B.S. in Earth Science, 2021-2022 Catalog

Four Year Degree Worksheet

This degree worksheet is intended to help you develop a balanced course schedule while completing your degree within 4 years. The same sequence of courses (with fewer courses each semester) is also recommended for students completing their degree in 5 or 6 years. This worksheet is not intended to replace academic advising with your assigned advisor. Students should consult with their assigned advisor to determine the appropriate sequence of required courses and electives based on their academic goals.

Please note that your Major Specific Requirements (MSRs) are bolded in the document and are also listed as an "MSR" in the notes column. These courses must be completed in order to declare your major. All students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in the STEM MSR suite.

Pre-Earth Science first-time freshmen must complete CHEM 111A and MATH 122 or higher, and GEOL 102 and GEOL 104 within one year of matriculation. Some students may need to take courses during Summer Session to meet these requirements. Students who have not met the requirements by the required semester must either declare another major or meet with an Academic Advisor to determine if the student's performance in the courses merits an additional semester to complete.

CSULB Enrollment Services prepares the Academic Requirements Report, which is the official graduation verification.

Year 1 - Semester 1

Courses to Take in Year 1 - Semester 1
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 102 General Geology (3)   MSR
GEOL 104 General Geology Lab (1) Corequisite: GEOL 102 MSR
MATH 122
(area B4)
Calculus I (4) MATH 111 and either 112B or 113 MSR
GE (area A2) Written Communication (3)   MSR
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    
NSCI 190A Experience Success Program 1 (1)   Fall only

Year 1 - Semester 2

Courses to Take in Year 1 - Semester 2
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
CHEM 111A General Chemistry (5) Appropriate Placement, Corequisite: MATH 112A or 112B or higher, CHEM 95 if needed MSR
MATH 123
(area B4)
Calculus II (4) MATH 122 MSR
GE (area A1) Oral Communication (3)   MSR
GE (area A3) Critical Thinking (3)   MSR

Year 2 - Semester 3

Courses to Take in Year 2 - Semester 3
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 240 Historical Geology (4) GEOL 102 and 104 Fall only
CHEM 111B General Chemistry (5) CHEM 111A or 112A, MATH 112B or higher  
PHYS 151 Mechanics and Heat (4) MATH 122  
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    

Year 2 - Semester 4

Courses to Take in Year 2 - Semester 4
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 250 Introduction to Field Petrology and Geological Field Techniques (3) GEOL 102 and 104 Spring only
GE (area B2) Life Science (3-4)   Okay to take B2NL
PHYS 152 Electricity and Magnetism (3) PHYS 151, Pre/Corequisite: MATH 123  
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    
Elective Elective Requirement (1-3)    

Year 3 - Semester 5

Courses to Take in Year 3 - Semester 5
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 474 Physical Hydrology (3) GEOL 102, MATH 122, and PHYS 151 Fall only
GEOL 322 Crystallography and Mineralogy (3) GEOL 250 and CHEM 111A Fall only
GEOL 339 Geomorphology (3) GEOL 102 and 104 Fall only
Elective Earth Science Approved (3)    
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    

Year 3 - Semester 6

Courses to Take in Year 3 - Semester 6
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 428 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology and Petrography (3) GEOL 322 and CHEM 111A and 111B Spring only
GEOL 420 Geological Writing (3) GEOL 102, 104, 240 and 250, GE Foundation, GWAR score of 11 or higher Spring only
GEOL 433 Structural Geology (4) GEOL 250, 322, and PHYS 151 Spring only
Elective Earth Science Approved Elective (3)    
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    

Year 4 - Semester 7

Courses to Take in Year 4 - Semester 7
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 443 Stratigraphy/Sedimentology (4) GEOL 240 and 322 Fall only
Elective Earth Science Approved Elective (3)    
GEOL 461 Introduction to Geochemistry (3) CHEM 111A or 112A and 111B or 112B, MATH 123 Fall only
GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    

Year 4 - Semester 8

Courses to Take in Year 4 - Semester 8
Course # Course Title (Units) Prerequisites Notes
GEOL 350 Spring Field Geology (2) GEOL 250; Pre/Corequisite: GEOL 443 Spring only
GEOL 477;
OR
MATH 370A
Hydrogeology (3);
OR
Applied Mathematics (3)
GEOL 102 and 104, CHEM 111B, PHYS 152, MATH 123;
OR
MATH 123

477 is Spring only

GE (area C,D,E) Other Exploration (3)    
GE Upper Division (area B-UD, C-UD, D-UD) Upper Division (3) GE Foundation  
GEOL 460 Introduction to Geophysics (3) PHYS 151 and 152, and MATH 123 Spring only
GEOL 450 Summer Field Geology (4) GEOL 350, 428, 433, and 443, GE Foundation Summer only