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.
Howdy!
Bienvenido, welcome, to the Geology Program at Sul Ross State University located in the heart of the Trans Pecos region and the Chihuahuan Desert. Below you will find brief answers to some questions you may have.
WHO: The Geology Program is a friendly, dedicated community of faculty, staff, and students, both graduate and undergraduate.
We get to know our students and camaraderie is fostered because class sizes are small and much of our education happens in the hands-on settings of lab and the field.
Students usually find a common interest with the geology faculty who have specialties in a broad range of geologic areas: vertebrate paleontology, invertebrate paleontology, igneous petrology, surface and groundwater hydrology, sedimentary petrology, structural geology, geochemistry, tectonics, sedimentology, geology of west Texas, and geology of the western United States.
WHAT: Two Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and a Master of Science degree in Geology are offered by the Geology Program.
The geology bachelor’s degrees are designed so that our graduates can either work as an entry-level geologist in the environmental, petroleum, water, or mineral industries; work as a teacher at public or private K-12 schools; or continue study in graduate school. The master’s degree is designed so that upon completion our graduates can either obtain a job as a professional geologist or continue study toward a Ph.D.
WHERE: The Trans Pecos is one of the best natural, outdoor, geologic laboratories in the United States. Local rock exposures make up some of the most striking scenery in Texas. We utilize this natural asset in most of our classes, both undergraduate and graduate, through field trips that are a fundamental part of the learning experience.
WHY: The Geology Program offers a phenomenal education and experience at a good price.
The geology faculty are passionate about Geoscience and it shows in our teaching and emphasis on experiential learning in the lab room and in the field. Sul Ross is one of the more affordable universities in Texas and it is a great place for learning, studying, working, and relaxing.
We encourage you to contact us or drop by for a visit. Individual contact information can be found under the Faculty tab.
The Geology Program thanks you for your interest.
Happy trails, adiós, hasta la vista.
Our Outdoor Laboratory
Sul Ross State University, located in mountainous far west Texas, is an ideal locale for geologic studies. The campus is surrounded by the Cenozoic-aged Trans Pecos Magmatic Province. A short 20-minute drive from campus is the Marathon Basin and the Glass Mountains (including the Marathon-Ouachita fold and thrust belt) with exposures of Paleozoic-aged sedimentary rocks. The Christmas Mountains, owned by the Texas State University System and only 70 miles from campus, expose Mesozoic-aged sedimentary rocks and Cenozoic-aged igneous rocks. Big Bend National Park, Davis Mountains State Park, and Big Bend Ranch State Park are all within 100 miles of the campus and Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park are within 200 miles of campus.
Notable geologic features in and around these parks include significant karst and cavern development, the Permian reef system, exposures of lavas, welded tuffs and intrusive rocks, large and small caldera systems, structural domes related to laccolith emplacement (the Solitario and the Christmas Mountains), and evidence of such tectonic events as the late Paleozoic Ouachita Orogeny, the late Cretaceous through Paleogene Laramide Orogeny, and Cenozoic crustal extension. Hydrologic features of far west Texas include numerous major and minor aquifers, multiple spring systems, and drainage basins of the Rio Grande, Pecos, and Devils rivers.
Learning by Doing
For the BS and MS degrees, the Geology Program emphasizes lab examination of samples, diagrams, and maps, and also use of computer applications to analyze geologic data. Field experience is also fundamental and requires students to use critical thinking skills and classroom information in order to describe and explain a geologic problem.
Most courses are composed of a lecture/lab format where conceptual knowledge is applied through firsthand experience with geologic materials. The curriculum incorporates hands-on work that builds students’ knowledge, skills, and experience. Day-long or weekend-long field trips are an important component of most courses and incorporate field exercises as part of course requirements. Some courses incorporate research report writing either based solely on a geologic-literature search or based on a field problem and subsequent literature search. Undergraduate students are encouraged to do a research project outside on classes and are mentored by geology faculty members.
The Geology Program curriculum is broad-based, incorporating practical application of geologic content, and so provides an excellent background that allows graduates to find employment in industry (oil & gas, hydrogeology, environmental resources, geologic hazards, and mining), state and federal agencies, teaching, or to pursue advanced Geology degrees.
