International Field Geosciences Dual

This degree is designed specifically for students who seek to combine a rigorous education in the Geosciences with a year-long international geosciences experience and an emphasis on field-based learning. It requires living and attending classes overseas. Students demonstrating a high level of performance at the University will be eligible for partial financial support as funds are available. Although most of the course work completed during the year abroad will take place at University Potsdam in Germany, additional course work is required at the University College Cork in Ireland. For students who satisfy all degree requirements, a B.S. degree in International Field Geosciences will be awarded by the University of Montana and a second B.S. degree in International Field Geosciences will be awarded by Potsdam University. 

Bachelor of Science - International Field Geos Dual

College Humanities & Sciences

Catalog Year: 2014-2015

Degree Specific Credits: 37

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: This option is designed specifically for students who seek to combine a rigorous education in the Geosciences with a yearlong international Geosciences experience and an emphasis on field-based learning. It requires attending classes and living overseas. Students demonstrating a high level of performance at the University will be eligible for partial financial support as funds are available. Although most of the course work completed during the year abroad will take place at the Potsdam University in Germany, additional course work is required at the University College Cork in Ireland. For students who satisfy all degree requirements, a B.S. degree in International Field Geosciences will be awarded by The University of Montana and a second B.S. degree in International Field Geosciences will be awarded by the Potsdam University.


Lower Division Core

Rule: Must complete all of the following courses

Note: .

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description GEO 101N - Intro to Physical Geology
Offered autumn and spring. General geology including the work of wind, flowing water, glacial ice, gravity, earthquakes, volcanoes and plate tectonics in shaping the earth. 
3 Credits
Show Description GEO 102N - Intro to Physical Geology Lab
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. or coreq., GEO 101N (preferred) or 105N or 108N. A series of laboratory and field experiences designed around basic geologic processes and materials. Familiarization with common minerals, rocks, land forms, and structures. Intended to provide laboratory experience primarily with GEO 101N, but can be taken with or following any of the other freshman GEO courses listed above.
1 Credits
Show Description GEO 200 - Historical Geology
Offered autumn. Traces the history of the earth since its inception 4.5 billion years ago. Presents scientific theories for the origin of the earth and the nature of important earth shaping events of the past, including the development of the oceans, atmosphere and climate.
2 Credits
Show Description GEO 225 - Earth Materials
Offered spring. Prereq., any geoscience 100 level lecture course, GEO 102N, CHMY 121N or 141N. Study of minerals and rocks utilizing an Earth Systems approach; mineral identification and paragenesis; survey of the distribution of minerals from the interior to the surfaces of planets and the processes that led to their formation.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 228 - Earth Surface Processes
Spring semester. Prereq. GEO 101N-102N, M 121 and 122 or M 151. Introduction to the physical processes that affect the surface of the Earth, including global-scale energy distribution and balance, the hydrologic cycle, climate, weathering, transport mechanisms, and geomorphic processes. 
2 Credits
Show Description GEO 231 - Geosciences Field Methods
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. GEO 101N-102N. This course introduces students to a variety of field methodologies routinely used in the collection, processing, and interpretation of geoscientific field data.
2 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 14 Total Credits Required

Upper Division Core

Rule: Must complete all of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description GEO 326 - Sedimentary Geol Field Trip 1
Offered spring. Prereq., GEO 101N. Examination of modern and ancient sedimentary depositional systems in the field through a 9-day spring break field trip. Possible areas of focus include the Permian Reef Complex of West Texas, the California convergent margin, Oregon coastal processes, geology of the Basin and Range, Death Valley Region, Colorado Plateau, and Oklahoma Aulacogen.
2 Credits
Show Description GEO 429 - Field Geology
Offered summer. Prereq., GEO 315 and consent of instr. Geologic mapping on aerial photos and topographic base maps. Field interpretation in a variety of rock types and structures. Taught every summer near Dillon, Montana. Extra fees. Pre–registration in early spring.
6 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 8 Total Credits Required

Degree Electives

Rule: Must complete 15 credits from the following courses:

