Program Modification Form
I Summary of Proposed Changes
Geosciences
Department/program
Revision of Geosciences BS graduation requirements
Summary
II Endorsements and Approvals
Please obtain the Program Chair/Director’s approval and Dean’s approval.
Please type / print name Signature
Requestor:
Phone:
Program Chair/Director:
James Staub
243-4953
James Staub
Department Dean
Other affected Programs:
Chris Comer
n/a
Date
(Use additional sheet if
needed)
Are other departments/programs affected by this
Please obtain signature(s) from the
modification because of
Chair/Director of any such department/
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
program (above) before submission
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
III Type of Program Modification
(e.g. adding a writing course required of all majors.) Please X check the appropriate box.
Major
Minor
Option
Teaching major/minor
x
Other
Please
describe
IV Catalog Language
If you are proposing a change to an existing program or Please provide the proposed copy as you wish
major, please cut and paste the requirements as they
it to appear in the catalog. 
appear in the current catalog below.
www.umt.edu/catalog 
Geosciences B.S.
Geosciences B.S.
Bachelor of Science - Geosciences
Bachelor of Science - Geosciences
College Humanities & Sciences
College Humanities & Sciences
Catalog Year: 2014-2015
Catalog Year: 2015-2016
Degree Specific Credits: 32
Degree Specific Credits: 62
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Note: This option is designed for students who
seek post-graduate employment as a professional
geoscientist or preparation for graduate study in
geosciences.
Note: This option is designed for students
who seek post-graduate employment as a
professional geoscientist or preparation for
graduate study in geosciences.
Lower Division Core
Lower Division Core
Rule: Must complete all of the following courses
Rule: Must complete all of the following
courses
Note: .
Note: .
Course
Credits
Course
GEO 101N - Intro to
Physical Geology
3 Credits
GEO 102N - Intro to
Physical Geology Lab
1 Credits
GEO 200 - Historical
Geology
2 Credits
GEO 101N - Intro
to Physical Geology
3 Credits
GEO 102N - Intro
to Physical Geology
Lab
1 Credits
GEO
211 - Earth History
and Evolution
4 Credits
GEO 225 - Earth
Materials
4 Credits
GEO 228 - Earth Surface
Processes
2 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
GEO 231 - Geosciences
Field Methods
2 Credits
Degree Electives
Minimum Required Grade: C-
14 Total Credits
Required
Degree Electives
Rule: Must complete 6 geosciences courses
numbered 300 and above for a minimum of 18
credits
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Credits
8 Total Credits
Required
Rule: Must complete 24 credits from the
following list of courses
GEO 225 Earth Materials (4 cr)
GEO 305 Igneous and Metamorphic
Petrology (4 cr)
GEO 309 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
(4 cr)
GEO 311 Paleobiology (3 cr)
GEO 315 Structural Geology (4 cr)
18 Total Credits Required
Cognate Sciences
Rule: In addition to completing course work in
Geosciences, a minimum of 30 credits in cognate
science classes must be completed.
Note: More advanced courses in Chemistry,
Computer Science, Math, and Physics may be
used to meet the 30 credit minimum total in
cognate sciences. Course substitutions for the 30
credit minimum in cognate sciences must be
approved by a departmental advisor.
GEO 318 Surface Processes (4 cr)
GEO 320 Global Water (4 cr)
GEO 327 Geochemistry (4 cr)
GEO 420 Hydrogeology (4 cr)
GEO 421 Hydrology (3 cr)
GEO 433 Tectonics (3 cr)
GEO 443 Sedimentary Petrology (4 cr)
GEO 460 Process Geomorphology (4 cr)
GEO 482 Global Change (3 cr)
GEO 488 Snow, Ice, and Climate (3 cr)
GEO 491 Special Topics (1-8 cr)
Minimum Required Grade: C24 Total Credits Required
Cognate Sciences
Physics
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following sequences
10 Total Credits Required
Physics
Rule: May complete the following sequence
Course
Credits
PHSX 205N - College
Physics I
4 Credits
PHSX 206N - College
Physics I Laboratory
1 Credits
PHSX 207N - College
Physics II
4 Credits
PHSX 208N - College
Physics II Laboratory
1 Credits
Rule: In addition to completing course
work in Geosciences, a minimum of 30
credits in cognate science classes must be
completed.
