Undergraduate Program and Requirements
Welcome - our degree programs will prepare you directly for work as a professional
geologist or for advanced study (in geology or another field). We offer the B.S. and B.A. degrees in Geology (PDF), as well as Geology and Environmental Geophysics Minors. We also offer an Earth and Space Science licensure option for High School Teachers (in conjunction with the College of Education), and collaborate
with the Department of Civil Engineering in offering a Geology/Civil Engineering dual B.S. degree. We also participate in the K-State TEACH program, which offers substantial financial support to KSU science majors who want to become
certified teachers.
To help you navigate and complete your undergraduate degree:
Please contact and meet with your Undergraduate Academic Adviser in the Department of Geology. Contact Lori Page-Willyard (rocknrat@k-state.edu; 785-532-6724) if you have not yet been assigned an adviser or wish to talk to one about any of our degree programs or minors.
Program requirements, information about the two minors, and a full list of Geology
courses are listed in the KSU undergraduate catalog.
Majors courses are not offered every semester and have prerequisites, as a result,
your adviser can help you plan out an appropriate schedule. To help with this, see
below for the current course rotation.
There is a requirement to take a three credit hour summer field geology course. Geology field courses (e.g. "field camp") typically run 3-6 weeks long for 3-6 credit hours. We highly recommend taking a longer field camp, however, the degree requirement allows maximum flexibility with non-academic conflicts. Many field camps exist across the country; if you have any questions about them or this degree requirement, contact Dr. Brueseke. Departmental and external scholarships exist to help with field camp costs.
Majors Course Rotation
Course |
Description |
Credits |
Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOL 100 | Earth in Action |
3
|
Every Semester |
| GEOL 103 | Geology Laboratory |
1
|
Every Semester |
| GEOL 502 | Mineralogy |
3
|
Fall |
| GEOL 503 | Petrology |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 520 | Geomorphology |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 530 | Structural Geology |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 560 | Field Methods |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 581 | Invertebrate Fossils |
3
|
Fall |
Course |
Description |
Credits |
Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOL 630 | Stratigraphy-Sedimentation |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 680 | Field Geology ("field camp") |
3
|
Summer (see note above) |
| GEOL 750 | Geologic Evolution of Planet Earth |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 605 | Geochemistry (either 605 or 743 is required) |
3
|
Spring |
| GEOL 743 | Introduction to Geophysics (either 743 or 605 is required) |
3
|
Fall |
| Two other 600/700 level courses | Variable - see catalog |
3
|
Variable |
For more information on our undergraduate programs, including a complete list of additional math, chemistry, physics, College, and University course requirements please refer to the KSU undergraduate catalog.