The B.S. degree program is designed for students who intend to do graduate study and pursue a career in geosciences. It provides a sound training in the discipline, supported by course work in mathematics, chemistry and physics. The B.A. degree program also provides a strong background in the geosciences, but is flexible enough to serve students with interests in teaching, law, business administration, environmental analysis, remote sensing and geographic information systems, or other disciplines requiring a fundamental understanding of geoscience. An important part of both degree programs is required participation in field activities, including an annual Major's Field Trip which involves five or more days examining the geology of such areas as New Mexico, West Texas, Colorado or Oklahoma. The Department of Geosciences is housed in the Marrs McLean Science Center, totally remodeled in 1995.
Departmental laboratories are well equipped with an emphasis on hands-on experience.
Students use excellent microscope equipment and have access to comprehensive collections of minerals, rocks, fossils, maps, aerial photographs, and computer databases. All laboratories and field trips are taught by full-time faculty, and individual attention is the rule. Many of our field trips examine the geology of central Texas, but both Big Bend National Park and the Texas coastal region are also included. Student Opportunities Advanced classes for majors and minors are small, usually fewer than ten students. This gives the student a chance to know fellow students and faculty quite well by the time he or she graduates.