Funding
The Geology Program has several merit-based scholarships. Undergraduates and graduates are eligible for these scholarships and are encouraged to apply. Some part-time employment opportunities for undergraduates are available in the program. Also, eligible undergraduates can be funded to do research under the McNair Scholars Program. See the Geology MS (Master of Science) page for more information about funding opportunities for graduate students.
Resources
The Geology Program is housed in the Warnock Science Building. The building has 3 large lecture halls (each can accommodate 65 students). The Geology Program uses these for guest lectures, thesis proposals and thesis defenses, and also for class lectures when doing a class to Midland College (a lecture hall has the ITV equipment that is used for Distance Education). There are 2 smaller rooms specifically designated for Geology Program use. Each of these rooms can accommodate up to 20 students and are used for lab instruction and used as lecture rooms for classes with smaller enrollment. There are 2 lab rooms that have equipment dedicated to specific fields: a GIS lab and a petrography lab. The Geology Program also has a rock preparation room where rocks and sediment are processed for classroom use, and samples are processed for faculty and student research. Finally, the Geology Program has an Analytical Lab where images of material can be made and elemental composition of material can be determined. The lab equipment can be used by faculty and students and for classes and research.
Faculty offices are also located in the building. Adjacent to the faculty offices is the Geology graduate student office with desks for 7 students. There is also a room set-aside as a student study area which can be used by any student on campus.
Equipment/materials in the Geology Program:
- Basic field equipment includes back country camping gear, hands lenses, acid bottles, Jacob’s staffs, Brunton compasses, radios, and GPS units as well as equipment for river trips that includes 4 rafts, 15 canoes, life jackets, and trailers.
- Teaching laboratories are equipped with mineral testing kits, hand lenses, binocular microscopes, and petrographic microscopes.
- Labs and teaching/research collections contain hand samples and thin sections of minerals and rocks, invertebrate fossils, sedimentary structures, sand, and numerous topographic and geologic maps.
- Vertebrate paleontology collection comprises a variety of fossil bones and bone replicas of extinct animals which are utilized in teaching labs and student research.
- Access to several, geologically diverse, parcels of land (from 5 to 40 acres in size) in the Terlingua Ranch Properties which are owned by Sul Ross.
- Vertebrate Paleontology research lab equipped with tools for processing and studying vertebrate fossil bones.
- The rock processing lab includes one 18-inch and two 16-inch slab saws, one 8 inch trim saw, one lap wheel, and a thin sectioning cut-off and grinding unit for preparation of slabs and thin sections. Other equipment includes a Spex tungsten carbide and steel shatter box grinder, ceramic jaw crushers, high temperature oven, and a Spex pellet press for preparation of samples for chemical analysis. Miscellaneous equipment includes a Frantz isodynamic magnetic separator, various sizes of sieves and a sieve shaker, and non-toxic heavy liquids for mineral and microfossil separation.
- Geographical Information System lab/lecture room is a modern GIS lab with dual monitor computers, a plotter and a site license for the latest version of ArcGIS for Desktop. For Remote Sensing applications, the lab has access to multiple copies of ERDAS Imagine. Other available technical software includes Visual MODFLOW, Rockworks, Golden Software’s Surfer and Didger, Sigmaplot, Geochemist’s Workbench and general word processing, spreadsheet, database software. The laboratory benefits from cooperative agreements with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the National Park Service and Texas View. Through these and other sources, the laboratory has compiled an extensive spatial library for the Trans-Pecos and northern Mexico region, including Landsat scenes, complete coverage in standard GIS datasets (DRG, DOQ, NED, Transportation), and additional geologic, hydrologic and biologic datasets. The lab utilizes a robust network attached storage (NAS) system so that users can access the data from anywhere on campus or from anywhere with a network connection and VPN. The NAS system ensures redundant data backup. The GIS facilities have an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach for upper-division and graduate GIS studies and for faculty research.
