Courses and Degree requirements
The Geoscience curriculum provides a technical background in the field of Natural Resources. Students may choose the traditional geology concentration, the environmental geology concentration, the geophysics concentration, or the hydrogeology concentration for their degree track. All of the concentrations require courses from Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics, as well as a balance of Liberal Arts courses. Many Geoscience majors add courses in Engineering and Watershed Sciences to broaden their career opportunities. Emphasis is placed on integrating field studies in the Rocky Mountains with on-campus work in both the classroom and the laboratory. A required Geology Summer Field Course (GEOL 436) provides a transition between academic studies and professional employment. The course also serves as a capstone course that allows us to monitor and improve our curriculum to meet the changing needs of our students.
Course Requirements and Approved Elective lists by Concentration
Geo Courses – Fall 2026
Geol 110 – Intro to Geology – Parks and Monuments (3) – Magloughlin (online)
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – 2 sections – Bryan
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Joe Sertich (online)
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Bryan
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Melzer
NR 140 – Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources (3) – Bryan
Geol 150 – Dynamic Earth for majors (4) – Omar Ghamedi
Geol 192 – New Student Seminar – Exploring Geosciences (1) – Stright
Geol 310 – Earth Materials and Lab (4) – Harrison, Ridley, Vanderleest
Geol 311 – Earth’s Interior (3) – Harry, Schutt
Geol/Clmt 275 – Earth System Interactions (3) – Rugenstein, Aster (F2F, online)
Geol 332 – Optical Mineralogy (2) – Magloughlin
Geol 340 – Glacial Geology (3) — McGrath
Geol 344 – Stratigraphy and Sedimentology (4) – VanderLeest
Geol 366 – Low-Temperature Geochemistry (3) – Rugenstein
Geol 384 – Supervised College Teaching (1) – Bryan
Geol 401 – Geology of the Rocky Mountains (1) – (rotates) Pederson
Geol 415 – Critical Zone Geoscience (3) – Gallen
Geol 442 – Applied Geophysics (4) – Harry
Geol 447 – Mineral Deposits (3) – Ridley
Geol 452 – Hydrogeology (4) – Ronayne
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Geosciences (1) – Schutt
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Tectonics (1) – Singleton
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Advanced Geomorphology (1) – Gallen
Geol 578 – Global Seismology (4) – Schutt
Geol 579 – Solid Earth Inverse Methods and Practices (3) – Aster
Geol 580B4 – Advanced Field Geology (3) – Singleton
Geol 601 – Professional Development for Geoscientists (1) – Rathburn
Geol 652 – Fluvial Geomorphology (3) – Wohl
Geol 662 – Field Geomorphology (2) – Rathburn
Geol 698/798 – Research
Geol 699/799 – Thesis/Dissertation
Geo Courses – Spring 2027
Geol 110 – Intro to Geology – Parks and Monuments (3) – Magloughlin (online)
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – 2 sections – Bryan
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Bryan
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Caldwell
Geol 154 – Earth and Climate Change Through Time (4) – Slattery
Geol 312 – Earth’s Surface (2) – Pederson, Stright, Gallen, Ronayne, McGrath
Geol 313 – Earth Systems (2) – Rugenstein, Gallen
Geol 314 – Earth’s Surface Laboratory (1) – Rugenstein, others
Geol 364 – Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (3) – Harrison
Geol 372 – Structural Geology (4) – Singleton
Geol 376 – Field Methods (3) – Ridley
Geol 381A1 – Subsurface Geologic Reservoirs (3) – Stright
Geol 384 – Supervised College Teaching (1) – Bryan
Geol 446 – Environmental Geology (3) – Ridley
Geol 454 – Geomorphology (4) – Triantifillou & Wohl
Geol 480A5 – Volcanology (2) – Harrison
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Geophysics/Geodynamics topic (1) – Harry
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Outreach and Community Engagement (1) – Bryan
Geol 494(x) – Independent Study: topic (1-3) – any faculty
Geol 498 – Research (1-6) – any faculty
Geol/Atms 542 – Paleoclimatology (3) – Rugenstein^2
Geol 546 – Sedimentary Basin Analysis (4) – VanderLeest
Geol 554 – Remote Sensing of the Earth System (3) – McGrath
Geol 570 – Plate Tectonics (3) – Harry
Geol 571 – Tectonic Geomorphology (3) – Gallen
Geol 692 – Seminar: Fluvial Geomorphology topic (1) – Wohl
Geol 692 – Seminar: Field Tectonics topic (1) – Singleton