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description GEO 305 - Igneous & Metamorph Petrology
Offered spring. Prereq., GEO 225, CHMY 143N. Igneous rock associations, igneous processes and origins; metamorphic minerals and phase relationships, metamorphic zones, facies, and conditions; metamorphic environments, metallic minerals and mineral deposits.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 311 - Paleobiology
Offered autumn. Prereq. GEO 101N or equiv. level Biology. Survey of the major groups of organisms in the geologic record and hands-on study of fossils; application of geologic and biologic data and principles to solve problems in geoscience and bioscience.
3 Credits
Show Description GEO 315 - Structural Geology
Offered autumn. Prereq., GEO 225. Structures of deformed rocks; mechanical principles; graphical interpretation of structural problems, tectonic principles.
3 Credits
Show Description GEO 320 - Global Water
Offered spring. Prereq. one semester of college chemistry, WRIT 101 or equiv., and completion of one writing course. Students are encouraged to take the UDWPA prior to taking this course. Fulfills the Upper Division Writing Requirement. Water is necessary for life. Without it, life as we know it cannot exist. This course discusses the chemistry of water as it moves through the hydrological cycle. We discuss how water chemistry evolves through atmospheric water, rain water, ground water, surface water, and sea water. Students will have an understanding of the chemical attributes of water in major water reservoirs. Class discussions, formal and informal writing assignments, a short laboratory experiment, and a field trip highlight examples of water chemistry. Students will use excel to solve problems and will learn citation conventions relevant for scientific writing.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 327 - Geochemistry
Offered alternate years. Prereq. one year of college chemistry, one semester of calculus, and one semester of physical geology, or consent of instructor. One semester of mineralogy recommended. The chemical properties of elements control their geological distribution and underlie the basic physical properties of rocks. An understanding of geochemistry will help students understand water chemistry, sediment geochemistry, and igneous petrology. The course covers chemical principles applied to geologic materials and processes, including the origin and chemical composition of earth, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Principles of stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry are discussed. Students will use excel to solve problems. Class discussions, problems sets, and exams are used to assess student performance.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 420 - Hydrogeology
Offered autumn. Prereq., GEO 101N-102N; PHSX 205N/206N or PHSX 215N/216N ; M  162 or 171 strongly recommended or consent of instr. Occurrence, movement, quality, and methods of quantification of groundwater. Geological framework and physics of groundwater flow. Supply, contamination, and management problems.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 433 - Global Tectonics
Offered spring. Prereq., GEO 315, M 162, and 2.25 or better overall GPA in geosciences courses. Geodynamics and tectonics of the Earth and other planets.  Course material includes methods of observing tectonic processes and tectonic phenomena, both at the surface and in the deep earth, over a wide range of time scales.
3 Credits
Show Description GEO 442 - Architecture of Sed Deposits
Offered autumn alternate years.  Study of the architectural elements and composition of sedimentary deposits in the context of their tectonic environments and their influence on petroleum and hydrogeologic systems.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 460 - Process Geomorphology
Offered spring. Prereq., one semester college calculus and physics. Quantitative examination of landforms, runoff generation, weathering, mechanics of soil erosion by water and wind, mass wasting, glacial and periglacial processes and hillslope evolution.
4 Credits
Show Description GEO 491 - Special Topics
(R-8) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of  visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.
1 To 8 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 15 Total Credits Required

Physics

Rule: Must complete 1 of the following sequences

10 Total Credits Required

Physics

Rule: May complete the following sequence

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description PHSX 205N - College Physics I
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq., M 122 or 151 or equivalent, and prereq. or coreq. PHSX 206N.  Mechanics, sound, and heat.  For non-physical science majors.  This course satisfies the lecture portion of medical school requirements in general physics.  Credit not allowed for both PHSX 205N-207N and 215N-217N.
4 Credits
Show Description PHSX 206N - College Physics I Laboratory
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq. or coreq., PHSX 205N.  Mechanics, sound, and heat.  For non-physical science majors.  This course satisfies the laboratory portion of medical school requirements in general physics.  Credit not allowed for both PHSX 206N-208N and 216N-218N.
1 Credits
Show Description PHSX 207N - College Physics II
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq. PHSX 205N and prereq. or coreq., PHSX 208N.  Electricity, magnetism, light, and modern physics.  For non-physical science majors.  This course satisfies the lecture portion of medical school requirements in general physics.  Credit not allowed for both PHSX 205N-207N and 215N-217N.
4 Credits
Show Description PHSX 208N - College Physics II Laboratory
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq., PHSX 206N, prereq, or coreq., PHSX 207N.  Electricity, magnetism, light and modern physics.  For non-physical science majors.  This course satisfies the laboratory portion of medical school requirements in general physics.  Credit not allowed for both PHSX 206N-208N and 216N-218N.
1 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 10 Total Credits Required

