Catalogue 2012/13

Earth Sciences

Undergraduate Degrees

Department Major Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences

Department Major Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Earth Sciences

Undergraduate Honors Program

The department offers an honors program for students pursuing either a B.S. or a B.A. in Earth Sciences. Students wishing to participate in this program must complete GEOL 494x Senior Thesis. Honors will be awarded upon successful completion of the thesis and attainment of an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.5 in courses in the major.

Grade Point Average in Major Subject

A grade of C or higher is required in each course in the earth sciences courses used to complete the department or physical sciences major.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Physical Sciences

Minor in Geobiology

The minor in geobiology is designed to allow students majoring in biology to incorporate interdisciplinary courses in earth sciences into their program or to allow students majoring in geology to incorporate interdisciplinary courses in biology into their program. This field represents the intersection of what have been traditional disciplines and is valuable for understanding evolution, environmental contaminant behavior and ocean sciences. Students with majors offered by biological or earth or geological sciences will be able to complete this minor with 16 to 24 units of course work beyond their major requirements. Other students may need to complete up to 48 units of course work beyond their major requirements. For example, students majoring in biological sciences might take an introductory GEOL course; GEOL 315L; GEOL 433L or BISC 483; and two additional upper-division elective courses from the list below. Students majoring in earth or geological sciences must take BISC 120L and BISC 220L; GEOL 433L or BISC 483; and three additional elective courses. Courses selected must include at least 16 units unique to the minor and at least 16 units in a department outside the major.

Minor in Geohazards

The geohazards minor allows students who are not geology majors to pursue a course of study that will lead to greater understanding of geohazards such as climate change, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, environmental contamination and availability of natural resources. These issues are examined in a number of upper division geology courses, and each student can select from the list below depending on the particular area of interest and whether previous coursework has been completed to meet prerequisites for some of the choices. The minor requires an introductory class, an upper-division course in either formation of minerals or geosystem behavior and three elective courses from the list below. The minimum number of units to complete the minor is 24, including the introductory course CHEM 105aL (a corequisite for GEOL 315L) or MATH 125 (prerequisite for GEOL 450L) and three of the group: BISC 427, GEOL 305L, GEOL 315L, GEOL 316L, GEOL 320L, GEOL 321L, GEOL 433L and GEOL 450L. The remaining courses listed have additional prerequisites.

Progressive Degree Program in Geological Sciences

This program permits exceptional students to receive both a B.S. and M.S. in geological sciences in not more than 10 semesters. It is intended for students with extraordinary geological sciences preparation and performance who demonstrate a superior level of overall scholarship, including a GPA of 3.5 or better. Students may apply on completion of 64 units of course work but not later than the end of the junior year (or the completion of 96 units). The application for admission to a progressive degree program must be accompanied by an approved course plan proposal and letters of recommendation from two USC faculty members in the Department of Earth Sciences. The requirements for both the B.S. and M.S. degrees must be satisfied. Further details about progressive degree programs can be found here.

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