Program Overview
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the natural sciences and mathematics.
Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences
The Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences degree program.
Geosciences (BS)
The Geosciences (BS) degree program is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of Earth's natural systems, past and present, and their coupled nonlinear relationships. The program focuses on the Earth's structure, composition, and evolution, as well as the geological, physical, and biogeochemical processes that occur within the Earth and on its surface.
Career Opportunities
Professional career opportunities in earth sciences are available in the environmental, energy, mineral, and groundwater resource industries, as well as in government, educational, and research organizations related to these fields. Many occupations concerned with business, management, economics, law, policy, and engineering also require a background in earth sciences.
Degree Requirements
The Geosciences (BS) degree program requires 120 semester credit hours, including:
- 42 semester credit hours of core curriculum requirements
- 63-75 semester credit hours of major requirements
- 3-15 semester credit hours of elective requirements
Core Curriculum Requirements
The core curriculum requirements include:
- Communication: 6 semester credit hours
- Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
- Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
- Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
- Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
- American History: 6 semester credit hours
- Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
- Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
- Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
Major Requirements
The major requirements include:
- Major Preparatory Courses: 18-19 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
- Major Core Courses: 31 semester credit hours
- Students may select either the Geology Option or the Geophysics Option
Geology Option
The Geology Option requires 14-15 semester credit hours, including:
- GEOS 3434 Paleobiology
- GEOS 4322 The Earth System
- GEOS 4430 Hydrogeology and Aqueous Geochemistry
- One mathematics course from the following:
- GEOS 2351 Mathematics in the Earth Sciences
- ENGR 2300 Linear Algebra for Engineers
- MATH 2415 Calculus of Several Variables
- MATH 2418 Linear Algebra
- MATH 3351 Advanced Calculus
- PHYS 3330 Numerical Methods in Physics and Computational Techniques
- STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences
- STAT 3355 Introduction to Data Analysis
Geophysics Option
The Geophysics Option requires 25 semester credit hours, including:
- MATH 2418 Linear Algebra
- MATH 2420 Differential Equations with Applications
- MATH 3351 Advanced Calculus
- MATH 4362 Partial Differential Equations
- PHYS 3411 Theoretical Physics
- PHYS 3312 Classical Mechanics
- PHYS 3416 Electricity and Magnetism
Elective Requirements
Both lower- and upper-division courses may count as electives. Students are strongly encouraged to consider taking GEOS graduate courses as free electives if they meet the fast-track requirements.
UTeach Option
The UTeach option may be added to either the BA or BS degree. UTeach Dallas Option degree plans are streamlined to allow students to complete both a rigorous Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree and all coursework for middle or high school teacher certification in four years.
Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
An accelerated BS/MS Fast Track Program is available for undergraduate students with strong academic records who intend to pursue master's studies at UT Dallas.
Minors
Students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor, 12 of which must be upper-division semester credit hours.
Minor in Geosciences
The Minor in Geosciences requires 20 semester credit hours, including:
- Required lower-division courses: 8 semester credit hours
- Upper-division courses: 12 semester credit hours
Certificates
The Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences offers two certificate programs:
- Certificate in Geophysics: 12 semester credit hours
- Certificate in Sustainable Earth and Environment: 12-13 semester credit hours
Certificate in Geophysics
The Certificate in Geophysics requires 12 semester credit hours, including:
- GEOS 4320 The Physics of the Solid Earth
- GEOS 4395 Remote Sensing Geophysics
- GEOS 3310 Environmental Geophysics
- One course from the following:
- GEOS 2307 Digital Earth
- ISNS 2366 Global Climate Change
- PHYS 3380 Astronomy
Certificate in Sustainable Earth and Environment
The Certificate in Sustainable Earth and Environment requires 12-13 semester credit hours, including:
- Core Courses: 6 semester credit hours
- Technical Application Courses: 3 semester credit hours
- Breadth Courses: 3-4 semester credit hours
Core Courses
The core courses include:
- GEOS 1303 Physical Geology
- GEOS 2310 Environmental Geology
Technical Application Courses
Students must choose one course from the following:
- GISC 2309 Principles of Geospatial Information Sciences
- GEOS 2309 Principles of Geospatial Information Sciences
- GEOS 3310 Environmental Geophysics
- GISC 4325 Introduction to Remote Sensing
- GEOS 4325 Introduction to Remote Sensing
- GEOS 4395 Remote Sensing Geophysics
Breadth Courses
Students must choose one course from the following:
- GEOG 2302 The Global Environment
- GEOS 2302 The Global Environment
- GEOS 2304 The 21st Century Energy Transition
- GEOS 2321 Geology, Resources, and Environment of Latin America
- GEOS 3421 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- GEOS 4430 Hydrogeology and Aqueous Geochemistry
- GEOS 2307 Digital Earth
- GISC 2307 Digital Earth
- GISC 3336 Fundamentals of Sustainability
- ENVR 3336 Fundamentals of Sustainability
- EPPS 3336 Fundamentals of Sustainability
- GISC 4386 Climate Change and Sustainable Solutions
- ENVR 4386 Climate Change and Sustainable Solutions
- EPPS 4386 Climate Change and Sustainable Solutions
- ISNS 2366 Global Climate Change
- ENGY 3302 Managing Power and Renewable Energy Assets; Sustainability