Geology, BA

Introduction

The Geology (GEOL) program draws on the interdisciplinary strengths of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics that offers degree programs and courses in Geology, Environmental Science, Marine Science and Sustainability. The programs are described within the Bulletin in alphabetical order. The Geology program as well as the Marine Science program offer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The Environmental Science/Studies program offers a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. The Geology program as well as the Marine Science program offer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. A related degree, Sustainability (SUST), offers courses and Bachelor of Arts degree concentrations in Policy and Sustainability Management, in addition to its Bachelor of Science degree concentrations in Energy, Agroecology, and Policy. The University also offers three advanced degrees in related fields: a Professional Science Masters (PSM) in Environmental Science, a PSM in Coastal Zone Management and a Master of Science (MS) in Coastal Zone Management, which are described in the section on graduate education. 

Geology Curriculum

Stockton’s Geology curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in the basic sub- disciplines of Geology, so that students have the background to pursue a career in almost any area of Geology. Beyond the basic core, students may concentrate their studies in subjects as traditional as earthquakes, volcanoes, minerals, and sedimentary rocks or in applied topics such as environmental geology, economic geology, hydrology, coastal processes, paleontology, and water resources. Geology students will be well suited for pursuing any geoscience-related career or graduate school upon graduating. 

Flexibility within a traditional framework is a characteristic of the Geology degree. The strongly interdisciplinary nature of Stockton’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics provides students with a range of opportunities unique to a School of moderate size. Depending on a student’s interest, s/he may explore areas related to the environment by taking courses in the Environmental Science program; s/he may explore areas related to marine geology by taking courses in our Marine Science program. Geology provides a link between Environmental Science and Marine Science, and virtually all courses in any of the related programs count as cognate electives in any of the other programs. 

The Geology curriculum stresses thorough preparation in the basic sciences, extensive field experiences, independent study projects, and internships. These encourage students to develop initiative and professionalism, while providing practical experiences and enhancing the students’ understanding of local geology, the region, and the world. 

Program Organization

Stockton offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Geology to prepare students for scientific and technical careers. This degree requires 80 credits in program and cognate courses, 16 credits in At-Some-Distance courses and 32 credits in General Studies. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Geology that prepares students for K-12 education and non-scientific and technical careers requires 64 credits in program and cognate courses, 32 credits in At-Some-Distance courses and 32 credits in General Studies. 

With respect to courses, 1000 level is introductory, not intended for majors or minors, 2000 level is introductory for majors, 3000 level is intermediate, 4000 level is advanced. 

Admission to the Program

All interested students are welcome. Before students can begin most science courses as a Geology major, students must demonstrate math readiness in ONE of the following ways: 

• SAT Math score of 570 or above

• ACT Math score of 24 and above

• Transfer of college-level algebra course (or college-level Precalculus/Calculus)

• Advanced Algebra and Function (AAF) Accuplacer score of 260 or higher

• Advanced Placement (AP) testing (refer to the AP credits policy)

• Successfully complete a sequence of math courses at Stockton to become eligible to take Precalculus (MATH 1100).

Stockton University stands ready to assist students without this math preparation to develop a strong math foundation with our introductory and intermediate courses in Mathematics. These math courses are in addition to the courses required to complete a degree in Geology and may require additional time for a student to complete their degree. A student with math preparatory needs may have to take math courses during summer to expedite progress toward the degree. Students seeking their first or second bachelor’s degrees are encouraged to apply as a Geology major.

Students transferring to Stockton in their junior year (64 credits) should consult with a program preceptor as soon as possible to determine whether credits beyond the 128-credit minimum are necessary to earn a B.S. degree in Geology. This is less likely if prospective transfers have taken college chemistry, physics, and math courses. 

Graduate Requirements

The minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geology is 64 credits of program and cognate courses. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree requires a minimum of 80 credits in program and cognate courses. These program credits, in combination with the University’s General Studies requirements and At-Some-Distance (ASD) courses, constitute the minimum of 128 credits necessary for a Stockton degree. University’s General Studies course requirements include the G-course distribution (32 credits), W, Q and R course requirements and AHVI attributes. For details on General Studies requirements, visit the relevant section in this Bulletin. The ASD course requirement for the B.A. degree is 32 credits and for the B.S. degree is 16 credits. These courses are not directly related to the program and include G-courses or courses from other programs. W, Q, R and AHVI requirements could be met via G-course requirements, program course requirements, or ASD course requirements. Courses should be chosen carefully with frequent guidance from their faculty preceptor to meet graduation requirements and each student’s career goals. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all graduation requirements are met in a timely manner. 

