9. John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences

• Charles G. Groat, PhD, Interim Dean

• http://www.jsg.utexas.edu/

General Information

As civilization enters an era of increasing challenge, it is imperative that leaders, professionals, and citizens be well educated, competently and realistically able to address issues of local to global scope. With regard to the origin, history, structure, and processes of the planet Earth, and the use and management of its resources, the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences aims to provide such an education. The objective of every natural science, including geological sciences, is to understand the realm of physical nature. Geological sciences, or geosciences, is a synthetic subject that examines the Earth through such traditional subdisciplines as geophysics, hydrogeology, paleontology, petrology, stratigraphy, and structural geology. Geoscientists also draw upon discoveries from mathematics, geography, archaeology, engineering, and the other sciences to meld an approach that is interdisciplinary, yet uniquely geological.

The need for well-educated geoscientists in industry, government, and education promises a bright future for geoscience professionals in the coming decades. As the human population expands, it is essential to develop sufficient resources and to maintain a livable environment. Geoscientists understand the dynamics of the Earth and its systems--the occurrence of natural resources and the diverse time scales of natural and human-induced change.

The Jackson School offers the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences, the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences, and, in partnership with the Cockrell School of Engineering, the Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology. Whichever degree they pursue, geological sciences students must take courses in the Jackson School, the College of Natural Sciences, and the College of Liberal Arts. These units work together to meet students' individual needs and to ensure that they receive a superior education.

Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences (BAGeoSci) must complete courses in the natural sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities. This diversity of subjects provides an opportunity to learn about basic differences in outlook among different disciplines, the ways questions are raised and answered, and the ways the answers are validated and made relevant in practical use. The requirements of the BAGeoSci are given later in this chapter. Another option for outstanding students interested in geology is the Bachelor of Arts, Plan II, offered by the College of Liberal Arts. This broad liberal arts honors program emphasizes the humanities but also permits a concentration in science that is equivalent to a major. The BA, Plan II, is described in chapter 11.

A plan of study for the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences (BSGeoSci) includes courses required by the University, required and elective courses in geological sciences (preceded by their prerequisite courses), and a cluster of courses in other fields that serves as a minor. Taken together, these courses make up an option, a degree plan with a particular concentration or emphasis. Thus, individuals may develop intellectually challenging yet quite different plans of study according to their personal interests and goals. The requirements of the BSGeoSci are given later in this chapter.

The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology (BSGEH) is designed to teach students the geological and engineering principles needed to solve subsurface resource development and environmental problems. The BSGEH is described later in this chapter.

Every university seeks to enrich the education of its student body generally. Study of geosciences enhances a liberal arts or arts and sciences education. Geosciences uses experiments and observations to explore origins and processes, whether of the Earth itself, of geologic phenomena, or of the history of life. It operates in the conventional three dimensions of space and in the fourth dimension of deep geologic time. Both in the laboratory and in the field, it examines the Earth on all scales, from atomic nuclei, to a hand sample of rock, to an entire landscape, to continents and oceans, to the planet as a whole.

Jackson School Academic Programs

The University and the Jackson School offer the following programs to supplement the degree plans mentioned above.

Undergraduate Research

The University offers an opportunity for undergraduates to participate in state-of-the-art research, for University credit, with eminent scientists. If qualified, the student may also earn special departmental honors for exceptional research and may receive recognition through participation in the Bridging Disciplines Programs or the annual Undergraduate Poster Session sponsored by the College of Natural Sciences. Additional information about undergraduate research is available from the Undergraduate Advising Office.

UTeach-Natural Sciences

The Jackson School participates in UTeach-Natural Sciences, an innovative teacher preparation program offered by the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Education that enables students to prepare within four years for certification to teach mathematics, science, or computer science in middle grades or high school. (Students who are interested in teaching earlier grades should contact the College of Education for information about preparation and certification.)

The UTeach-Natural Sciences program invites students to explore their interest in teaching as early as the freshman year under the mentorship of some of Texas' most respected secondary school mathematics and science teachers. Early involvement in the UTeach program is a quick and efficient way for students to learn whether they are suited for the teaching profession. However, students may apply at any time during their undergraduate careers. Applicants must meet minimum grade point average requirements.

