Department Chair:  J. Gillespie

Program Coordinator:  Dirk Baron

Program Office:  Science Building II, 333

Telephone:  (661) 654-3044

email:  dbaron@csub.edu

Website:  www.cs.csubak.edu/Geology

Faculty:  D. Baron, Kurtis Burmeister, J. Gillespie,

R. Horton, S. Mitchell, R. Negrini

Program Description

The Department of Geology offers a comprehensive graduate program leading to the Master of Science in Geology degree.  A Petroleum Geology and a Hydrogeology option are available for the MS degree.  The program is intended to prepare students for professional positions in the petroleum industry, the environmental and geotechnical consulting industries, government agencies, and for graduate studies at the doctoral level.  A broad range of faculty research interests, the proximity of the campus to the petroleum industry, easy access to diverse geological environments, and a range of modern research facilities permit the student to select from a broad spectrum of research topics.

Research facilities include: (1) the CSUB Geotechnology Center with a SGI Octane workstation lab, a PC lab, software including Geo-Quest, Landmark, and Arc-Info for petroleum reservoir modeling and geographical information systems (GIS), and industry-provided seismic datasets; (2) a geochemistry lab with a Perkin Elmer Elan 6100 ICP-MS, a Cetac LSX-200 Laser Ablation system, a Microwave Digester, an Ion Chromatograph, and a GC/MS; (3) petrographic microscopes including luminescence and epifluorescence; (4) geophysics equipment including a paleomagnetism lab, 12-channel seismograph, magnetometer, gravimeter, and electrical resistivity meter; (5) a Rigaku X-Ray diffractometer; (6) a Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope; and (7) a wide range of field hydrology equipment.  The California Well Core Sample Repository, containing cores and samples from more than 5,000 wells from both on- and offshore California and 1,500 catalogued micropaleontological samples, is located on campus.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Hydrogeology

In addition to the MS degree, the Department of Geology offers a post-baccalaureate Certificate in Hydrogeology.  The certificate is designed primarily to give professionals additional training in Hydrogeology and Hydrogeochemistry.

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APPLICATION PROCESS AND PROGRAM

REQUIREMENTS

Application for the Master of Science in Geology

Persons seeking an MS in Geology must first apply to the Office of Admissions and Records for admission as unclassified graduate students.  After admission to the university in the unclassified category, students are eligible to take graduate courses in Geology (maximum of 13.5 quarter units), but without the assurance that their course work will count as credit towards the MS degree at CSUB.  Students should apply to the Graduate Committee of the Department for formal admission to the graduate program in Geology as either classified or conditionally classified graduate students.

After admission by the Graduate Committee of the Department, the Graduate Program Coordinator serves as adviser.  Once the student embarks on the MS Thesis research, the faculty member directing the research project will serve as advisor.

Once a student has started on a MS Thesis research project, the research adviser will assemble a thesis committee.

Academic advising is available through the Graduate Program Coordinator and the research adviser of the student.

Admission Requirements for the Master of Science in Geology

1.   An acceptable baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

2.   An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 90 quarter (60 semester) units of course work; or Graduate School Examination scores of 1,000 or greater (verbal and quantitative); or a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all previous graduate course work (at least 20 quarter units); or an approved petition to the Graduate Committee of the Department waiving this requirement by proposing other evidence of adequate prior academic preparation.

3.   Formal decision by the Department Graduate Committee to accept the student into the graduate program.  The decision will be based on a formal application procedure, which includes evaluation of GPA, Graduate Record Examination scores, letters of recommendation, and other materials which may be required by the Committee and/or offered by the student.

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Graduate Student Classifications

Classified Standing - Acceptance as a Classified Student indicates that all prerequisite course work has been completed, that a formal Plan of Study has been developed, and that the student’s progress in graduate level courses warrants continuation in the program.  Specific requirements for Classified Status are listed below.

1.   Completion of 60 units in Geology; the last 40 units must be courses above the introductory level.  Required courses (or their equivalents) are GEOL 303 Mineralogy, 309 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy, 306 Petrology and Petrography, 307 Structural Geology and a summer field course in Geology.