- Hydrologic equipment includes Teledyne RiverRay and StreamPro Acoustic Doppler Current profilers, and a Sontek Flow Tracker Hand-held Acoustic Doppler velocimeter to measure stream discharge and bathymetry. Portable flumes are available for measuring discharge in smaller streams and springs. A Trimble RTK GPS unit and a fully robotic Focus 35 total station are available for field survey projects. These instruments can be used with the available DJI Inspire quadcopter for photogrammetry projects. Access to a RIEGL VZ-400i 3D Laser scanner which is used in combination with the other survey equipment for geomorphic change detection analysis and other 3D characterization projects. A portable particle size analyzer, field water titration and filtration equipment, and a variety of pressure transducers for measuring water levels are also available.
- The Interdisciplinary Analytical Laboratory that houses an array of equipment accessible to students and faculty for a number of analytical purposes. Equipment in the lab includes a JOEL JSM-6010LA Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with an attached Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectrometer. The lab also includes a Denton Vacuum sputter coater (Au, Au-Pd, and C) for SEM sample preparation and a Branson ultrasonic cleaner. The laboratory also has an ARL Perform’X X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF). The lab also has a Bruker D2 Phaser X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD). The lab also houses a DIONEX ion chromatograph which is used to analyze anions in water samples.
Ryan Luna Chair of Natural Sciences, Associate Professor of Natural Resource Management, Kelly R. Thompson Professor of Quail Management RAS 111A 432.837.8615 rluna@sulross.edu |
Joan Gawloski SRSU @ MC Part-time faculty MC Campus Abell-Hanger Science Faculty Bldg, Rm 116 432.837.8112 jgawloski@sulross.edu |
Antony Giles SRSU @ MC Part-time faculty MC Campus Abell-Hanger Science Faculty Bldg, Rm 168 432.837.8112 ang14cd@sulross.edu |
Jessica Kelsch Instructor of Geology Warnock Science Bldg, Rm 316 432.837.8657 jkelsch@sulross.edu |
Keonho Kim SRSU @ MC, Geology Part-time faculty MC Campus Abell-Hanger Science Faculty Bldg, Rm 116 432.685.4739 kxk14ub@sulross.edu |
Elizabeth Measures Professor of Geology/Geology Program Coordinator Warnock Science Bldg, Rm 315 432.837.8117 measures@sulross.edu |
David Rohr Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geology Warnock Science Bldg, Rm 314B 432.837.8167 drohr@sulross.edu |
Thomas Shiller Assistant Professor Warnock Science Bldg, Rm 319 432.837.8871 thomas.shiller@sulross.edu |
Kevin Urbanczyk Professor of Geology/Director, Rio Grande Research Center Warnock Science Bldg, Rm 320 432.837.8110 kevinu@sulross.edu |
Geology is an Earth Science that includes the study of the Earth Systems of the geosphere (rock of the crust, mantle, and core;) the hydrosphere (all of Earth’s water at and near its surface;) the atmosphere (gases not only above our heads but also in soils, caverns, and ice;) and the biosphere— making geology a broad science encompassing work in many fields. Some of Sul Ross’ Geology graduates have found employment and made careers in the following areas both in private industry and in government (local, state, and federal) in a variety of locations all over the United States.