UTeach-Natural Sciences prepares the student for single-field certification in mathematics or computer sciences, or for composite certification in which biology, chemistry, geological sciences, or physics is the primary teaching field. A description of the UTeach-Natural Sciences curriculum is given in chapter 12; more information is available at the UTeach-Natural Sciences Office. In the Jackson School, the BSGeoSci, option V (teaching), prepares students to seek teacher certification.

Concentrations

Within the requirements for the degree, students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences may also complete a concentration in cultural studies or science, technology, and society. These concentrations are administered by the College of Liberal Arts. All Jackson School students may pursue a concentration in actuarial studies, administered by the Department of Mathematics.

Financial Assistance

Through the Geology Foundation, the Jackson School makes available to its students a number of scholarship funds established by individuals, foundations, and industrial or research organizations. Scholarships are awarded entirely on the basis of academic performance and standing. Grants may be awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need, without regard to grade point average. Information is available from the Undergraduate Advising Office. The Geology Foundation also offers a student loan program, and students may seek additional assistance through the University's Office of Student Financial Services.

Career Services

The Jackson School offers career planning and job placement assistance for students and alumni. The Career Services staff offers interview tips and can help with career planning, résumé writing, job search techniques, and business and professional etiquette.

Career Services also helps graduates and students about to graduate seek full-time or part-time jobs and internships. The staff posts job opportunities throughout the year and hosts recruiters who offer on-campus interviews for three or four weeks twice a year. During the interview periods, companies sponsor information sessions on campus. The Career Services office also offers résumé referral for students and employers. The Jackson School of Geosciences Career Fair, which brings students and employers together every fall, provides another forum for geosciences students to learn about different career opportunities.

Career services for students who plan to teach are provided by Education Career Services in the College of Education and by UTeach-Natural Sciences.

Career Services and the Undergraduate Advising Office can help students choose majors or careers, find internships, and plan for employment or graduate study. However, the University makes no guarantee to secure employment for each graduate.

Admission and Registration

Admission

Admission and readmission of undergraduate students to the University is the responsibility of the director of admissions. Information about admission to the University is given in General Information.

Students admitted to the University with deficiencies in high school units must remove the deficiencies as prescribed in General Information.

Academic Advising

The Undergraduate Advising Office and faculty members advise students in the Jackson School, including those not seeking a degree in geological sciences and those who have not yet selected a major.

Academic advising begins after the twelfth class day in the fall and spring semesters and after the fourth class day in the summer session. Students are encouraged to meet with an adviser as early as possible, because procrastination may prevent their timely registration.

Registration

General Information gives information about registration, adding and dropping courses, transferring from one division of the University to another, and auditing a course. The Course Schedule, published before registration for each semester and summer session, contains registration instructions, advising locations, and the times, places, and instructors of classes. The Course Schedule and General Information are published on the registrar's Web site. The printed General Information is sold at campus-area bookstores.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Repetition of a Course

A student may not enroll in any course in the Jackson School more than twice, even if the course is needed to meet degree requirements, without first obtaining written consent in the Undergraduate Advising Office. The symbol Q or W counts as an enrollment unless it has been approved by the Undergraduate Advising Office for nonacademic reasons.

Honors

University-wide honors are described in chapter 1. Students who meet the following requirements may also graduate with departmental honors.

Departmental Honors Program

The Jackson School offers a departmental honors program to its majors. Minimum requirements for the completion of this program are (1) a cumulative University grade point average of at least 3.00, and a grade point average in geological sciences of at least 3.50; (2) completion of Geological Sciences 171H, 172H, and 173H with a grade of at least B in each; (3) completion of Geological Sciences 379H, Honors Tutorial Course, with a grade of at least B; and (4) completion at the University of at least sixty semester hours of coursework counted toward the degree. The statement "Special Honors in Geological Sciences" appears on the transcript of each student certified as having completed the honors program.

Students who wish to participate in the program should apply to the departmental honors adviser when they have completed sixty semester hours of coursework, including at least twelve semester hours of upper-division coursework in geological sciences.

