Mar 28, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Geology and Environmental Geosciences (B.S.)


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Information

Students planning careers as professional geologists normally complete the emphasis in geology. The emphasis in environmental geosciences is designed for students seeking a broad scientific base for pursuit of careers in professions that may utilize environmental knowledge, such as land-use planning, law, political science or economics and therefore includes several courses in or related to a cross-disciplinary department of the student’s choice. These courses may provide the basis for the completion of a minor in that department. Students planning to pursue initial educator licensure to teach in grades 6-12 will usually select the emphasis in earth science education, but completion of the emphasis does not fulfill all the requirements for initial educator licensure.

The student learning outcomes for this degree are located at http://www.niu.edu/assessment/clearinghouse/outcomes/index.shtml.

Senior Thesis Requirements

Seniors having a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and having completed at least 26 semester hours in geology and environmental geosciences are eligible to undertake a senior thesis. It is the student’s responsibility to find a faculty member willing to serve as project adviser. The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences cannot guarantee any student an adviser. A course permit number will not be issued until a project adviser approval form has been filed with the undergraduate adviser. A second committee member will be appointed by the departmental undergraduate committee. The thesis shall be a written report prepared in accordance with accepted guidelines for published scientific literature and reflecting a research effort commensurate with the hours of credit to be earned.

Check departmental information for any additional requirements.

Emphasis 1. Geology


Requirements in Department (44)


Requirements outside Department (24)


With written approval of the departmental undergraduate adviser, students with a special interest in ecology and/or paleontology may substitute BIOS 103 and BIOS 105 and BIOS 209 and BIOS 211 for PHYS 210 and PHYS 211 (or PHYS 253 and PHYS 273).

Please note corequisite information in course descriptions.

Total Hours for Emphasis 1, Geology: 68


Emphasis 2. Environmental Geosciences


Requirements in Department (33-36)


Requirements outside Department (32-36)


  • Credits: 3
  • (Available for general education credit.)

  •       AND   Credits: 1
  •       (Available for general education credit.)

  • Credits: 3
  • (Available for general education credit.)

  •       AND   Credits: 1
  •       (Available for general education credit.)

  • Any of the two-semester laboratory science sequences, other than CHEM or GEOL, listed under the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences “College Requirement for the B.S. Degree” in the Undergraduate Catalog. These would normally be selected to complement the cross-disciplinary focus. Substitutions for special reasons, such as to satisfy a minor, may be approved by the undergraduate adviser. (8)
  • Credits: 4
  • (Available for general education credit.)

  •       AND   Credits: 4
  •             OR   Credits: 3
  •             (Available for general education credit.)

  •                   AND   Credits: 4
  •  

    • Upper-division course work selected with approval of undergraduate adviser, from the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Economics, Geography, Physics, and/or Political Science. (9-12)  (A cross-departmental pre-law sequence is also available. Students desiring to pursue other disciplines may petition the department’s Undergraduate Committee.)
  •  

    • Additional Requirement: The 9-12 hours of upper-division GEOL course work and 9-12 hours of upper-division approved course work from the co-disciplinary departments must together total to a minimum of 20 hours.

Total Hours for Emphasis 2, Environmental Geosciences: 64-68


Emphasis 3. Earth Science Education


Completion of this emphasis does not fulfill all requirements for initial educator licensure.

One of the following areas of study


Earth and Space Science (12)


Upper division course work


Upper-division course work in geology and environmental geosciences or, with approval of the licensure coordinator, from other areas of earth science, usually physical geography, meteorology, or astronomy (3)

Requirements outside Department (43-49)


Please note corequisite information in course descriptions.

One course from each of the following areas (6)


One course approved for use in the department’s teacher preparation programs in each of the following areas (6)

Total Hours for Emphasis 3, Earth Science Education: 83-90


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Information