- Ground water resources
- Surface water (river) resources
- Environmental Remediation
- Environmental Monitoring
- GIS
- Oil and gas production
- Seismic hazard mapping
- Metals mining
- Soil science
- Laboratory work
- Research
- Teaching
A bachelor’s degree in geology not only opens doors to employment in the geosciences but also prepares students for further study at the MS level. An MS degree opens more doors. Modern research fields in Earth Science are diverse. Geoscientists in graduate studies or in research positions at academic institutions or at national laboratories might study:
- Paleontology
- Sedimentology
- Volcanology
- Igneous petrology
- Geodynamics (processes of Earth’s interior)
- Plate Tectonics
- Geomorphology (how the landscape is formed)
- Planetary geology (other planets)
- Seismology
- Geologic hazards
- Ground water studies: flow, resources, geochemistry
- Drainage basin evolution
- Structural geology
- Orogenesis (mountain-building)
- Glaciology
- Paleoclimate
- Geochronology (using Earth materials as clocks)
- Metamorphic petrology
- Oceanography
- Geochemistry
- Critical Zone Science
- Microgeobiology
The Sul Ross Geology Club (aka Sul Ross Geological Society) has been active for years and is open to all students at the university. The students share a common interest in being outdoors, hiking, camping, enjoying scenery, collecting geologic specimens (minerals, rocks, and fossils), good food, and good company. The club offers at least one trip a semester which can be a day hike or a weekend campout. Every semester the club does a highway cleanup of a very scenic part of Highway 118 just a few miles south of town. The club raises funds at several university sponsored events: Fall on the Mall, Homecoming, Fall Carnival, and Spring Carnival. There is an annual Gem and Mineral Show in Alpine, Texas and club members also use that venue for fund-raising. Club members also enjoy looking at and buying geologic samples at the Gem Show.
The Geology Program is closely associated with the Sul Ross Hancock Hill Club (aka The Hill Club). This club is also open to all Sul Ross students. The common interest is hiking and cycling. There are trails on Hancock Hill, which is on Sul Ross property adjacent to campus, that are open to all enthusiasts. The Hill Club plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of those trails. The club has also helped with trail maintenance in Big Bend Ranch State Park.
SUL ROSS FIELD GEOLOGY
GEOL 4601
Five week Geology capstone course in the Big Bend region of Texas and
northern New Mexico
UPCOMING SUMMER 2024
Late May to Early July
Applications will be accepted starting in October 2023
More details will be posted early Sept 2023
Field Geology description:
The SRSU 2024 Field Geology course will start and end at the Alpine campus in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. The course departs Alpine for two and a half weeks mapping in Big Bend’s Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and Paleogene igneous rocks, then to Proterozoic metamorphic rocks of the Van Horn area on our way to northern New Mexico for the final two and a half weeks, investigating structures of the Laramide orogeny and the Rio Grande rift.
Instructors:
Thomas A. Shiller II, Ph.D.
thomas.shiller@sulross.edu
Jesse Kelsch, M.S.
jkelsch@sulross.edu
Degree Plans
The Geology Program offers two Bachelor of Science degrees. The degree plans and suggested course sequence can be viewed in the tabs below (scroll down).
Geology faculty use a course checklist to advise students during registration. The checklist can also be used to show students their progress in the degree as well as courses that still need to be taken. Students are encouraged to use the checklists and to be involved in their degree progress.
A checklist created from the degree plan can be accessed through the links:
BS-Geology degree Advisor checklist
BS-Geology; Composite Science Certification Advisor checklist
Don’t forget:
All undergraduates must be advised in order to register/enroll in courses in a future term.
All undergraduates must be advised in order to register/enroll in courses in a future term.
Academic Advisors provide students with schedule planning and degree checklists, identify academic support structures (tutoring) for at-risk students, help new students transition from other institutions, and assist students in deciding on a major. Academic Advisors also provide students with one-on-one instruction on how to use Lobo Online which is the student’s portal to academic and administrative services at Sul Ross State University.
Advisors accept student inquiries by appointment (Zoom, Teams, and Skype), over the phone, or as walk-ins. Students must be advised before registration and they must receive their advisor’s final approval of schedules and official degree plans.
Visit Academic Advising to learn more.