In order to be able to graduate, a student must meet all University graduation requirements, including a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0. University requirements for graduation can also be found in the relevant section of this Bulletin. Special graduation requirements apply to transfer students as detailed in the relevant pages of this Bulletin. All Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NAMS) majors are required to meet a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all NAMS courses. In addition, a student must satisfy the Geology program course distribution requirements and have a minimum 2.0 GPA within GEOL courses.  

Students are expected to meet prerequisites specified for each required course on the course catalog. Students with deficiencies in incoming preparation may need to take additional courses as prerequisites, which may or may not count toward the degree requirements. A transfer student who wishes to major in Geology should contact the Program Associate Chair prior to registering for courses at Stockton. Some transfer students may take longer to fulfill degree requirements, particularly if they are deficient in the science background. Also, continuously maintaining good standing as a student, including academic achievements and code of conduct as per University requirements is imperative to the success of a student in any major. 

Graduation with Distinction

A degree with distinction in Geology will be awarded to students who meet University criteria and whose coursework and senior project or internship are of outstanding quality, as determined by program faculty. The student’s program must reflect breadth of background in fundamentals and advanced coursework in at least one area. The student’s senior project or internship and upper-level coursework will be evaluated for evidence of initiative, ability to integrate ideas and ability to apply critical intellectual skills to specific problems. In addition, students seeking Program Distinction in Geology must demonstrate a contribution to program activities. The award will be conferred by the Geology faculty. 

Career Opportunities

Recent studies indicate that the majority (over 90%) of Stockton University Geology graduates establish careers related to their major. They fill positions in industry; in state, federal and local governmental agencies; in schools; and in other organizations, including engineering, insurance, consulting, as well as mining, oil, and natural resource exploration and management companies. 

Preparation for Graduate Education

Many graduates of the Geology program attend graduate school immediately upon finishing their undergraduate degree and often are supported by teaching and research assistantships. Others attend graduate school while working or after a period of work experience. Graduate school can increase professional options, salary, and opportunities for creative work, and students are encouraged to pursue graduate degrees. Students interested in graduate school are advised to talk to their preceptors early in their college careers. Graduate programs are highly variable and often have different requirements. These will typically include research experience, teaching-assistant experience, and may require adequate scores on the Graduate Record Examination. 

Career Specialization and Areas of Interdisciplinary Integration

The Geology program offers career and interdisciplinary specializations for students who wish to integrate their curricula with courses outside the specific disciplines in the program. These clusters prepare students for specialized career goals or for graduate school. For example, the Geographic Information Systems Specialization is useful for GEOL majors as well as non-majors. Students are trained in using this powerful computer application to manipulate spatial geographic information. A Certificate in Geographic Information Systems is currently being offered within the Environmental Science/Studies program. Contact an Environmental Science/Studies preceptor or check the webpage for more information. 

Special Opportunities

The Arts and Sciences Building houses Environmental Sciences and Geology programs. Its facilities supporting student research and coursework include a petrographic microscope lab; a rock cutting, polishing and thin sectioning lab; paleomagnetics laboratory; soil and hydrology lab; chemical and biological laboratories; greenhouse, biological and geological collections; computer cartography room; and microcomputer laboratories. The Marine Geology specialization also offers access to the research station at The Marine Science and Environmental Field Station and its facilities including research vehicles (i.e. boats), side scan sonar, as well as marine geochemistry, sediment sampling and water quality instrumentation and laboratories. 

The University supports a vigorous field program that provides experience with field techniques in regular coursework as well as special courses that have included summer field trips to the Rocky Mountains, Florida, Iceland, Newfoundland and other parts of the world. 

Geology students are encouraged to become actively involved in various aspects of the program, particularly in research with faculty or as Teaching Assistants. Advanced students can gain teaching experience as Student Assistants for lab sections of both introductory or advanced courses. Students are expected to become involved in one of the ongoing faculty research programs. Opportunities exist for research in igneous petrology, ore deposits studies, volcanology, structural geology, metamorphic petrology, sedimentary processes, and paleobiology. Geology students are required to either conduct independent research or obtain an internship with an external organization. These can range from government agencies to non-profit organizations to private companies. These internships can provide practical experience needed for students to improve their marketability for future employment. Students will apply for and then work with faculty advisors to arrange these internships. 

Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the geology program can be explored using the Degree Works web based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the Geology website.