Physics with Calculus

Rule: May complete the following sequence

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description PHSX 215N - Fund of Physics w/Calc I
Offered autumn. Prereq. or coreq., PHSX 216N and M 171 or equiv. This course satisfies the lecture portion of medical and technical school requirements in general physics. Mechanics, fluids, waves and sound. Credit not allowed for both PHSX 215N-216N-217N-218N and 205N-206N-207N-208N.
4 Credits
Show Description PHSX 216N - Physics Laboratory I w/Calc
Offered autumn. Coreq., PHSX 215N. This course satisfies the laboratory portion of medical and technical school requirements in general physics. Mechanics, fluids, waves, and sound. Credit not allowed for both PHSX 215N-216N-217N-218N and 205N-206N-207N-208N.
1 Credits
Show Description PHSX 217N - Fund of Physics w/Calc II
Offered spring. Prereq., PHSX 215N, and prereq. or coreq. PHSX 218, and prereq. or coreq., M 172 or equivalent. This course satisfies the lecture portion of medical and technical school requirements in general physics. Heat, electricity, magnetism, and light. Credit not allowed for both PHSX 215N-216N-217N-218N and 205N-206N-207N-208N.
4 Credits
Show Description PHSX 218N - Physics Laboratory II w/Calc
Offered spring. Prereq., PHSX 215N, coreq., PHSX 217N. This course satisfies the laboratory portion of medical and technical school requirements in general physics. Heat, electricity, magnetism, and light. Credit not allowed for both PHSX 215N-216N-217N-218N and 205N-206N-207N-208N.
1 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 10 Total Credits Required

Chemistry

Rule: Must complete 1 of the following subcategories

8-10 Total Credits Required

Chemistry Option 1

Rule: May complete all of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description CHMY 121N - Intro to General Chemistry
Offered autumn and spring. First semester of an introduction to general, inorganic, organic and biological chemistry.
3 Credits
Show Description CHMY 123N - Intro to Organic & Biochem
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., "C-" or equiv. in CHMY 121N or consent of instr. Second semester of an introduction to general, inorganic, organic and biological chemistry.
3 Credits
Show Description CHMY 124N - Intro to Organic & Biochem Lab
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. or coreq., CHMY 123N. Laboratory to accompany CHMY 123N.
2 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 8 Total Credits Required

Chemistry Option 2

Rule: May complete all of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description CHMY 141N - College Chemistry I
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., high school algebra. For science majors and other students intending to take more than one year of chemistry. Properties of elements, inorganic compounds, liquid solutions, chemical equilibria and chemical kinetics. Includes laboratory.
5 Credits
Show Description CHMY 143N - College Chemistry II
Offered spring and summer. Prereq., "C-" or better in CHMY 141N or consent of instr. A continuation of CHMY 141N. Includes Laboratory.
5 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 10 Total Credits Required

Math

Rule: Must complete 1 of the following subcategories

7-8 Total Credits Required

Math Option 1

Rule: May complete the following 2 courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description M 162 - Applied Calculus
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., ALEKS placement >= 5 or one of M 121, 122 or 151. Introductory course surveying the principal ideas of differential and integral calculus with emphasis on applications and computer software. Mathematical modeling in discrete and continuous settings. Intended primarily for students who do not plan to take higher calculus.
4 Credits
Show Description M 274 - Intro to Differential Equation
Offered spring. Prereq., one of M 162, 171 or 181 and knowledge of basic trigonometry. Solution of ordinary differential equations and systems with emphasis on applications, numerical methods and computer software.
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 7 Total Credits Required