Geology Major (Minor Required)
Freshman Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 1303/1103
4 credit hours
GEOL 1304/1104
4 credit hours
ENG 1301
3 credit hours
ENG 1302
3 credit hours
MATH 1314/ 1316/ 2413
3-4 credit hours
HIST 1302
3 credit hours
HIST 1301
3 credit hours
CHEM 1311/111
4 credit hours
SRSU 1101
1 credit hour
_
_
Total: 14-15 sch
Total: 14 sch
Sophomore Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 2405
4 credit hours
GEOL 2401 or 2408
4 credit hours
Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core Req
3 credit hours
MATH 1316, 2413, or higher
3-4 credit hours
PS 2305
3 credit hours
Social & Behavioral Science Core Req
3 credit hours
Creative Arts Core Req
3 credit hours
PS 2306
3 credit hours
–
–
Minor Coursework
3-4 credit hours
Total: 13 sch
Total: 16-18 sch
Junior Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 3000+Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
GEOL 3000+Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
GEOL 3408
4 credit hours
GEOL 3402
4 credit hours
PHYS 1301 + 1101
4 credit hours
Component Area Core Req
3 credit hours
Component Area Core Req
3 credit hours
CHEM 1312 + 1112/ PHYS 1302 + 1102
4 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3-4 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3-4 credit hours
Total: 17-19 sch
Total: 17-19 sch
Senior Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 3000+Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
GEOL 3000+Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
GEOL 4401
4 credit hours
GEOL 4403
4 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3-4 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3-4 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3 credit hours
Minor Coursework
3 credit hours
Total: 13-15 sch
Total: 13-15 sch
Summer I
–
GEOL 4601
6 credit hours
–
–
Total: 6 sch
–
Total Credit Hours Required for Bachelor of Science in Geology: 120
This degree plan includes:
42 Core credit hours
10 Bachelor of Science credit hours
50 Geology major credit hours
18-22 minor hours
TOTAL HOURS: 120-130
All undergraduates must be advised in order to register/enroll in courses in a future term.
Academic Advisors provide students with schedule planning and degree checklists, identify academic support structures (tutoring) for at-risk students, help new students transition from other institutions, and assist students in deciding on a major. Academic Advisors also provide students with one-on-one instruction on how to use Lobo Online which is the student’s portal to academic and administrative services at Sul Ross State University.
Advisors accept student inquiries by appointment (Zoom, Teams, and Skype), over the phone, or as walk-ins. Students must be advised before registration and they must receive their advisor’s final approval of schedules and official degree plans.
Visit Academic Advising to learn more.
Geology Certification Major
Freshman Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 1303/1103
4 credit hours
GEOL 1304/1104
4 credit hours
ENG 1301
3 credit hours
ENG 1302
3 credit hours
MATH 1314, 1316, or 2413
3-4 credit hours
HIST 1302
3 credit hours
HIST 1301
3 credit hours
MATH 1316, 2413, or higher
3-4 credit hours
SRSU 1101
1 credit hour
_
_
Total: 14-15 sch
Total: 13-14 sch
Summer I
Summer II
CHEM 1311/1111
4 credit hours
CHEM 1312/1112
4 credit hours
Total: 4 sch
Total: 4 sch
Sophomore Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 2405
4 credit hours
GEOL 3000+ Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
Social & Behavioral Core Req
3 credit hours
Component Area Core Req
3 credit hours
Creative Arts Core Req
3 credit hours
L, P & C Core Req
3 credit hours
PHYS 1301/1101
4 credit hours
PHYS 1302/1102
4 credit hours
Total: 14 sch
Total: 13-14 sch
Summer I
Summer II
BIOL 1306/1106
4 credit hours
BIOL 1307/1107
4 credit hours
Total: 4 sch
Total: 4 sch
Junior Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 3408
4 credit hours
GEOL 3402
4 credit hours
Component Area Core Req
3 credit hours
GEOL 4403
4 credit hours
PS 2305
3 credit hours
ED 3302 (Block I)
3 credit hours
GEOL 3302
3 credit hours
ED 4314 (Block I)
3 credit hours
Total: 13 sch
Total: 14 sch
Senior Year
Semester I
Semester II
GEOL 3000+Elective (Group II)
3-4 credit hours
ED 3300 (Block III)
3 credit hours
PS 2306
3 credit hours
ED 4322 (Block III)
3 credit hours
ED 3301 (Block II)
3 credit hours
ED 4605
6 credit hours
ED 3303 (Block II)
3 credit hours
–
–
Total: 12-13 sch
Total: 12 sch
Total Credit Hours Required for Bachelor of Science in Geology Certification: 121-125
This degree plan includes:
44 Core credit hours (42 + 2 labs)
8 Bachelor of Science credit hours
44 Geology major credit hours
24 Ed certification hours
TOTAL HOURS: 121-125