Geology, Minor College of Letters & Science
The minor in Geology offers students a chance to emphasize in one of four areas: General Geology, Engineering Geology, Geochemistry, or Paleobiology.
Students majoring in Geology may elect to complete a minor in Geophysics, Environmental Geology, or Oceanography. They may not complete a minor in Geology.
Students majoring in Marine & Coastal Science may elect to complete a minor in Geology, Geophysics, or Environmental Geology. They may not complete a minor in Oceanography.
The minor is sponsored by the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences.
Advising
Visit the staff major advisor for help navigating minor requirements, policies, prerequisites, and course offerings. Visit the faculty major advisors for additional advice on courses, careers, and graduate school. Faculty Advisors: Same as Geology Major Faculty Advisors; except Paleobiology emphasis: R. Motani.
Work with your major advisor and college advisors to fit a minor into your overall academic plan.
Declare your minor using the OASIS Minor Declaration form, due the quarter before graduation.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of four emphases: | 19-24 | |
| Total Units | 19-24 | |
General Geology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EPS 001/GEL 050,GEL 001 DISCONTINUED FOR FALL 2026 ** | 3-4 | |
| EPS 102 | 3 | |
| or GEL 101 DISCONTINUED FOR FALL 2026 ** | ||
| GEL 050L | Physical Geology Laboratory | 2 |
| GEL 107 | Earth History: Paleobiology | 3 |
| GEL 108 | Earth History: Paleoclimates | 3 |
| GEL 109 | Earth History: Sediments & Strata (Discontinued for fall 2026) ** | 3 |
| or EPS 109 | ||
| GEL/ESP 116N | Oceanography | 3 |
| or GEL 134 | Environmental Geology & Land Use Planning | |
| Total Units | 20-21 | |
- **
Course(s) discontinued; see your advisor for course options.
Engineering Geology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECI 171 & 171L | Soil Mechanics and Soil Mechanics Laboratory | 5 |
| GEL 050 & 050L | Physical Geology and Physical Geology Laboratory | 5 |
| Choose three: | 9-14 | |
| Environmental Geology & Land Use Planning | ||
| Hydrogeology & Contaminant Transport (Discontinued for winter 2026) ** | ||
| Geophysical Field Methods | ||
| Geophysics of the Solid Earth | ||
| Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals | ||
| Groundwater Hydrology | ||
| Hydrogeology & Contaminant Transport (Discontinued for winter 2026) | ||
| Soils in Land Use & the Environment | ||
| Soil Genesis, Morphology, & Classification | ||
| Total Units | 19-24 | |
- **
Course(s) discontinued; see your advisor for course options.
Geochemistry Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| GEL 060 | Earth Materials: Introduction | 4 |
| GEL 146 | Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry & Cosmochemistry | 3 |
| or GEL 148 | Stable Isotopes & Geochemical Tracers | |
| CHE 110A | Physical Chemistry: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | 4 |
| CHE 110B | Physical Chemistry: Properties of Atoms & Molecules 1 | 4 |
| Choose two electives: | 6-9 | |
| Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Equilibria & Kinetics | ||
| Earth History: Paleoclimates | ||
| Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry & Cosmochemistry | ||
| Stable Isotopes & Geochemical Tracers | ||
| Aqueous Geochemistry | ||
| Environmental Soil Chemistry | ||
| Total Units | 21-24 | |
- 1
Chemistry majors may substitute one of the elective courses for Chemistry CHE 110B.
Paleobiology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| GEL 107 | Earth History: Paleobiology | 3 |
| GEL 107L | Earth History: Paleobiology Laboratory | 2 |
| GEL 108 | Earth History: Paleoclimates | 3 |
| GEL 141 | Evolutionary History of Vertebrates (Discontinued for fall 2026) ** | 3 |
| or GEL 144 | Historical Ecology | |
| or EPS 141 | ||
| Choose at least 9 addtional units: | 9 | |
| Primate Evolution | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Introduction to Evolution | ||
| Introduction to Ecology | ||
| Population & Quantitative Genetics | ||
| Phylogenetic Analysis of Vertebrate Structure (Discontinued for fall 2025) ** | ||
| Biology of Invertebrates | ||
| Biology of Invertebrates Laboratory | ||
| Paleobotany (Discontinued for winter 2026) ** | ||
| Evolution of Ecological Systems (Discontinued for winter 2026) ** | ||
| Earth History: Sediments & Strata (Discontinued for fall 2026) ** | ||
or EPS 109 | ||
| Biological Oceanography | ||
| Total Units | 20 | |
- **
Course(s) discontinued; see your advisor for course options.