HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
THE GEOLOGY BS MAJOR AN 8-SEMESTER STUDY GRID
This is simply an example of what 8 semesters might look like for incoming First-Year students. Shown below are major requirements, but not university general education requirements. If you declare your major later, or are a Transfer Student, your grid will look considerably different. Your course choices may vary. Note that you will complete all of your NS/MA/CS Distribution requirements taking degree courses. Advanced Geology courses are numbered GEOL 015 and above. Up to 6 credits of Distribution courses may be taken during Study Abroad. At least 15 semester hours in the major field of study must be taken at Hofstra. GEOL 033, 019, and 135 are required courses, but they do not need to be taken in any particular year.
FIRST YEAR Fall
Spring
GEOL 001 – Planet Earth MATH (precalculus or statistics*)
GEOL 002 – Historical Geology MATH (calculus)
Summer/January Sessions*
SECOND YEAR Fall GEOL 033 Environmental Geomorphology GEOL 019 Structural Geology CHEM 3A,B
Spring Advanced GEOL elective
Notes
CHEM 4A,B or 139,140
THIRD YEAR Study Abroad Fall/Spring semester or an entire academic year; not restricted to Junior Year.** Fall Advanced GEOL elective Advanced GEOL elective PHYS 1A,B / 11A,B
Spring Advanced GEOL elective GEOL 135 Sedimentation PHYS 2A,B / 12A,B
Notes
Fall Advanced GEOL elective BIO / CS (Biology or Computer Sci)
Spring Advanced GEOL elective BIO / CS
Notes
Recommended: GEOL 151 (independent research)
Recommended: GEOL 155 (internship)
FOURTH YEAR
For more information and to meet your faculty, visit our Department website at:
https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/ geol/index.html WHY STUDY GEOLOGY? https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/geol/geol-careers.html What can I do with a GEOLOGY degree? https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/geol/geol-careersgeology.html
NOTES Some Geology and Environmental Science courses (AP/IB/Transfer) taken prior to Hofstra can count toward the major. Non-Geology courses taken prior to your first year can count toward general education requirements or elective credits, whether taken at Hofstra or transferred in. You are not required to take Summer or January courses (for which there is no financial aid). You can complete your degree of 124 credits taking five courses every semester because the required physics, chemistry, and calculus courses are 4 credit courses. Note that you can take up to 17 credits per semester without paying additional tuition. GEOLOGY BS students should consider doing an internship or independent research project in preparation for graduate school or entering the geological or environmental consulting fields. We encourage all GEOLOGY students to participate in internships, independent research, or other forms of experiential learning: https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/geol/geol-experiential.html *Statistics and calculus are preferred for GEOLOGY BS majors because both courses are required by New York State for obtaining a Professional Geologist license. **In addition to going on study abroad for either semester in their third year, students can go for the entire academic year in their third year, for a semester in their second or fourth years, or for a short-term program in the summer or during the January break.