This is a sample curriculum plan for the Geosciences BS, Geophysics Emphasis within the College of Arts and Sciences at Boise State University.
If you are a prospective student viewing this document, please note curriculum is subject to change and specific per catalog year.
For current students, this plan is intended to be a glimpse at key sequencing within the major and includes some common/important advising notes. Sample plans are meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. This plan does not replace the advice of academic advisors. Please refer to the Advising Contacts page for information about advising within the College of Arts and Sciences and how to contact advisors within each department.
First Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS or GEOL 101 | Global Environmental Science OR Physical Geology | 4 |
| MATH 143 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 144 | Precalculus II: Trigonometric Functions | 2 |
| ENGL 101 | Intro to College Writing | 3 |
| UF 100 | Foundations of Intellectual Life | 3 |
| TOTAL | | 15 |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| MATH 170 | Calculus I | 4 |
| ENGL 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I | 3 |
| GEOS 212 | Water in the West | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 111L | General Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| TOTAL | | 15 |
Second Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS 200 | Evolution of Western North America | 4 |
| GEOS 220 | Seeing the Unseen: An Introduction to Geophysics | 4 |
| MATH 175 | Calculus II | 4 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 112L | General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| TOTAL | | 16 |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| MATH 275 | Multivariable Vector Calculus | 4 |
| GEOS 313 | Geomorphology | 4 |
| COMM 101 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
| UF 200 | Foundations of Ethics and Diversity | 3 |
| TOTAL | | 14 |
Third Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS 300 | Earth Materials | 4 |
| MATH 333 | Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 211 | Physics with Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS 211L | Physics with Calculus I Lab | 1 |
| FS | Foundations of Social Sciences* | 3 |
| TOTAL | | 16 |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS 314 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOS 357 | Computation in Geosciences | 3 |
| MATH 254 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| PHYS 212 | Physics with Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 212L | Physics with Calculus II | 1 |
| TOTAL | | 15 |
Summer Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS 422 | Data Analysis & Geostatistics | 3 |
| GEOG 360 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| GEOS 315 | Sedimentation and Stratigraphy | 4 |
| GEOS 498 (FF) | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| FA | Foundations of Arts* | 3 |
| TOTAL | | 16 |
Fourth Year
First Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| FS | Foundations of Social Sciences* | 3 |
| GEOS 314 | Structural Geology | 4 |
| GEOS 343 | Applied Geophysics | 3 |
| GEOS 420 | Geophysical Applications of Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| FH | Foundations of Humanities* | 3 |
| TOTAL | | 16 |
Second Semester
| Subject/Area/Course | Title | Crs |
| GEOS 482 | Geoscience Field Studies | 6 |
| TOTAL | | 6 |
Comments/Notes
- Courses listed may require prerequisites. Please view the Undergraduate catalog to view prerequisites
- The major’s curriculum starts at Math 143. Enrollment in a math course below Math 143 has the potential to extend date of graduation
- Information Subject to Change.
- This is not a contract.
- *Foundational course offerings here.