Note: More advanced courses in
Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, and
Physics may be used to meet the 30 credit
minimum total in cognate sciences.
Biology 100N or above is also appropriate.
Course substitutions for the 30 credit
minimum in cognate sciences must be
approved by a departmental advisor.
Physics
10 Total Credits
Minimum Required Grade: CRequired
Physics with Calculus
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following
sequences
10 Total Credits Required
Physics
Rule: May complete the following
sequence
Rule: May complete the following sequence
Course
Course
Credits
PHSX 215N - Fund of
Physics w/Calc I
4 Credits
PHSX 216N - Physics
Laboratory I w/Calc
1 Credits
Credits
PHSX 205N College Physics I
4 Credits
PHSX 206N College Physics I
Laboratory
1 Credits
PHSX 217N - Fund of
Physics w/Calc II
4 Credits
PHSX 218N - Physics
Laboratory II w/Calc
1 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C-
10 Total Credits
Required
Chemistry
Rule: Must complete the following courses
Course
Credits
CHMY 141N - College
Chemistry I
5 Credits
CHMY 143N - College
Chemistry II
5 Credits
PHSX 207N College Physics II
4 Credits
PHSX 208N College Physics II
Laboratory
1 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
Physics with Calculus
Rule: May complete the following
sequence
Course
Minimum Required Grade: C-
10 Total Credits
Required
Math
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following
subcategories
7-8 Total Credits Required
Math Option 1
4 Credits
PHSX 216N Physics Laboratory I
w/Calc
1 Credits
PHSX 217N - Fund
of Physics w/Calc II
4 Credits
PHSX 218N Physics Laboratory
II w/Calc
1 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
Credits
M 162 - Applied
Calculus
4 Credits
M 274 - Intro to
Differential Equation
3 Credits
7 Total Credits
Minimum Required Grade: CRequired
Math Option 2
Rule: May complete the following 2 courses
Course
Credits
M 171 - Calculus I
4 Credits
M 172 - Calculus II
4 Credits
Credits
PHSX 215N - Fund
of Physics w/Calc I
Rule: May complete the following 2 courses
Course
10 Total
Credits
Required
10 Total
Credits
Required
Chemistry
Rule: Must complete the following courses
Course
Credits
CHMY 141N College Chemistry
I
5 Credits
CHMY 143N College Chemistry
II
5 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
Math
10 Total Credits
Required
Minimum Required Grade: 8 Total Credits
CRequired
Computer Science
7-8 Total Credits Required
Rule: Must complete 1 course in Computer
Science (Programming or Modeling)
Note: These courses are recommended to
complete the Computer Science requirement.
Credit may be received for only 1 of these 2
courses for the 30 credit minimum cognate science
requirement.
Course
Credits
CSCI 172 - Intro to
Computer Modeling
3 Credits
CSCI 250 - Computer
Mdlng/Science Majors
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C-
3 Total Credits
Required
Math Option 1
Rule: May complete the following 2
courses
Course
Credits
M 162 - Applied
Calculus
4 Credits
M 274 - Intro to
Differential
Equation
3 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
7 Total Credits
Required
Math Option 2
Rule: May complete the following 2
courses
Upper Division Writing
Rule: Must complete 1 upper division writing
course
Note: These courses are recommended to
complete the upper division writing requirement in
Geosciences but students may also select from the
university-approved list of upper division writing
courses to fulfill this requirement.
Course
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following
subcategories
Course
Credits
M 171 Calculus I
4 Credits
M 172 Calculus II
4 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
8 Total Credits
Required
Credits
Computer Science
GEO 320 - Global
Water
4 Credits
GEO 499 - senior
thesis / capstone
3 To 10 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: 3 Total Credits
CRequired
Languages
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following courses
Note: Students graduating in Geosciences may
substitute one of these courses in place of the
Modern and Classical Language requirement.
Rule: Must complete 1 one of the
following courses
Note: These courses are recommended to
complete the Computer Science
requirement. Credit may be received for
only 1 of these 4 courses for the 30 credit
minimum cognate science requirement.
