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Earth Science Major

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Master of Science: Geosciences

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Advisor: Dr. Michelle Kominz
Room 1133 Rood Hall
Phone: (269) 387-5340
Email: michelle.kominz@wmich.edu

The earth science major is a broad and flexible course of instruction for students desiring a broad understanding of the earth and environmental processes. The program is interdisciplinary in nature and offers students an opportunity to select earth science and related courses from the departments of Geosciences, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Geography, Chemistry, Physics and others. Courses are selected in consultation with the earth science advisor in order to design programs, which will satisfy the students' needs and professional objectives. Thirty six semester hours are required for the major.

The Earth Science major is not recommended as a stand alone major. It should be undertaken by students who are taking a double major (e.g., Environmental Science, Law, Business, Engineering, etc.).

For employment in geosciences with this degree alone, as many as possible of the following GEOS courses are highly recommended (note that many of these courses have prerequisites beyond those in this major): GEOS 4320, GEOS 5120, GEOS 5210, GEOS 5230, GEOS 5240, GEOS 5250, GEOS 5260, GEOS 5270, GEOS 5280, GEOS 5350, GEOS 5550, and GEOS 5600.

Required Courses	Course Number	Credit Hours

Geoscience Requirements:
Physical Geology	GEOS 1300	4
Historical Geology	GEOS 1310	4
Integrated Earth System Studies	GEOS 2320	3
Minerals and Rocks or Mineralogy	GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350	4 4
Geologic Communications	GEOS 4600	1
Field Studies in Geology	GEOS 4380	3

Geology Electives (Seventeen (17) hours must be selected in consultation with the advisor. A minimum of six (6) elective hours for the major must be taken in the Geosciences Department. These may include, but are not limited to:
Geology of National Parks	GEOS 3120	3
Ocean Systems	GEOS 3220	3
Introduction to Hydrogeology	GEOS 4120	3
Structural Geology	GEOS 4300	3
Geomorphology	GEOS 4320	3
Sedimentation and Stratigraphy	GEOS 4350	4
Plate Tectonics	GEOS 5300	3
Glacial Geology	GEOS 5360	3
Environmental Geology	GEOS 5450	3
Introduction to Geophysics	GEOS 5600	3
Introduction to Geochemistry	GEOS 5550	3

Chemistry Supporting Requirements (4 credits):
General Chemistry I with Lab	CHEM 1100, 1110	4
Physics Supporting Requirements (4 credits ) select 1:
Elementary Physics with Lab	PHYS 1070, 1080	4
General Physics I with Lab	PHYS 1100, 1110	4
Mathematics Supporting Requirements (4 credits):
Precalculus Mathematics	Math 1180	4

Note
The Baccalaureate Writing Requirement can be satisfied with GEOS 4320 Geomorphology, GEOS 4350 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy. All major courses must be passed with at least a "C". Cognate courses may be passed with a "C" average in all cognates. Common electives in Biology (BIOS) and Geography (GEOG) include: * BIOS 1050 Environmental Biology * BIOS 2020 Botany * BIOS 2340 Outdoor Science * BIOS 2500 Genetics * BIOS 3010 Ecology * BIOS 5120 Environmental and health problems * BIOS 5440 Global Change Ecology * BIOS 5490 Field Ecology * BIOS 5535 Freshwater Ecology * GEOG 2250 Met. & Climatology * GEOG 2650 Map, Chart & Air Photo Readings * GEOG 3110 Geography of Michigan * GEOG 3500 Cons. & Env. Management * GEOG 3800 U.S. and Canada * GEOG 5010 Intro. to Geographic Inf. Systems * GEOG 5530 Water Resource Management * GEOG 5540 Outdoor recreation * GEOG 5550 Issues in Resource Management * GEOG 5570 Environmental Impact assessment * GEOG 5670 Spatial Analysis

Department of Geosciences
1187 Rood Hall
1903 West Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (269) 387-5485
Fax: (269) 387-5513
mohamed.sultan@wmich.edu

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©2007 Department of Geosciences, WMU