Graduation

Special Requirements of the Jackson School

All students must fulfill the general requirements for graduation given in chapter 1 of this catalog. Students in the Jackson School must also fulfill the following requirements.

1. The University requires that the student complete in residence at least sixty semester hours of the coursework counted toward the degree. For the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences, these sixty hours must include at least eighteen hours in geological sciences.
2. The University requires that at least six semester hours of advanced coursework in the major be completed in residence. Options I, II, III, and IV of the BSGeoSci require at least eighteen hours of upper-division coursework in geological sciences to be completed in residence; option V requires at least twelve hours.
3. An Air Force, Army, or Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) student who elects the basic and/or advanced program in air force science, military science, or naval science will not be approved for graduation until the student's government contract is completed or the student is released from the ROTC.

Correspondence and Extension Courses

Resident students must have the approval of the undergraduate adviser before they take courses simultaneously by correspondence or extension at the University or at another school or in residence at another school. Credit that is not approved in advance will not be counted toward the student's degree. No more than 30 percent of the semester hours required for any degree offered in the Jackson School may be earned by correspondence.

Applying for a Degree

An electronic degree audit is created for each student each semester; the student should view the audit through IDA, the University's Interactive Degree Audit system. The degree audit tells the student the courses he or she must take and the requirements he or she must fulfill to receive the degree. Although the degree audit normally provides an accurate statement of requirements, the student is responsible for knowing and meeting the requirements of the degree as stated in a catalog under which he or she is eligible to graduate. If in doubt about any requirement, the student should seek an official ruling in the Undergraduate Advising Office before registering.

In the semester or summer session in which the degree is to be conferred, the candidate must be registered at the University and must file a graduation application form in the Undergraduate Advising Office. This should be done during the first week of classes, if possible, and certainly no later than the deadline published in the academic calendar. No degree will be conferred unless the graduation application form has been filed on time.

Degrees

Applicability of Certain Courses

Physical Activity Courses

Physical activity (PED) courses and Kinesiology 119 may not be counted toward a degree in the Jackson School. However, they are counted as courses for which the student is enrolled, and the grades are included in the grade point average.

ROTC Courses

The Departments of Air Force Science, Military Science, and Naval Science maintain ROTC units on campus. Information about each program is available from the chair of the department concerned.

Nine semester hours of coursework in air force science, military science, or naval science may be counted toward any degree in the Jackson School. Such credit may be used only as electives or to fulfill the writing requirement, and only by students who are commissioned by the University ROTC program.

Bible Courses

No more than twelve semester hours of Bible courses may be counted toward a degree.

Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences

The Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences (BAGeoSci) is a classical arts and sciences degree that gives students a great deal of flexibility in their choice of upper-division geological sciences courses. It also provides for a minor made up of four courses in another field, including two upper-division courses. These choices let students combine their interests in liberal arts and geosciences to prepare for professions such as business, journalism, resource management, public policy, law, and medicine. Students who plan to become professional geoscientists should pursue one of the BSGeoSci degree options.

A total of 120 semester hours is required. Thirty-six hours must be in upper-division courses. At least sixty hours, including eighteen hours of upper-division coursework, must be completed in residence at the University; at least twenty-four of the last thirty hours must be completed in residence at the University. As long as these residence rules are met, credit may be earned by examination, by extension, by correspondence (up to 30 percent of the semester hours required for the degree), or, with the approval of the dean, by work transferred from another institution.

The coursework counted toward the degree may include no more than thirty-six hours in any one field of study in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Natural Sciences; and no more than thirty-six hours in any other single college or school of the University, including the Jackson School.

No coursework to be counted toward the degree may be taken on the pass/fail basis.

All students must complete the University's core curriculum, described in chapter 2. The specific requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences consist of prescribed work, major and minor requirements, and electives. In addition, the student must fulfill the University requirements for graduation given in chapter 1 and the graduation requirements of the Jackson School given above.