Geol 698/798 – Research
Geol 699/799 – Thesis/Dissertation
Geo Courses – Summer 2027
Geol 110 – Intro to Geology – Parks and Monuments (3) – Magloughlin (online)
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – Magloughlin
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Magloughlin
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Sertich (online)
Geol 436 – Geology Summer Field Course (6) – Singleton
Geo Courses – Fall 2027
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – 2 sections – Bryan
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Bryan
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Melzer
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Caldwell (online)
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Sertich (online)
NR 140 – Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources (3) – Bryan
Geol 150 – Dynamic Earth for majors (4) – Stright
Geol 192 – New Student Seminar – Exploring Geosciences (1) – Pederson
Geol/Clmt 275 – Earth System Interactions (3) – Rugenstein (online)
Geol 310 – Earth Materials and Lab (4) – Harrison, Ridley, Vanderleest
Geol 311 – Earth’s Interior (3) – Harry, Schutt
Geol 344 – Stratigraphy and Sedimentology (3) – VanderLeest
Geol 384 – Supervised College Teaching (1) – Bryan
Geol 38X – new Applied Geostatistics (3) — Magloughlin
Geol 401 – Geology of the Rocky Mountains (1) – Rathburn
Geol 440 – Geodetic & Near-Surface Geophysical Methods (4) – McGrath
Geol 447 – Mineral Deposits (3) – Ridley
Geol 452 – Hydrogeology (4) – Ronayne
Geol 477/677 – Isotope Geology & Geochronology (3) – Harrison
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Tectonics (1) – Singleton
Geol 494(x) – Independent Study: topic (1-3) – any faculty
Geol 575 – Subsurface Geophysical Mapping (4) – Harry
Geol 580 B5 – Time Series and Spectral Methods in Geosciences (3) – Aster
Geol 58X – Data Analysis (3) – Gallen
Geol 601 – Professional Development for Geoscientists (1) – Rathburn
Geol 652 – Fluvial Geomorphology (3) – Wohl
Geol 662 – Field Geomorphology (2) – Rathburn
Geol 698/798 – Research
Geol 699/799 – Thesis/Dissertation
Geo Courses – Spring 2028
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – 2 sections – TBA
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Bryan
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) — Ronayne
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Caldwell (online)
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Sertich (online)
Geol 154 – Earth and Climate Change Through Time (4) – Bryan
Geol 312 – Earth’s Surface (2) – Pederson, Stright, Gallen, Ronayne, McGrath
Geol 313 – Earth Systems (2) – Gallen, McGrath
Geol 314 – Earth’s Surface Laboratory (1) – Gallen
Geol 38X/58X – new Critical Minerals/Analytical Methods (3) – Magloughlin
Geol 364 – Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (3) – Harrison
Geol 372 – Structural Geology (4) – Singleton
Geol 376 – Field Methods (2) – Ridley
Geol 384 – Supervised College Teaching (1) – Bryan
Geol 446 – Environmental Geology (3) – Ridley
Geol 454 – Geomorphology (3) – Wohl
Geol 4XX – Geosciences Field Capstone (var) – Singleton
Geol 492/692 – Seminar: Petrology (1) – Harrison
Geol 494(x) – Independent Study: topic (1-3) – any faculty
Geol 498 – Research (1-6) – any faculty
Geol 551 – Groundwater Modeling (3) – Ronayne
Geol 554 – Remote Sensing of the Earth System (4) – McGrath
Geol 574 – Geodynamics (3) – Schutt
Geol 4XX/5XX – Reservoir Characterization and Modeling (3) – Stright
Geol 58X – Thermochronology, etc. (3) – VanderLeest
Geol 58X – new Grad Geomorphology course (3) – Gallen
Geol 692 – Seminar: Fluvial Geomorphology topic (1) – Wohl
Geol 698/798 – Research
Geol 699/799 – Thesis/Dissertation
Geo Courses – Summer 2028
Geol 110 – Intro to Geology – Parks and Monuments (3) – Magloughlin (online)
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – Magloughlin
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Magloughlin
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Caldwell (online)
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Sertich (online)
Geol 4XX – Geosciences Field Capstone (var) – Singleton
Geo Courses – Summer 2028
Geol 110 – Intro to Geology – Parks and Monuments (3) – Magloughlin (online)
Geol 120 – Geology and Society (3) – Magloughlin
Geol 121 – Experiential Geoscience Lab (1) – Magloughlin
Geol 122 – Geoscience – Climate and Environmental Change (3) – Caldwell (online)
Geol 130 – Dinosaurs and their World (3) – Sertich (online)
Geol 4XX – Geosciences Field Capstone (var) – Singleton