Graduate Requirements: Geology Option

The geology option requirements are:

(1) Two of Ge 102, 103, 104, or ESE 101, ESE 102, ESE 103, which also satisfy the basic division requirement.

(2) 36 units of advanced field geology, in the form of three terms of Ge 121 abc taken from three different instructors.

(3) 54 additional units in 100- or 200-level science, math or engineering courses in any field at Caltech. Ch 21 abc may be included as part of these units, and other courses below the 100 level may be included at the discretion of the option representative.

Courses that cannot be used to satisfy these requirements include research and reading courses, and certain courses constituting basic preparation in the field of geology, such as Ge 106, Ge 112, Ge 114 ab, and Ge 115 ab. A grade of C- or better is required for all course work that satisfies these requirements. Knowledge of basic physics, mathematics, and data analysis at the level of Ge 108 and Ge/Ay 117 is required of all Ph.D. candidates in geology. Students entering the geology option with a master's degree in a science or mathematics may be exempt from up to 45 units at the discretion of the option representative. Geology students are required to give a 30-minute presentation, including 10 minutes of discussion, on their research at the Geoclub Seminar series before admission to candidacy.

Units at Caltech nominally reflect the total hours a typical student will spend per week in the classroom, the lab and with homework. Thus, a nine unit course may involve three hours in the classroom, two hours in a laboratory and four hours doing homework each week.