Geoscience degrees require field trip experiences, many of which take place during vacation periods during or between semesters, or during the summer session. This listing does not show the field trip requirements. Honors program students must elect a senior thesis and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.20 in order to graduate with honors. Joint Programs Joint programs can be arranged, usually with chemistry, physics, biological sciences, environmental engineering, environmental science, and anthropology. Original Research A junior or senior who is ready to pursue original research for credit in geoscience may assist a faculty member or graduate student with a current research project or may initiate a small-scale project involving a combination of field, laboratory, and library investigation.
Independent study is encouraged.
Undergraduate classes have produced term reports that subsequently were published. Field Trips Field trips are integral parts of several courses in geoscience, with frequent weekend general-interest events. Geology of the Iowa City region is characterized by a layer of glacial drift on a largely Paleozoic sedimentary section a few hundred meters thick, overlying a Precambrian crystalline basement. Marine and terrestrial fossil assemblages, extensive reefs, and unique geode sites are located within a few hours' drive. Numerous Pleistocene glaciations are represented in Iowa, and field studies of landforms, exposures, and cores continue to yield information on sedimentology, stratigraphy, soil formation, paleopedology, and fossil biotas from both glacial and interglacial deposits.