Degrees & Majors

Students can fast-track their education and save money on tuition by earning bachelor's and master's degrees in geosciences in as little as five years. Students can choose from a B.A. or B.S. program, enrolling in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program that count toward both the bachelor’s and M.S. in Geosciences degree. Students in the 4+1 "Dual Degree" program can choose from a wide range of areas of study to match their interests and career goals:

• Bachelor of Arts concentrations are offered in geography and urban studies.
• Bachelor of Sciences concentrations are offered in geology, environmental geosciences, geography and urban studies.
• The Master of Science program offers concentrations in geography, geology and water sciences.

The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographical information systems and informatics.

The Urban Studies concentration enables students to focus on the study of cities, including urban development and economics, urban politics and institutions, the urban built environment, social and environmental disparities in cities and the changing physical and social dynamics of urbanization processes. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to draw from a variety of courses to solve some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century city. The Urban Studies concentration draws from classes in complementary departments, enabling the student to develop specific interests within the concentration. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographic information systems and informatics.

This program offers students an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability as a concept, area of study, social practice, organizational goal and policy objective that concerns the effects and durability of relationships and interactions between social and biophysical systems. This undergraduate certificate is an excellent complement to undergraduates pursuing careers in natural resources or environmental fields. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water (from water governance to water quality and quantity), climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographic information systems and informatics.

The Environmental Geosciences concentration focuses on the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the surface of the Earth, with an emphasis on understanding, preventing and mitigating human impacts on the environment. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographic information systems and informatics.

The Geology concentration focuses on physical, chemical and biological aspects of the surface and interior of the Earth. This concentration is recommended for students who will later pursue licensure as a professional geologist, which is required for supervisory work in many environmental and other fields. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographic information systems and informatics.

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree program with a Geology concentration offers a broad range of courses that prepare students for research and professional careers. Thesis and capstone option programs are offered. Research efforts are in the following broad areas: geochemistry (analytical, aqueous, environmental, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary), mineralogy, hydrogeology, petrology, sedimentology, structural geology and geoinformatics. The Department of Geosciences is distinctive because it spans the social and physical dimensions of environmental and resource issues, with a special focus on urban communities. Our faculty have expertise in the social and environmental dimensions of water, environmental geochemistry and global climate change. We are also expanding our Geographic Information Science research and teaching to better represent and describe the complexity of social and environmental concerns. Joining forces with our students and community partners, we tackle the interrelated environmental and social challenges of the 21st century that involve the quality, quantity and sustainable use of our natural resources.

The Urban Studies concentration is focused on topics across geosciences applicable to the study of urban settings, including social and environmental disparities in cities, issues related to development and economics from urbanization and more. This interdisciplinary concentration situated in Geosciences affords an opportunity for students to learn beyond the department as well as benefit from a multitude of expertise in Geosciences on human-environmental challenges. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographic information systems and informatics.

Program Information

The mission of the Department is to give students the opportunity to develop appropriate proficiencies in the modern and classical languages, to acquaint students with the literary and cultural productions of other countries, and to provide them the opportunity to acquire critical skills through literary and cultural analysis. For the latest information about required courses, view the Undergraduate Catalog. For more information about the Minor in German, visit the World Languages & Cultures website.

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) in Gerontology offers students an opportunity to learn about aging across the life course. Gerontology courses draw from a variety of disciplines to expose students to issues, knowledge and research about aging processes, older people and the complex needs of our rapidly aging society. Faculty members associated with the Gerontology Institute come from business, law, the social and biological sciences, and the health and human service professions. They bring a diverse, interdisciplinary perspective to our instructional programs and are engaged in a wide range of research in areas such as long-term care, assisted living, ethnicity and aging, health and health disparities, learning and memory, retirement, aging among minorities, intergenerational caregiving and marketing to seniors. Students who major in Gerontology must select a concentration in one of two allied fields: Behavioral and Social Sciences or Health and Health Services.