Geosciences (B.S.)
Geosciences is a program that focuses on the scientific study of the environmental implications of geological processes and human activities on Earth. The program includes instruction in environmental/natural resource management, geographic information systems (GIS), geology, hydrology, regulatory agency compliance, hazard identification and mitigation, environmental law, environmental policy, and sustainability studies.
Environmental/Physical Geography Option (52 Hours)
Required Courses (16 hours)
GEO 1100G
Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1190G
Cultural Geography, Honors. (3 credits)
GEO 1120G
The Natural Environment. (4 credits)
GEO 3810
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. (3 credits)
GEO 3875
Field Methods. (3 credits)
GEO 3885
Quantitative Methods in Geography. (3 credits)
Environmental/Physical Geography Electives (18 Hours)
GEO 1400G
Weather and Climate. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1490G
Weather and Climate, Honors. (4 credits)
GEO 2000G
Food and Agriculture. (3 credits)
GEO 2450G
Oceanography. (3 credits)
GEO 3020
Natural Disasters. (3 credits)
GEO 3115
Introduction to Paleoclimate. (4 credits)
GEO 3200
Human Impacts on the Environment. (3 credits)
GEO 3320
Natural Resource Management. (3 credits)
GEO 3340
Land Change Science. (3 credits)
GEO 3400
Broadcast Meteorology Practicum. (3 credits)
GEO 3410
Climatology. (3 credits)
GEO 3420
Geomorphology: Surficial Processes and Landforms. (3 credits)
GEO 3550
Surface Water Processes and Resources. (3 credits)
GEO 40002
Environmental/Physical Geography Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 44101
Independent Study in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 44401
Undergraduate Research in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology. (3 credits)
Human Geography Electives (9 hours)
GEO 1200G
World Regional Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1290G
World Regional Geography, Honors. (3 credits)
GEO 3000
Geography of Illinois. (3 credits)
GEO 3025
Geography of the United States and Canada. (3 credits)
GEO 3050
Geography and Culture of Africa. (3 credits)
GEO 3055
Geography and Culture of Asia. (3 credits)
GEO 3060
Geography and Culture of Europe. (3 credits)
GEO 3065
Geography and Culture of Latin America. (3 credits)
GEO 3600
Economic Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3620
Geography of Tourism. (3 credits)
GEO 3640
Geography of Sports. (3 credits)
GEO 3650
Advanced Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3700
Historical Geography of the United States. (3 credits)
GEO 3750
Population Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3775
Urban Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 40001
Human Geography Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 44101
Independent Study in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 44401
Undergraduate Research in Geography I. (1 credits)
STA 3970
Study Abroad: Faculty-Led. (1 to 16 credits)
Technique Electives (9 hours)
GEO 3780
Land Use Planning. (3 credits)
GEO 3820
Remote Sensing I. (3 credits)
GEO 3825
Lidar Mapping. (3 credits)
GEO 3830
GIS: Building Geodatabases. (3 credits)
GEO 3870
Remote Sensing II. (3 credits)
GEO 40003
Techniques Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 42851
Internship in Geography I. (1 to 6 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization. (3 credits)
GEO 4910
GIS Programming. (4 credits)
Human Geography Option (34 Hours)
Required Courses (10 hours)
GEO 1100G
Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1190G
Cultural Geography, Honors. (3 credits)
GEO 1120G
The Natural Environment. (4 credits)
GEO 3810
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. (3 credits)
Human Geography Electives (15 hours)
GEO 1200G
World Regional Geography. (3 credits)
or
GEO 1290G
World Regional Geography, Honors. (3 credits)
GEO 3000
Geography of Illinois. (3 credits)
GEO 3025
Geography of the United States and Canada. (3 credits)
GEO 3050
Geography and Culture of Africa. (3 credits)
GEO 3055
Geography and Culture of Asia. (3 credits)
GEO 3060
Geography and Culture of Europe. (3 credits)
GEO 3065
Geography and Culture of Latin America. (3 credits)
GEO 3600
Economic Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3620