Math Option 2

Rule: May complete the following 2 courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description M 171 - Calculus I
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 122 or 151 or ALEKS placement >= 5.  Differential calculus, including limits, continuous functions, Intermediate Value Theorem, tangents, linear approximation, inverse functions, implicit differentiation, extreme values and the Mean Value Theorem.  Integral Calculus including antiderivatives, definite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
4 Credits
Show Description M 172 - Calculus II
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 171 or 181. Techniques of Integration. Area computations. Improper integrals. Infinite series and various convergence tests. Power series. Taylor's Formula. Polar coordinates. Parametric curves.
4 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 8 Total Credits Required

Computer Science

Rule: Must complete 1 of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description CSCI 250 - Computer Mdlng/Science Majors
Offered autumn. Prereq., basic computer and spreadsheet literacy; coreq., M 162 or 171.  An introduction to computer modeling in the sciences using spreadsheets and a programming language.  Integrates principles of math, computer science and science.  A student can take at most one of CSCI 172, CSCI 250, CRT 280, and CRT 281 for credit.
3 Credits
Show Description GPHY 284 - Intro to GIS and Cartography
Offered every term. Open to sophomores or juniors or with Consent of Instructor. This course is designed as a practical introduction to the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for storing, retrieving, analyzing and displaying spatial data. It will also cover the history of cartography and the conventions of the modern map-making process.
3 Credits
Show Description STAT 216 - Introduction to Statistics
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 115 (preferred), or one of M 121, 135, 151, 162 or 171, or ALEKS placement >= 4. Introduction to major ideas of statistical inference. Emphasis is on statistical reasoning and uses of statistics.
4 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 3 Total Credits Required

Upper Division Writing

Rule: Must complete the following course

Note: This course is recommended to complete the upper division writing requirement in Geosciences but students may also select from the university-approved list of upper division writing courses to fulfill this requirement.

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description GEO 320 - Global Water
Offered spring. Prereq. one semester of college chemistry, WRIT 101 or equiv., and completion of one writing course. Students are encouraged to take the UDWPA prior to taking this course. Fulfills the Upper Division Writing Requirement. Water is necessary for life. Without it, life as we know it cannot exist. This course discusses the chemistry of water as it moves through the hydrological cycle. We discuss how water chemistry evolves through atmospheric water, rain water, ground water, surface water, and sea water. Students will have an understanding of the chemical attributes of water in major water reservoirs. Class discussions, formal and informal writing assignments, a short laboratory experiment, and a field trip highlight examples of water chemistry. Students will use excel to solve problems and will learn citation conventions relevant for scientific writing.
4 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 4 Total Credits Required

Languages

Rule: May complete the following language sequence

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description GRMN 101 - Elementary German I
Offered autumn. Emphasis on oral communication, with development in all major skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
5 Credits
Show Description GRMN 102 - Elementary German II
Offered spring. Prereq., GRMN 101. Emphasis on oral communication, with continuing development in all major skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
5 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 10 Total Credits Required

Overseas Coursework

Rule: Must complete the following courses and field work at Potsdam University and University College of Cork

Note: In addition to Geosciences coursework completed at UM students must complete the following:
1. Selection of one field course run by Potsdam University listed below
1a. BP 15 (Field Course - France)
1b. BW01 (Field Course - Norway)
1c. BW02 (field Course - Alps)
2. 1 formal field course module run by University College Cork, selected from
2a. GL 2016 (Easter Field Course - Dingle Peninsula)
2b. GL 3019 (Easter Field Course - Western Scotland)
2c, ER 3002 (Easter Field Course - North Clare)
2d. GL 4008 (Easter Field Course - Central Greece)
2e. another equivalent-level field course run by UCC and approved apriori by their UCC and UM advisors
3. Any 4 of the following courses offered by Potsdam University
3a. Regional Geology
3b. Paleoclimate @ Quaternary Geology
3c. Analysis of Geologic Maps
3d. Analytic Geochemistry
3e. Natural Hazards
3f. Tectonophysics & Rheology
3g. Seismology
3h. Seismics
3i. Geoelectrics
3j. Sedimentary Systems & Stratigrahic Geomorphology
3k. Tectonics and Geodynamics
4. 2 additional cognate science courses to be taken at Potsdam University

Minimum Required Grade: C-
27-30 Total Credits Required