The Environmental Geology Option is for students who wish to work in the environmental sector, which at present is the largest employer of geoscientists in the U.S.; its focus is on characterizing processes and hazards in the modern shallow subsurface; it also prepares students for graduate study.
Declaration of the major in Earth & Planetary Sciences requires a grade of C or better in 01:460:101 Introductory Geology or 01:460:100 Planet Earth or equivalent or special permission of the Undergraduate Program Director. Course schedules for each semester should be approved by the Undergraduate Program Director or other faculty advisor prior to registration.
460-E: Environmental Geology Option (B.S.) [63 credits total]
Foundation Courses
- 01:160:161 General Chemistry (4)
- 01:640 CALC1 (4)
- One of the following: 01:640 CALC2 (4) or 01:960:379 Basic Probability Theory (3) or 01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3)
- One of the following: 01:750:203 General Physics (3) (recommended) or 01:750:193 Physics for the Sciences (4) or 01:750:201 Extended General Physics (5)
Core Courses
- 01:460:101 Introductory Geology (4) [alternatively 01:460:100 Planet Earth (3) AND 01:460:103 Introductory Geology Lab (1)]
- 01:460:202 Environmental Geology (3)
- 01:460:300 Introduction to Sedimentary Geology (4)
- 01:460:301 Mineralogy (4)
- 01:460:302 Petrology (4)
- 01:460:306 Introduction to Geophysics (4)
- 01:460:407 Structural Geology & Geologic Maps (4)
- 01:460:410 Field Geology (3) or equivalent (see field requirement below)
- 01:460:413 Environmental Geochemistry (3)
- 01:460:428 Hydrogeology (3)
Elective Courses
Four 3-credit courses from the following list: 01:355:302 Scientific and Technical Writing (3), 01:450:321 Geographic Information Systems (3), 01:450:322 Remote Sensing (3), 01:460:304 Introduction to Geochemistry (4), 01:460:408 Geomorphology (3), 01:460:418 Geological Modeling (3), 11:375:202 Chemical Principals of Environmental Science (3), 11:375:203 Physical Principles of Environmental Science (3), 11:375:303 Numerical Methods in Environmental Science (3), 11:375:423 Environmental Fate and Transport (3).
Comparison of Major Options
| Environmental Geology Option | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cognate Courses |
Calculus 1 & 2 | 8 |
| General Chemistry 1 | 4 | |
| General Physics 1 | 3 | |
|
EPS |
Intro Geology or equiv. | 4 |
| Mineralogy (spring only course) | 4 | |
| Petrology (fall only course) | 4 | |
| Environmental Geochemistry | 3 | |
| Sedimentary Geology (fall only course) | 4 | |
| Structural Geology (spring only course) | 4 | |
| Geophysics (spring only course) | 4 | |
| Field Geology (taken outside Rutgers during winter or summer) | 3 | |
| Environmental Geology | 3 | |
| Hydrogeology | 3 | |
|
Elective |
300+ level or approved elective | 3 |
| 300+ level or approved elective | 3 | |
| 300+ level or approved elective | 3 | |
| 300+ level or approved elective | 3 | |
| TOTAL CREDITS: | 63 |
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