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Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
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Undergraduate Requirements: Geochemistry Track

In to addition the core requirements, a GPS major with a Geochemistry track must include:

  1. ACM 95ab or Ch 41 abc or Ch 21 abc
  2. 3 GPS electives with a chemical component from the following list: Ge 114, Ge 116, Ge 140a, Ge 140b, Ge/ESE 140c, Ch 21a, Ch 41a, ESE/Ge/Ch 171, Ge/ESE 143, Ge/ESE 149
  3. 81 additional units of elective courses in Ch, ESE, Ge, APh, or MS. These courses may be selected from:
    • Ch 4ab, Ch 5ab, Ch 6ab, Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch/ChE 9, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 21bc, Ch 41bc, Ch 102, ChE 63ab
    • ESE 103, ESE/Ge 142, Ge/ESE 154, ESE/Ge/Ch 171, ESE/Ge/Ch 172, ESE/Ch 176, ESE/Ch 177
    • Ge 40, Ge 106, Ge 112, Ge 115ab, Ge 120ab, Ge/Ch 127, Ge/Ch 128, Ge/AY 132, Ge/ESE 143, Ge/ESE 129, Ge 191, Ge 212, Ge 214, Ge 215, Ge 217, Ge 218, Ge 219
    • APh 17abc, APh/MS 105abc, MS 105, MS 115, MS 125, MS 131, MS 133, MS 142, MS/ME 161

Students may petition the Geochemistry option representative to use courses not listed above to satisfy requirements (2) and (3).

1No class may be used to simultaneously satisfy more than one of these requirements.

2For example, E 11, or En/Wr 84.

Typical Course Schedule Units per term
1st 2nd  3rd
Second Year
Ge 11 abc Intro. to Earth and Planetary Sci. 9 9 9
Scientific Writing 3
Ge 109 Oral Presentation (GeCh option) 6
Geochemistry core or electives 9 9 9
Ph 2 ab Sophomore Physics 9 9
Ma 2 & other Sophomore Mathematics 9 9
HSS electives 9 9 9
Total units 45 45 36
Third Year
ACM 95 ab Intro. Methods of Applied Math. 12 12
Geochemistry core or electives 18 18 18
HSS electives 9 9 9
Total units 27 39 39
Fourth Year
Geochemistry electives 9 9 9
HSS electives 9 9 9
Total units 18 18 18

For students beginning their junior year, it is possible to complete the requirements for the geochemistry option within two years, but there are benefits from starting with Ge 11 abc in the sophomore year.

Passing grades must be earned in a total of 486 units, including courses listed above. Any student whose grade-point average in science and mathematics courses is less than 1.9 at the end of an academic year may be refused permission to register in the geological and planetary science options.

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