Course
CSCI 172 - Intro to
Computer Modeling
Credits
3 Credits
Course
Credits
M 162 - Applied
Calculus
4 Credits
M 171 - Calculus I
4 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: 3 Total Credits
CRequired
CSCI 250 Computer
Mdlng/Science
Majors
3 Credits
GPHY 284 – Intro to
GIS and Cartography
3 Credits
STAT 216 –
Introduction to
Statistics
4 Credits
3 Total
Minimum Required Grade:
Credits
CRequired
Upper Division Writing
Rule: Must complete 1 upper division
writing course
Note: These courses are recommended to
complete the upper division writing
requirement in Geosciences but students
may also select from the universityapproved list of upper division writing
courses to fulfill this requirement.
Course
Credits
GEO 320 Global Water
4 Credits
GEO 499 senior thesis /
capstone
3 To 10 Credits
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
3 Total Credits
Required
Languages
Rule: Must complete 1 of the following
courses
Note: Students graduating in Geosciences
may substitute one of these courses in
place of the Modern and Classical
Language requirement.
Course
M 162 - Applied
Calculus
Credits
4 Credits
M 171 - Calculus
I
Minimum Required
Grade: C-
4 Credits
3 Total Credits
Required
Please explain/justify the new proposal or change. 
Geosciences faculty spent AY 2013-14 evaluating its curriculum. We concluded that curricular
changes made during 2010-11 AY had proved ineffective in increasing graduating seniors’
comprehension/understanding of the discipline. The 2010-11 changes were focused on
implementing a series of 2 credit hour 200 level courses to increase breadth of required subject
matter in the discipline.
It was concluded that graduates would be better served by a Geosciences curriculum that
streamlines and consolidates instruction into a smaller number of more substantial courses with
a stronger emphasis on analytical and field skills. Increased contact hours will permit a more
rigorous treatment of the different subjects, and allow the inclusion of laboratory and field
experiences. Courses to be modified are GEO 200 Historical Geology (2cr), which will become
GEO 211 Earth History and Evolution (4cr) with increased lecture time and added field and
laboratory components, GEO 228 Earth Surface Processes (2cr), which will become GEO 318
Surface Processes (4cr) with increased lecture time and added field and laboratory components,
and GEO 315 (3cr), which will stay as GEO 315 but with an increase in credits to four with
expanded field and laboratory components. GEO 200 Historical Geology (2cr), GEO 228
Surface Processes (2cr), and GEO 231 Field Methods (2cr) will be deleted from the curriculum
after the proposed curricular changes have been approved.
Overall, these curricular modification are part of a broader departmental effort to (1) provide
consistent instruction in a broad range of geosciences principles; (2) optimize undergraduate
course offerings; (3) ensure continuity and sequence in course content; (4) balance instruction
between the department’s two focus areas: water science and solid earth science; (5) revise
courses to prioritize innovative and forward-looking content; (6) revise courses to prioritize
marketable skills.
Specific revisions to the text and required course work for this degree are as follows as well as
for all the reasons listed above.
Listing only 32 credits as degree specific requirements is not accurate. The number of degree
specific credits is increased from 32 to 62 because a minimum of 30 credits in cognate sciences
is required to complete the degree requirements. The total number of UM required geoscience
and cognate science credits required remains constant after all revisions are completed.
Lower Division Core: GEO 200 Historical Geology (2cr), GEO 225 Earth Materials (4cr), GEO
228 Earth Surface Processes (2cr), and GEO 231 Field Methods (2cr) are deleted as
requirements and replaced with GEO 211 Earth History and Evolution (4cr). AY 2015-16
Geosciences will delete GEO 200 Historical Geology (2cr), GEO 228 Earth Surface Processes
(2cr), and GEO 231 Field Methods (2cr) from course offerings. The Lower Division Core is
reduced from 14 to 8 credits.
Degree Electives: The number of credits required is increased for 18 to 24 and the specific
courses that can be used to fulfill this requirement is are listed.
Cognate Sciences: Language changed to indicate that Biology 100N or other biology courses are
appropriate (for students interested in paleobiology). GPHY 284 Introduction to GIS and
Cartography and STAT 216 Introduction to Statistics are added as acceptable choices to increase
‘Computer Science’ options from 2 to 4.
V Copies and Electronic Submission
Once approved, the original, a paper copy and an electronic file are submitted to the Faculty Senate
Office, UH 221 (camie.foos@mso.umt.edu).
VI Department Summary Required if several proposals are submitted. In a separate document
list program title and proposed change of all proposals.
Revised 11-2009