science 3 credits

  Focus in geobiology

  GSCI 4110 Sedimentology 3 credits
  GSCI 4120 Paleobiology 4 credits
  GSCI 4130 Geomicrobiology 3 credits

  Focus in Earth surface processes

  GSCI 4110 Sedimentology 3 credits
  GSCI 4210 Glacial Processes and Materials 3 credits
  GSCI 4330 Active Tectonics 3 credits
  GSCI 4735C Introduction to Ground-Water Hydrology 4 credits

  Focus in applied geoscience

  GSCI 3710 Engineering and Environmental Geology 3 credits
  GSCI 4210 Glacial Processes and Materials 3 credits
  GSCI 4330 Active Tectonics 3 credits
  GSCI 4735C Introduction to Ground-Water Hydrology 4 credits

• FAQ: Should I take GEOL 4050W or GEOL 4996W to fulfill requirement III?

Most students enroll in GSCI 4050W. However, if you are interested in having a research experience, you should consider taking GSCI 4996W. Be aware that you need to take GSCI 4989 before you take GSCI 4996W. Many graduate school admission committees look to see if an applicant has undertaken a research project as an undergraduate. So if you plan to apply to graduate school, you should think about taking GSCI 4989 and 4996. You should select a faculty member to advise you on a research project and schedule a time to talk with that faculty member about the possibility of pursuing a research project. If you have time in your schedule, you can take GSCI 4050W and GSCI 4996W.

• FAQ: In what order should I take the courses I have selected for the major?

We recommend that you take the required core courses (requirement I) as early as possible and that you take the required capstone course (requirement III) during your last semester (or next to last semester if you plan to graduate in December instead of May). If you are planning to take specific courses for requirement II, we strongly recommend that you plan your course schedule two years in advance of your anticipated graduation date.

See this link for two example course schedules. These schedules give the semester courses are offered. You can check the time courses are offered at http://geosciences.uconn.edu/courses.html (although the times may change, so be sure to check PeopleSoft for the most recent information). Use the schedule links at the top of the page to help you plan. Please note that some courses are only offered every other year. Use these sample course schedules to guide you in designing your course schedule for the major. Be sure to show your proposed course schedule to your advisor, who may be aware of unexpected complications resulting from sabbatical leaves, for example. These sample course schedules are for a student beginning the major as a junior. It is, of course, possible to begin the major as a first-year student, sophomore, or senior. If you are a senior, you will need to plan very carefully and will likely need to spend an additional semester at UConn because the major totals 42 credits.

• FAQ: What courses should I take so that I obtain experience doing fieldwork in geoscience?

Many of the courses offered for the major in geoscience have a field component, commonly consisting of field trips on or near the UConn campus during one or more lab periods or field trips to destinations in Connecticut and nearby regions during one or two weekend days. For a more intensive field experience, we recommend that you take GSCI 3990 Spring Field Trip and/or GSCI 4390 Field Problems in Earth Structure. You can also take a field school offered by another college or university. These are typically offered during the summer, and you can find information on them in the main office of the Center for Integrative Geosciences. Field schools taken through another college or university can be used to fulfill requirement II of the major, as long as you obtain the appropriate approvals. Be sure to talk to your advisor before enrolling in a field school offered by another college or university.

• FAQ: What courses should I take for my 12 credits of related coursework (requirement IV)?

Geoscience is highly interdisciplinary, and many programs offer courses that can be used to fulfill your related coursework requirement. There are two approaches you can take.

1. You can take courses that explore a variety of geoscience-related disciplines. If you decide to do this, a good way to start is to look at courses offered by the following programs: Anthropology (ANTH), Chemistry (CHEM), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CE), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), Geography (GEOG), Marine Sciences (MARN), Mathematics (MATH), Natural Resources Management and Engineering (NRME), Physics (PHYS), and Soil Science (SOIL). After you have listed some options for possible courses, consult with your advisor, who will be able to suggest ways you can refine your choices so that your planned coursework best meets your educational goals.

