Overview

The Department of Earth and Environmental Science provides students the opportunity to study the Earth with a variety of traditional and environmental geology course work. The faculty work closely with students to give a combination of field-based experience and current laboratory and computational techniques.

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Geology acquire a solid foundation in the Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Delve into the physical, chemical and biological processes of Earth, from the remote past to the distant future. Learn how humans are impacted by and are impacting our planet. Explore climate change, energy resources and natural planetary forces.

The BA offers the opportunity to complete a second major or to prepare for post-graduate degrees in law, medicine or education. The BA program is not intended for prospective geologists, but for pre-med or pre-law students, or for those planning to teach earth science in secondary school.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: ST-GEOL-BA

Distinction in Major

To graduate with distinction in this major, a student must satisfy the following criteria:

  • achieve a 3.5 GPA in EES and Upper-Level Science Electives for the major, and
  • no grade below C in the remaining courses required for the major.

Senior Research Project

Students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.25 at the end of the first semester of their junior year are eligible to undertake a senior research project. In the second semester of their junior year, students must select a faculty research advisor and, with the advisor, prepare a written research proposal. After the research advisor and the undergraduate Earth and Environmental Science advisor approve the proposal, the student may register for up to four (4) hours of EES 4082 Individual Study Program II for a grade. Additional credits may be offered in subsequent semesters, but only for Credit/No-Credit (CR/NC), to carry out the research project. Normally, the project will involve field or laboratory work in the summer between the junior and senior years and lead to presentation of the results at a departmental seminar.

Accelerated Programs

Accelerated programs provide a pathway for students to pursue both an undergraduate degree and an advanced degree in a shorter amount of time. Below is a list of available accelerated programs for students in the BA in Geology.

Undergraduate Contact Information

Nicholas Davatzes, Chair
Beury Hall, Room 307
215-204-2319
davatzes@temple.edu

Allison Tumarkin-Deratzian, Vice Chair and Faculty Advisor
Beury Hall, Room 308
215-204-2321
altd@temple.edu

Ilya Buynevich, Faculty Advisor for Geology
Beury Hall, Room 313
215-204-3635
coast@temple.edu

Steven Chemtob, Faculty Advisor for Environmental Science
Beury Hall, Room 325B
215-204-3958
chemtob@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Geology.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Bachelor of Arts Requirements

Summary of Requirements for the Degree

  1. University Requirements (123 total s.h.)
    • Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below.
    • All undergraduate students must complete at least two writing-intensive courses for a total of at least six credits at Temple as part of their major. The specific writing-intensive course options for this major are:
      EES 2096Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere4
      EES 2097Process Geomorphology4
      EES 4696Vertebrate Paleontology and Taphonomy3
      EES 4796Soils and Paleosols4
      EES 4896Planetary Geology4
    • Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements.
      • See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for the GenEd curriculum.
      • Students who complete CST majors receive a waiver for 2 Science & Technology (GS) and 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd courses.
    • Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements.
  2. College Requirements
    • A minimum of 90 total credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and/or the College of Engineering (ENG).
      • A minimum of 45 of these credits must be upper-level (courses numbered 2000 and above).
      • A minimum of 6 of these credits must be upper-level (courses numbered 2000 and above) CLA credits.
    • Successful completion or waiver from the second level of a foreign language.
    • Complete a one-credit first-year or transfer seminar.
      • SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar for every entering first-year CST student.
      • SCTC 2001 CST Transfer Seminar for every entering transfer CST student.
  3. Major Requirements for Bachelor of Arts (51-56 s.h.)
    At least 7 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple. At least 4 EES courses must be completed at Temple.
    Chemistry
    Select one of the following:4
    General Chemistry I
    and General Chemistry Laboratory I
    Honors General Chemical Science I
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)
    Mathematics
    MATH 1041Calculus I4
    or MATH 1941 Honors Calculus I
    Select one of the following:4
    Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences
    Calculus II
    Honors Calculus II
    Physics
    Select one of the following:4
    Elementary Classical Physics I
    Honors Elementary Classical Physics I (F)
    General Physics I
    Honors General Physics I (F)
    Earth & Environmental Science
    EES 2001Physical Geology4
    EES 2011Mineralogy I (F)4
    Select one EES course between 3020-3025:4
    Groundwater Hydrology (S)
    Physical Hydrology (F)
    Earth & Environmental Science Electives 1
    Five EES electives 2002 or above15-20
    Science Foundation Electives
    Select two of the following:8
    Introduction to Organismal Biology
    Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology
    Introduction to Biomolecules, Cells and Genomes
    Honors Introduction to Biomolecules, Cells and Genomes
    Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
    Honors Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
    General Chemistry II
    and General Chemistry Laboratory II
    Honors General Chemical Science II
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II
    Organic Chemistry I
    and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
    Organic Chemistry for Honors I
    and Organic Honors Laboratory I
    Elementary Classical Physics II
    Honors Elementary Classical Physics II
    General Physics II
    Honors General Physics II
    Total Credit Hours51-56
    (F) - Fall only course
    (S) - Spring only course
    1

    Earth & Environmental Science electives must be 3 or 4 credit courses above 2001, and at least two of the Earth & Environmental Science electives must be writing-intensive courses. One of the five EES elective courses can be outside of the department with faculty advisor approval.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Arts in Geology

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
EES 2001 Physical Geology 4
MATH 1041
Calculus I
or Honors Calculus I
4
SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar 1
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW]
or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
4
Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Spring
Select one of the following: 4
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory I
 
Honors General Chemical Science I
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)
 
Select one of the following: 4
Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences  
Calculus II  
Honors Calculus II  
IH 0851
Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
3
Elective 3
Elective 2
 Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
EES 2011 Mineralogy I (F) 4
Select one of the following: 4
Elementary Classical Physics I  
Honors Elementary Classical Physics I (F)  
General Physics I  
Honors General Physics I (F)  
IH 0852
Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
3
Elective 4
 Credit Hours15
Spring
Earth & Environmental Science Elective (see Requirements page) 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Year 3
Fall
Select one EES course between 3020-3025: 4
Groundwater Hydrology (S)  
Physical Hydrology (F)  
Science Foundation Elective (see Requirements page) 4
Foreign Language 1001 - First Level 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
Earth & Environmental Science Elective WI (see Requirements page) 4
Science Foundation Elective (see Requirements page) 4
Foreign Language 1002 - Second Level 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Earth & Environmental Science Elective (see Requirements page) 4
Upper-level CLA Course (numbered 2000 and above) 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
Earth & Environmental Science Elective WI (see Requirements page) 4
Earth & Environmental Science Elective (see Requirements page) 4
Upper-level CLA Course (numbered 2000 and above) 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3-4
Elective 1-0
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours123
(F) - Fall only course
(S) - Spring only course

Accelerated Programs

Students may opt to pursue an accelerated +1 program, enabling them to complete both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in less time than the traditional route.

The following accelerated programs may be of interest for students in the Geology BA:

College of Education and Human Development