2.   Completion of the following prerequisite courses in cognate areas: CHEM 211 Principles of General Chemistry I, CHEM 212 Principles of General Chemistry II, PHYS 201 Basic Principles of Newtonian Physics, PHYS 202 Basic Principles of Maxwellian Physics, MATH 140 Elementary Statistics or PHYS 203 Basic Principles of Contemporary Physics, MATH 201 Calculus I, MATH 202 Calculus II, MATH 222 Laboratory Experience, and CMPS 140 FORTRAN Programming or CMPS 221 Computer Science I.

3.   Completion of at least 20 quarter units of courses applicable to the Master of Science Degree in Geology with a grade of “B‑” (2.7) or better, and graduate GPA of at least 3.0.

4.   Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Record Examination (Advanced Test in Geology) and other examinations or course work which may be assigned by the Graduate Committee of the Department.

5.   Formal acceptance of the student’s Plan of Study by the Graduate Committee of the Department.

Conditionally Classified Standing - Applicants may be admitted as Conditionally Classified Graduate Student if, in the judgment of the Graduate Committee, the applicant has potential for successful completion of all the “conditions” specified by the faculty committee for admission as a Classified Graduate Student and potential for successful completion of all the requirements for the graduate program.  Upon satisfactory completion of all “conditions” specified by the Committee, the student’s status will be administratively changed to Classified Graduate Student.

Note:    No more than three courses (15 units) may be taken for graduate credit until all prerequisites have been satisfied.

Time limits have been set for completion of requirements at each level of status.  Advancement to Classified Status must be accomplished within two calendar years after acceptance as a Conditionally Classified Student. 

All requirements, and graduation, must be completed within five calendar years after formal acceptance to the graduate program.  The five-year time limit may be extended by petition to the Graduate Committee of the Department.

Completion of all requirements for the Master of Science in Geology requires satisfactory completion of all courses in an approved Plan of Study and satisfactory completion of a thesis, including oral examination and any revisions required by the Thesis Committee or Departmental Graduate Committee, and maintaining a 3.0 GPA.

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Course Requirements for the Master of Science in Geology

A minimum of 45 units of course work is required for the MS in Geology.  The following courses are required of all students:

GEOL 606 Advanced Sedimentary Petrology or

GEOL 610 Low Temperature Geochemistry

GEOL 604 Advanced Sedimentation or

GEOL 609 Advanced Stratigraphy

GEOL 690 Master’s Thesis, 5‑9 credit hours

For students choosing the Petroleum Geology option the following courses are required:

GEOL 460 Petroleum Geology

GEOL 570 Oil Field Development

For students choosing the Hydrogeology concentration (this concentration will appear on the diploma) the following courses are required:

GEOL 475 Hydrogeology

GEOL 555 Contaminant Hydrogeology

An approved* course of study consists of a minimum of 16 units (five courses, all courses are 5 units credit unless noted):

GEOL 420 Environmental Geochemistry

GEOL 460 Petroleum Geology

GEOL 475 Hydrogeology

GEOL 477 Special Topics in Geology (variable credit)

GEOL 525 Applied Hydrogeochemistry

GEOL 555 Contaminant Hydrogeology

GEOL 570 Oil Field Development

GEOL 577 Advanced Topics in Geology (variable credit)

GEOL 580 Advanced Research Participation (variable credit)

GEOL 604 Advanced Sedimentation

GEOL 605 Advanced Micropaleontology

GEOL 606 Advanced Sedimentary Petrology

GEOL 607 Advanced Structural Geology

GEOL 609 Advanced Stratigraphy

GEOL 610 Low Temperature Geochemistry

GEOL 625 Subsurface Exploration Methods

GEOL 650 Groundwater Flow Modeling

Appropriate graduate level classes in related fields.

*Approval by Graduate Coordinator, Thesis Advisor and Committee

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Application for Professional Certificate in Hydrogeology

Applicants must be accepted as post-baccalaureate students at CSUB.