Geography of Tourism. (3 credits)
GEO 3640
Geography of Sports. (3 credits)
GEO 3650
Advanced Cultural Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3700
Historical Geography of the United States. (3 credits)
GEO 3750
Population Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3775
Urban Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 3780
Land Use Planning. (3 credits)
GEO 40001
Human Geography Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 44101
Independent Study in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 44401
Undergraduate Research in Geography I. (1 credits)
STA 3970
Study Abroad: Faculty-Led. (1 to 16 credits)
Environmental/Physical Geography Electives (6 Hours)
GEO 1400G
Weather and Climate. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1490G
Weather and Climate, Honors. (4 credits)
GEO 2000G
Food and Agriculture. (3 credits)
GEO 2450G
Oceanography. (3 credits)
GEO 3020
Natural Disasters. (3 credits)
GEO 3115
Introduction to Paleoclimate. (4 credits)
GEO 3200
Human Impacts on the Environment. (3 credits)
GEO 3320
Natural Resource Management. (3 credits)
GEO 3340
Land Change Science. (3 credits)
GEO 3400
Broadcast Meteorology Practicum. (3 credits)
GEO 3410
Climatology. (3 credits)
GEO 3420
Geomorphology: Surficial Processes and Landforms. (3 credits)
GEO 3550
Surface Water Processes and Resources. (3 credits)
GEO 40002
Environmental/Physical Geography Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 44101
Independent Study in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 44401
Undergraduate Research in Geography I. (1 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology. (3 credits)
Technique Electives (3 hours)
GEO 3820
Remote Sensing I. (3 credits)
GEO 3825
Lidar Mapping. (3 credits)
GEO 3830
GIS: Building Geodatabases. (3 credits)
GEO 3875
Field Methods. (3 credits)
GEO 3885
Quantitative Methods in Geography. (3 credits)
GEO 40003
Techniques Seminar. (1-3 credits)
GEO 42851
Internship in Geography I. (1 to 6 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization. (3 credits)
GEO 4910
GIS Programming. (4 credits)
Geology Option (67 Hours)
Required Geology Courses (37 hours)
- All students completing a major in geology must take a summer field course equivalent to six credit units. The summer field camp must be one from a select list of department-approved courses in consultation with a department advisor.
GEO 1300G
Introduction to Earth Sciences. (4 credits)
or
GEO 1390G
Introduction to Earth Sciences, Honors. (4 credits)
GEO 2200
History of the Earth. (4 credits)
GEO 2440
Mineralogy. (4 credits)
GEO 3405
Petrology. (4 credits)
GEO 3420
Geomorphology: Surficial Processes and Landforms. (3 credits)
GEO 3430
Structural Geology. (3 credits)
GEO 3510
Principles of Sedimentation. (3 credits)
GEO 3560
Principles of Stratigraphy. (3 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology. (3 credits)
Other Required Core Classes (21 hours)
CHM 1310G
General Chemistry I. (3 credits)
CHM 1315G
General Chemistry Laboratory I. (1 credits)
CHM 1410
General Chemistry II. (3 credits)
CHM 1415
General Chemistry Laboratory II. (1 credits)
MAT 1441G
Calculus and Analytic Geometry I. (5 credits)
PHY 1151G
Principles of Physics I. (3 credits)
PHY 1152G
Principles of Physics I Laboratory. (1 credits)
PHY 1161
Principles of Physics II. (3 credits)
PHY 1162
Principles of Physics II Laboratory. (1 credits)
Major Electives (9 hours)
A List Electives (must take at least 6 hours)
GEO 2100
Geology of Energy Resources. (3 credits)
GEO 2450G
Oceanography. (3 credits)
GEO 3085
Vertebrate Paleoenvironments and Paleoecology. (3 credits)
GEO 3115
Introduction to Paleoclimate. (4 credits)
GEO 3275
Planetary Geology. (3 credits)
GEO 3440
Tectonics. (3 credits)
GEO 3460
Economic Mineral Deposits. (3 credits)
GEO 3470
Seminar in Geology. (1 to 3 credits)
GEO 3505
Volcanology. (3 credits)
GEO 4480
Optical Mineralogy. (4 credits)
GEO 4490
Invertebrate Paleontology. (3 credits)
B List Electives (a maximum of 3 hours can be from this list)
GEO 3550
Surface Water Processes and Resources. (3 credits)
GEO 3810
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. (3 credits)
GEO 3820
Remote Sensing I. (3 credits)
Information sourced from the 2026-2027 HongKongDoll Undergraduate Catalog.