Prescribed Work

1. Writing: Two courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component. These courses are identified in the Course Schedule. They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.
2. Foreign language: Four semesters in a single foreign language. The foreign language requirement is the attainment of a certain proficiency, rather than the completion of a specified number of hours. Any part of the requirement may be fulfilled by credit by examination. To achieve proficiency in a foreign language as rapidly as possible, qualified students are urged to take intensive foreign language courses. Information about these courses is available from the departments that offer them. Courses used to fulfill the foreign language requirement must be language courses; literature-in-translation courses, for example, may not be counted.

3. Social science: Three semester hours in social science, in addition to the course counted toward the social science area of the core curriculum. The course must be chosen from the following fields; it must be in a different field from the course used to fulfill the core social science requirement.

   1. Anthropology
   2. Economics
   3. Geography
   4. Linguistics
   5. Psychology
   6. Sociology

4. Natural science: Six semester hours in natural sciences, in addition to the courses counted toward the core curriculum. Courses must be chosen from the following fields; no more than three hours may be in either the history of science or the philosophy of science.

   1. Astronomy
   2. Biology
   3. Chemistry
   4. Marine science
   5. Nutrition
   6. Physical science
   7. Physics
   8. Mathematics
   9. Computer sciences
   10. Experimental psychology
   11. Physical anthropology
   12. Physical geography
   13. Philosophy (courses in logic)
   14. History of science and philosophy of science
   15. Other fields approved by the dean

5. General culture: Three semester hours in addition to the course counted toward the core curriculum visual and performing arts requirement. Courses in the following fields may be used:

   1. Architecture
   2. Classical civilization, Greek, Latin
   3. Art history, design, ensemble, fine arts, instruments, music, studio art, theatre and dance, visual art studies
   4. Philosophy (excluding courses in logic)
   5. Approved interdisciplinary courses including, but not limited to, those in programs of special concentration cutting across specific departments, schools, or colleges. Lists of approved courses are available in the Undergraduate Advising Office.

The BA Major and Minor

With the exception of courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component, a course taken to fulfill the requirements under "Prescribed Work" above may not also be counted toward fulfillment of the major and minor requirements.

Residence requirements for the major. At least eighteen semester hours of coursework in geological sciences, including six hours of upper-division coursework, must be completed in residence at the University.

Course requirements for the major. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 404C or 405, 416K, 416M, 420K, and enough additional upper-division coursework in geological sciences to make a total of thirty-two semester hours; six semester hours in biology; Chemistry 301 and 302; and three semester hours in physics.

Minor. Twelve semester hours, of which at least six must be in upper-division coursework, in any one of the following disciplines: anthropology, astronomy, biology, business, computer sciences, chemistry, education, engineering, geography, mathematics, and physics. Other disciplines may be chosen with written approval of the undergraduate adviser.

Electives

In addition to the core curriculum, the prescribed work, and the major and minor, the student must complete enough elective coursework to provide the 120 semester hours required for the degree. These 120 hours may include no more than twelve semester hours of Bible and no more than nine hours of air force science, military science, or naval science.

Minimum Scholastic Requirements

The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 in all courses taken at the University of Texas at Austin (including credit by examination, correspondence, and extension) for which a grade or symbol other than Q, W, X, or CR is recorded. In addition, the student must earn a grade point average of at least 2.00 in geological sciences courses taken at the University and counted toward the major requirement.

The student must earn a grade of at least C in each semester of each course used to fulfill any of the requirements for the degree.

For more information about grades and the grade point average, see General Information.

Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences serves as a professional degree for students planning careers as geologists, geophysicists, or teachers, as well as for those planning to pursue graduate work in the geosciences or a profession such as law or business. Careers are available in the petroleum and related energy industries, resource evaluation, mineral exploration, geologic hazard monitoring, environmental control and reclamation, building foundation evaluation, groundwater contamination studies, soil testing, regional planning, watershed management, climate modeling, and college or secondary school teaching. Graduates may also work in state or federal agencies, in universities or museums, with consulting firms, or with service companies to the energy and mineral industries.

Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences degree must choose one of five options--I, general geology; II, geophysics; III, hydrogeology; IV, environmental science and sustainability; or V, teaching.

In addition to the prescribed work outlined below, all students must complete the University's core curriculum, described in chapter 2. In some cases, a course that is required for the BSGeoSci may also be counted toward the core curriculum; these courses are identified below.

