Overview
The Minor in Paleontology, offered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, is a 24-28 credit minor that is opened to all students.
Fossil organisms and the history of life on Earth are popular drivers of scientific interest among students and the general public. As an interdisciplinary science that straddles the boundary between the geosciences and biology, the study of paleontology provides an opportunity to apply diverse perspectives to understanding the past history, present condition, and future directions of Earth's biosphere. Fossils provide the long-term historical record of the evolution of life on Earth, but learning how to decode the information preserved in the fossil record requires a basic understanding of how the record is formed, as well as of the biology of the organisms therein. Study of living organisms is fundamental to understanding ancient organisms, but an understanding of the geological processes and environments that preserve fossils and alter biological signals during the formation of the preserved fossil record is fundamental to reconstructing our understanding of past environments, their biodiversity, and the ways organisms have responded in the past to changing environmental conditions.
Campus Location: Main
Undergraduate Contact Information
Nicholas Davatzes, Chair
Beury Hall, Room 307
215-204-2319
davatzes@temple.edu
Atsuhiro Muto, Vice Chair
Beury Hall, Room 317B
215-204-3699
amuto@temple.edu
Allison Tumarkin-Deratzian, Faculty Advisor
Beury Hall, Room 308
215-204-2321
altd@temple.edu
Ilya Buynevich, Faculty Advisor
Beury Hall, Room 313
215-204-3635
coast@temple.edu
Requirements
Students desiring a minor in Paleontology are required to satisfy the following:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EES 2001 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| EES 2021 | Sedimentary Environments | 4 |
| EES 2022 | Paleontology and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| BIOL 1111 | Introduction to Organismal Biology | 4 |
| or BIOL 1911 | Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology | |
| Select three of the following: 1 | 8-12 | |
| Mammalian Anatomy (F) | ||
| Dinosaur Paleobiology | ||
or EES 2234 | Dinosaur Paleobiology | |
| Invertebrate Biology (S) | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Evolution (F) | ||
| Field Study in Paleontology | ||
| Vertebrate Paleontology and Taphonomy | ||
| Soils and Paleosols | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 24-28 | |
- 1
Note that some elective courses require additional prerequisites.
Residency Requirements: At least 3 courses required for the minor must be completed at Temple.
Distinct Course Rule: At least seven credits or three courses of the minor must not be credited towards a CST major, additional CST minor, or CST certificate.