Bachelor of Science degrees
For undergraduates, the Geology Program offers two Bachelor of Science-Geology degrees and a Geology minor. Currently these degrees are only face-to-face; there is no online BS degree.
The Bachelor of Science-Geology degree prepares students for employment as an entry-level geologist and for graduate study. The curriculum provides a solid background in geology and has been designed following guidelines from national geological organizations. Required courses cover broad areas of Earth processes, Earth history and stratigraphy, mineralogy and petrology, as well as structural geology and tectonics. Advanced electives include courses in those areas as well as in areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geomorphology, groundwater, and paleontology (invertebrate and vertebrate). All courses are hands-on and field trips are commonly offered in each course. Field Geology is the required capstone course where students are expected to use and apply all aspects of the science to real-world geologic problems.
The Bachelor of Science-Geology; Composite Science Certification degree prepares students to teach Geology, Earth Science, or General Science at public or private schools. The curriculum requires basic freshman and sophomore courses in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics. Students are also required to take several junior and/or senior level Geology courses. This degree does not require a minor. Instead, students take 24 hours of junior and senior level Education courses for teaching certification.
A minor in Geology is available and consists of 18 hours. It is a mix of required freshman (Physical Geology GEOL 1303/1103 OR Environmental Geology GEOL 1305/1105, and Historical Geology GEOL 1304/1104) and sophomore (Lithology GEOL 2401) courses and junior level geology electives. Suggested electives include: Geology of west Texas (GEOL 3301), Dinosaurs. Volcanoes, and Earthquakes (GEOL 3302), Geology of the western National Parks (GEOL 3305), Interdisciplinary Geographic Information Systems (GEOL 3401), Invertebrate Paleontology (GEOL 3411), and Geomorphology (GEOL 3412).
SRSU@MC
Since 2002 there has been a partnership between Sul Ross State University and Midland College (SRSU@MC) that allows students to earn a Sul Ross Geology Bachelor of Science degree and remain in Midland, Texas. Students take freshman and sophomore courses at Midland College from Midland College faculty, but take junior and senior courses, delivered to Midland College using real-time, interactive video conferencing, from Sul Ross faculty. Sul Ross Geology faculty work with the Midland College faculty to make sure the hands-on, lab and field experience is the same for the Midland students as it is for the students on the Sul Ross campus.
Master of Science degree
For graduate students, the Geology Program offers a Master of Science-Geology degree. The Geology Program stresses completion of a thesis. Currently the degree is only face-to-face; there is no on-line MS degree.
For more information see the Geology MS (Master of Science) page.