Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Geology and Environmental Geosciences (B.S.)


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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 9-12 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 (42)


Requirements outside Department (24)


Additional courses may be substituted with written approval of the departmental undergraduate adviser.

Please note corequisite information in course descriptions.

One of the following groups of courses:


Physics

OR Biological Sciences

Total Hours for Emphasis 1, Geology: 66


Emphasis 2. Environmental Geosciences


Requirements in Department (36-39)


Requirements outside Department (33-36)


One of the following groups of courses–Physics or Biological Sciences


Physics

Biological Sciences

Total Hours for Emphasis 2, Environmental Geosciences: 69-75


Emphasis 3. Earth and Space Science Education


Requirements listed in these sections are minimum requirements. Meeting these requirements will not guarantee students admission to the geology and environmental geosciences educator licensure program or courses.

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

Requirements in Department (37)


Additional Requirements for Earth Science Education (6)


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 (6)

Total Requirements in Department (43)


Requirements outside Department (47-53)


Please note corequisite information in course descriptions.

Total Hours for Emphasis 3, Earth and Space Science Education: 90-96


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