Prescribed Work Common to All Options

1. Two courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component. Courses that meet this requirement are identified in the Course Schedule. They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.

2. Courses 506 and 507 (or the equivalent) in a single foreign language, or as much of this coursework as required by the student's score on the appropriate language placement test. Students in the environmental science and sustainability option are exempt from this requirement; those in the teaching option must fulfill a different foreign language requirement, given with the other option requirements below.

   For students who enter the University with fewer than two high school units in a single foreign language, the first two semesters in a language may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree.

3. Thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework must be completed in residence at the University. For students in options I, II, III, and IV, at least eighteen of these hours must be in geological sciences; for students in option V, at least twelve hours must be in geological sciences. For all students, at least twelve of the thirty-six hours must be outside geological sciences.

Additional Prescribed Work for Each Option

Option I: General Geology

1. Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408K, 408L, and 408M. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the core curriculum mathematics requirement. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree. Students who enter the University with fewer than three units of high school mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher must take Mathematics 301 without degree credit to remove their deficiency.
2. Physics 301, 101L, 316, and 116L; or Physics 303K, 103M, 303L, and 103N.
3. Chemistry 301, 302, and 204. Together, the courses that meet requirements 2 and 3 also meet parts I and II of the core curriculum natural science requirement.
4. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 404C or 405, 416K, 416M, 420K, 426P, 428, 660 (completed in residence), and enough additional approved upper-division coursework in geological sciences to make a total of fifty-two semester hours.

5. Twelve semester hours chosen from a list of approved courses in aerospace engineering, architectural engineering, astronomy, biology, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, computer sciences, engineering mechanics, geography, marine science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, petroleum and geosystems engineering, and physics. Geological Sciences 325K may also be counted toward requirement 5.

   This requirement is intended to function as an unspecified minor. Courses used to fulfill the requirement do not have to be taken in the same field of study, but they should form a self-reinforcing sequence related to geological sciences. Courses not on the list of approved courses will be considered upon petition to the undergraduate adviser.

6. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.

Option II: Geophysics

1. Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408K, 408L, and 408M; 427K; and 427L. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the core curriculum mathematics requirement. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree. Students who enter the University with fewer than three units of high school mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher must take Mathematics 301 without degree credit to remove their deficiency.
2. Physics 301, 101L, 315, 115L, 316, and 116L.
3. Chemistry 301 and 302. Together, the courses that meet requirements 2 and 3 also meet parts I and II of the core curriculum natural science requirement.
4. Geological Sciences 325J, Introduction to Geoscience Computation.
5. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 416K, 416M, 420K, 325K, 428, 354, 465K, 366M, six hours in approved field/research courses, and three additional hours of approved upper-division coursework in geological sciences. The field/research requirement may be met by several courses, including Geological Sciences 348K, 660, 376L, 679G, and approved off-campus geophysics field courses.

6. Six semester hours chosen from a list of approved courses in aerospace engineering, astronomy, chemistry, civil engineering, computer sciences, electrical engineering, geography, mathematics, mechanical engineering, petroleum and geosystems engineering, and physics.

   This requirement is intended to function as an unspecified minor. Courses used to fulfill the requirement do not have to be taken in the same field of study, but they should form a self-reinforcing sequence related to geological sciences. Courses not on the list of approved courses will be considered upon petition to the undergraduate adviser.

7. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.

Option III: Hydrogeology

1. Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408K, 408L, and 408M; and 427K. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the core curriculum mathematics requirement. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree. Students who enter the University with fewer than three units of high school mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher must take Mathematics 301 without degree credit to remove their deficiency.
2. Physics 301, 101L, 316, and 116L; or Physics 303K, 103M, 303L, and 103N.
3. Chemistry 301, 302, and 204.
4. Biology 311C. Together, the courses that meet requirements 2 and 3 also meet parts I and II of the core curriculum natural science requirement; Biology 311C may also be used to meet part II of that requirement.

