Undergraduate Program
Welcome to the Department of Geosciences! We think you will find it an interesting and welcoming department. We have two student-run clubs in the Department: the Geology Club and the Paleontology Club. A student lounge on the second floor (Lapham 274) has been generously furnished by UWM Geosciences alumni, and it is specifically set aside for Geosciences undergraduate and graduate student use. Please make use of it!
Some information to help you successfully navigate through your undergraduate degree follows:
- You need to contact and meet with our Undergraduate Faculty Advisor, Dr. Margaret Fraiser (mfraiser@uwm.edu; 414-229-3827). She will advise you on your Geosciences courses only. Your L & S advisor will advise you on college requirements for graduation.
- Specific departmental course requirements for both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Sciences degrees are listed in the UWM bulletin.
- Majors courses are offered on a regular rotation. To help you in your planning, the rotation is given below. Retirements, sabbatical leaves, and other circumstances sometimes may alter this rotation. Be sure to talk to your advisor as you plan out your course sequence.
- There is a requirement to take a summer field course (typically 5- 6 weeks long). There are many throughout the country that are acceptable. We are also in a consortial agreement with the South Dakota School of Mines to provide our students a discounted tuition at their field camp. In addition, there are scholarships available from our department and from the South Dakota school of Mines to help defray field camp costs. (Again, talk to your advisor….)
Course Rotation
Geology-Geophysics Option (BS degree; pdf 38kb)
General Geology Option (BA degree)
Geosciences Minor Option (pdf; 32kb)
Both degree options require the same core group of Geosciences courses. The BS degree also requires more mathematics and cognated science courses. See the UWM bulletin.
| Course | Description | Credits | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geo Sci 100 | Introduction to the Earth |
3
|
Every Semester |
| Geo Sci 102 | Historical Geology |
3
|
Every Semester |
| Geo Sci 301 | Principles of Mineralogy |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 302 | Elementary Petrology |
3
|
Spring |
| Geo Sci 316 | Introduction to Geophysics |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 414 | Structural Geology |
3
|
Spring |
| Geo Sci 455 | Field Geology |
5-8
|
Summer |
| Geo Sci 511 | Stratigraphy and Sedimentation |
3
|
Spring |
B.S. students must take at least 18 additional credits from Geosciences departmental courses at the 300 level or above. B.A. students must take at least 9 additional credits from Geosciences departmental courses at the 300 level or above. B.S. students must take two courses from the following list.
| Course | Description | Credits | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geo Sci 400 | Water Quality |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 401 | General Soil Science |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 409 | Process Geomorphology |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 443 | Glacial and Pleistocene Geology |
3
|
Every Other Spring (odd years) |
| Geo Sci 463 | Physical Hydrogeology |
3
|
Fall |
| Geo Sci 464 | Chemical Hydrogeology |
3
|
Spring |
| Geo Sci 563 |
Field Methods in Hydrogeology |
3
|
Every other Fall (even years) |