Geology Major (BA/BS), Dickinson College
Information for this profile was provided by Ben Edwards in 2009. Information is also available on the department website.
Overview and Context
We require a total of ten courses in Geology (see below) for a geology major, including two introductory level classes and six 'core' courses. A geology minor requires six geology courses.
This is our only geoscience curriculum at present. We recently suggested starting an Environmental Geology major but the proposal was not approved by the College's Academic Programing Committee.
Program Design
Our program was designed to give students a particularly strong grounding in field geology and geochemistry within the Liberal Arts context. It needs to serve as an entryway into graduate school and the workplace.
Goals and Assessment
This curriculum was formulated many years before two of the four faculty in the department arrived. We are presently working to more clearly formulate what our goals should be.
We are presently working to construct proper assessment tools.
Courses and Sequencing
Entry into the program
- History of Life
- Geology of National Parks
- Planet Earth
- Global Climate Change
- Geology of Natural Disasters
- Earth Systems Science
Core courses
- Mineralogy
- Petrology
- Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- Chemistry of Earth Systems
- Field Geology
- Structural Geology
Electives
Students are required to take 2 credits (2 courses) of electives. These vary as we have a variety of courses taught as topics courses, and many students do Independent Research or Independent Study.Other required courses
- One semester of Chemistry
Capstone
- Senior Research or Internship