2. You can focus your related coursework within a geoscience-related theme. Following are some suggested themes. The list of themes is not meant to be inclusive, and you can design your own theme as well. If you decide to focus your coursework around one of the listed geoscience-related themes, you should take at least three and preferably four courses from those noted. You may find other courses in the course catalog that are appropriate for your selected theme. If this is the case, consult with your advisor, who will be able to help you evaluate their suitability.

The Atmosphere: Climate and Weather

GEOG 3400 Climate and Weather 3 credits
NRME 3115 Air Pollution 3 credits
NRME 3145 Meteorology 3 credits
NRME 4175 Environmental Meteorology 3 credits

The Hydrosphere: Water Resources

MARN 3000 The Hydrosphere 3 credits
NRME 3125 Watershed Hydrology 3 credits
NRME 3155 Water Quality Management 3 credits
NRME 3218 Water Resources Assessment, Development, and Management 3 credits

The Biosphere: Life in Time and Space

EEB 2244 General Ecology 4 credits
EEB 2245 Evolutionary Biology 3 credits
EEB 3220 Evolution of Green Plants 3 credits
EEB 3221 Evolution of Green Plants Laboratory 1 credit
EEB 4230WC Methods of Ecology 4 credits
EEB 4268 Ecological Plant Geography 3 credits
MCB 2610 Fundamentals of Microbiology 4 credits

The Critical Zone: Heterogeneity in the Near Surface Environment

EEB 2208 Introduction to Conservation Biology 3 credits
EEB 3247/ENVE 3320 Limnology 3 credits
EEB 4268 Ecological Plant Geography 3 credits
GEOG 2300 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credits
GEOG 3320W Environmental Evaluation and Assessment 3 credits
MARN 4030W Marine Biogeochemistry 3 credits
NRME 3105 Wetlands Biology and Conservation 3 credits
NRME 3125 Watershed Hydrology 3 credits
NRME 3205 Stream Ecology 3 credits
NRME 4455 Forest Ecology 3 credits
SOIL 2120 Soils 3 credits
SOIL 2125 Soils Lab 1 credit
SOIL 3220 Soil Formation and Classification 3 credits
SOIL 3253 Soils, Environmental Quality, and Land Use 3 credits
ENVE 3240C/SOIL 3410C Soil Chemistry Components 4 credits

Geomatics: The Spatial Dimension

CE 2410 Geomatics and Spatial Measurement 4 credits
GEOG/MARN 3505 Remote Sensing of Marine Geography 3 credits
GEOG 4500C Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4 credits
GEOG 4510C Applications of Geographic Information Systems 4 credits
NRME 2000 Introduction to Geomatics 4 credits
NRME 3252 Geographic Information Science for Natural Resources Management 4 credits
NRME 3535 Introductory Remote Sensing 3 credits
NRME 4535C Remote Sensing Image Processing 3 credits
NRME 4545 Introduction to Geodesy 3 credits
NRME 4575 Natural Resource Applications of Geographic Information Systems 4 credits

• FAQ: I'm interested in study abroad. Can I participate in the study abroad program and also complete the major in Geoscience?

Yes! It is a common saying that the best geologist is the one who has seen the most rocks. You can find more information on the study abroad program at http://www.studyabroad.uconn.edu. If you are interested in using a study abroad experience to enhance your undergraduate studies, please contact Tim Byrne (tim.byrne@uconn.edu), who is the study abroad advisor in the Center for Integrative Geosciences.

• FAQ: Can I do a double major in Geoscience and Environmental Science?

Check back here for updated information in fall 2009.

• FAQ: Can I minor in Geoscience?

Yes! Click here for the plan of study to minor in Geoscience. This minor complements majors such as Marine Sciences, Geography, Natural Resources, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Economics and many more.

• FAQ: I know I'll be taking a W course as part of the capstone requirement for the major. I'd like to have my other W course(s) relate to the major. Any recommendations?

There are a number of W courses that provide skills and/or content that is broadly relevant to the major in geoscience. Click on this link for a list of these W courses. The list is meant to be inclusive, and you will see that in the wide range of topics. Some courses will fit your background, interests, and career goals better than others. Remember that W courses are in demand, and you should select several courses as possibilities to ensure that you will be able to enroll in one of them.