5. The following coursework in geological sciences:

   1. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 416K, 416M, 420K, 428, 476K, 476M, and 376S.
   2. One of the following: Geological Sciences 660A and 660B, 376L and 660B, or 679J.
   3. Three upper-division courses in hydrogeology or a related area, chosen from Geological Sciences 325K, 376E, 377P, and other approved courses.
   4. Six additional hours of upper-division coursework in geological sciences.

6. Six semester hours chosen from a list of approved courses in biology, chemistry, civil engineering, geography, marine science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and petroleum and geosystems engineering.

   This requirement is intended to function as an unspecified minor. Courses used to fulfill the requirement do not have to be taken in the same field of study, but they should form a self-reinforcing sequence related to geological sciences. Courses not on the list of approved courses will be considered upon petition to the undergraduate adviser.

7. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.

Option IV: Environmental Science and Sustainability

1. Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408K, 408L, and 408M. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the core curriculum mathematics requirement. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree. Students who enter the University with fewer than three units of high school mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher must take Mathematics 301 without degree credit to remove their deficiency.
2. Physics 301, 101L, 316, and 116L.
3. Chemistry 301, 302, and 204. Together, the courses that meet requirements 2 and 3 also meet parts I and II of the core curriculum natural science requirement.
4. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 404C or 405, 416K, 416M, 420K, 422K, 428, and 346C.
5. Geological Sciences 660 or both 476K and 376L. This requirement must be completed in residence.
6. Geological Sciences 327G or Geography 360G.
7. Biology 311C, 311D, 325, 373, and 373L.
8. At least three semester hours chosen from a list of approved courses in sustainability and policy. The following may be used: Geological Sciences 341, Biology 359, 375, 478T; other courses will be considered upon petition to the undergraduate adviser.
9. At least three semester hours chosen from a list of approved courses in water and climate. The following may be used: Geological Sciences 371C, 376E, 476M, 376S, 377P, Geography 366K; other courses will be considered upon petition to the undergraduate adviser.
10. At least six semester hours in upper-division elective courses.
11. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.

Option V: Teaching

This option is designed to fulfill the course requirements for composite science certification as a middle grades or secondary school teacher in Texas with geological sciences as the primary teaching field; composite certification requires twenty-four semester hours of coursework in the primary field, twelve hours in a second field, and six hours each in two additional fields.

Completion of the required courses does not guarantee teacher certification. To graduate and be recommended for certification, the student must have a cumulative University grade point average of at least 2.50 and must pass the final teaching portfolio review. Information about the portfolio review and additional certification requirements is available from the UTeach-Natural Sciences academic adviser.

1. In place of the foreign language requirement above, either two years of high school coursework in a single foreign language or course 506 (or the equivalent) in a foreign language.
2. Mathematics 408C. Mathematics 408C or 408K also meets the core curriculum mathematics requirement. Algebra courses at the level of Mathematics 301 or the equivalent may not be counted toward the total number of semester hours required for the degree. Students who enter the University with fewer than three units of high school mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher must take Mathematics 301 without degree credit to remove their deficiency.
3. History 329U or Philosophy 329U.
4. Geological Sciences 401 or 303, 404C or 405, 416K, 416M, 420K or 320L, 335, and enough additional upper-division coursework in geological sciences to make a total of at least twenty-eight semester hours.

5. To meet the requirements of composite certification, the student must complete the following courses. In meeting this requirement, the student also fulfills parts I and II of the core curriculum natural science requirement.

   1. Biology 311C and 311D.
   2. Chemistry 301 and 302.
   3. Physics 302K, 102M, 302L, and 102N; or 301, 101L, 316, and 116L; or an equivalent sequence.
   4. Enough additional approved coursework in biology, chemistry, or physics to provide the required twelve semester hours in a second field.
6. Biology 337 (Topic: Research Methods--UTeach), Chemistry 368 (Topic: Research Methods--UTeach), or Physics 341 (Topic: Research Methods--UTeach).
7. Astronomy 303, 307, or 367M; and Marine Science 307.
8. Eighteen semester hours of professional development coursework, with a grade of at least C in each course: Curriculum and Instruction 650S, UTeach-Natural Sciences 101, 110, 350, 355, 360,170.
9. Students seeking middle grades certification must complete the following courses, with a grade of at least C in each course: Educational Psychology 363M (Topic 3: Adolescent Development), or Psychology 301 and 304; and Curriculum and Instruction 371 (Topic 10: Secondary School Reading in the Content Subjects).
10. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 128 semester hours.

Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology

Geosystems engineers and hydrogeologists are concerned with the development and use of engineering approaches in the management of natural resources from the Earth's surface and subsurface, environmental restoration of subsurface sites, and other processes related to the earth sciences. This degree program, offered in partnership by the Cockrell School of Engineering and the Jackson School, is designed to teach students the geological and engineering principles needed to solve subsurface resource development and environmental problems. The curriculum includes a fundamental sequence of engineering and geological sciences courses in such areas as multiphase fluid flow, physical and chemical hydrology, heat and mass transfer, field methods, and engineering design. This interdisciplinary systems approach, combining engineering and geological sciences, is increasingly required to address complex real-world problems such as characterization and remediation of aquifers. The degree program is designed to prepare graduates for employment with environmental, water resource management, and energy companies in addition to many government agencies. Better-qualified graduates of the program may pursue graduate study in subsurface environmental engineering, petroleum engineering, geology, and related fields.

The objective of the degree program is to prepare graduates for successful careers in subsurface environmental engineering (including carbon dioxide sequestration), oil and gas production and services, and similar fields. Graduates are expected to understand the fundamental principles of science and engineering behind the technology of geosystems engineering and hydrogeology, so that their education will not become outdated and so that they will be capable of self-instruction after graduation. They should also be prepared to serve society by applying the ideals of ethical behavior, professionalism, and environmentally responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Containing the following elements, the technical curriculum provides both breadth and depth in a range of topics:

• A combination of college-level mathematics and basic sciences (some with experimental work) that includes mathematics through differential equations, probability and statistics, physics, chemistry, and geology.
• Basic engineering and geologic topics that develop a working knowledge of fluid mechanics, strength of materials, transport phenomena, material properties, phase behavior, and thermodynamics.
• Engineering and geosciences topics that develop competence in characterization and evaluation of subsurface geological formations and their resources using geoscientific and engineering methods, including field methods; design and analysis of systems for producing, injecting, and handling fluids; application of hydrogeologic and reservoir engineering principles and practices for water and energy resource development and management; contamination evaluation and remediation methods for hydrologic resources; and use of project economics and resource valuation methods for design and decision making under conditions of risk and uncertainty.
• A major capstone design experience that prepares students for engineering and hydrogeologic practice, based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier coursework and incorporating engineering and geological standards and realistic constraints.
• A general education component that complements the technical content of the curriculum.

Curriculum

Course requirements are divided into three categories: basic sequence courses, major sequence courses, and other required courses. Enrollment in major sequence courses is restricted to students who have received credit for all of the basic sequence courses and have been admitted to the major sequence by the Cockrell School of Engineering Admissions Committee. Enrollment in other required courses is not restricted by completion of the basic sequence.

Courses used to fulfill technical and nontechnical elective requirements must be approved by the petroleum and geosystems engineering faculty and the geological sciences faculty before the student registers for them. Courses that fulfill the social science requirement and the fine arts/humanities requirement are listed in chapter 7.

Students must fulfill the foreign language requirement given in chapter 7. They must also remove any admission deficiencies in mathematics as described in General Information. A suggested arrangement of courses by semester is given in chapter 7.

courses	sem hrs
Basic Sequence Courses
Chemistry 301, 302 Engineering Mechanics 306, 319 Geological Sciences 303, 416K, 416M, 420K Mathematics 408C, 408D, 427K Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering 310, 312, 322K, 333T Physics 303K, 303L, 103M, 103N Rhetoric and Writing 306	62
Major Sequence Courses
Civil Engineering 357 Geological Sciences 428, 468K, 476K, 376L, 376S Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering 323K, 323L, 323M, 424, 326, 365, 368, 373L	46
Other Required Courses
English 316K	3
American government, including Texas government	6
American history	6
Approved fine arts or humanities elective	3
Approved social science elective	3
minimum required 129