Admission Requirements for Certificate in Hydrogeology

Applicants should have a BA or BS in Geology or a directly related field.  Applicants in related fields should have completed course work in Physical and Historical Geology, Stratigraphy and Sedimentation, Structural Geology, and one year each of college chemistry, physics and calculus.  Some of the courses in the Certificate program may have additional prerequisites.

Course Requirements for Certificate in Hydrogeology

The certificate will require at least 25 units of credit, 15 units of which must be completed at the CSUB campus, and shall be composed of the following required and elective courses.

Courses required for a certificate in Hydrogeology are:

GEOL 475 Hydrogeology

GEOL 525 Applied Hydrogeochemistry

GEOL 555 Contaminant Hydrogeology

A minimum of two courses (10 units) are to be selected from the following:

GEOL 420 Environmental Geochemistry

GEOL 477 Special Topics in Geology - when pertinent (variable credit)

GEOL 580 Advanced Research Participation (variable credit)

GEOL 625 Subsurface Exploration Methods

GEOL 650 Groundwater Flow Modeling

GEOL 577/677 Advanced Topics in Geology - when pertinent (variable credit)

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

GEOL 525 Applied Hydrogeochemistry (5)

After a review of the pertinent principles of aquatic geochemistry, this course focuses on the practical application of these principles to groundwater issues.  Topics include water sampling protocol, graphical and statistical methods for the interpretation of hydrogeochemical data, composition and evolution of natural waters, and environmental issues such as mobility of metals in the subsurface, acid mine drainage, and risk assessment and clean-up at hazardous waste sites.  Throughout the course, the geochemical speciation model MINTEQA2 will be used to model the composition of pristine and contaminated waters.  Prerequisite:  GEOL 420, GEOL 475, or consent of instructor.

GEOL 555 Contaminant Hydrogeology (5)

Course will provide an understanding of the processes that govern the mobility and fate of contaminants in subsurface environments and of the methods that are used to remediate contaminated sites.  Topics include a review of the equations describing the flow of groundwater and the transport of contaminants in groundwater, processes that control the transport and transformation of contaminants in the saturated zone and the vadose zone, multiphase flow, reactions of organic and inorganic contaminants, soil and groundwater sampling, and remediation technology for contaminated soils and groundwater.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 420, GEOL 475, or consent of instructor.

GEOL 570 Oil Field Development (5)

Formation evaluation and testing, production methods, water drive, methods of enhanced oil recovery.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 460 or permission of instructor.

GEOL 577 Advanced Topics in Geology (1-5)

Topics and prerequisites to be announced.  May be repeated for different topics.  General prerequisite: major or minor in Geology.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 580 Advanced Research Participation (1-5)

Individual scientific investigation, under supervision  (experience as a research assistant does not count for credit).  Prerequisite:  consent of instructor.  If applied toward the MS degree, research must be different from the student’s thesis topic.

GEOL 604 Advanced Sedimentation (5)

Classification and genesis of sedimentary rocks with emphasis on textural analysis, depositional processes and paleoenvironmental interpretation.  Field and laboratory studies will focus on Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of southern California and computer modeling of depositional systems.  Prerequisite:  GEOL 309.  A field trip may be required.  Consult class schedule for specific details.

GEOL 605 Advanced Micropaleontology (5)

Advanced studies in the morphology, taxonomy, ecology, and paleoecology of microfossils, with emphasis on foraminifera, radiolaria, ostracods, and pollen.  Field oriented laboratory projects will focus on biofacies analysis, stratigraphic sequences of microfauna, microfaunal correlation, phylogenesis of foraminifera, and applied micropaleontology.  Prerequisite:  GEOL 309.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 606 Advanced Sedimentary Petrology (5)

Mineralogy, petrology, classification and genesis of sedimentary rocks with emphasis on geochemistry and post‑depositional processes including diagenesis.  Field and laboratory studies will focus on outcrop and cores of Cenozoic rocks of southern California.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 306 and 309.

GEOL 607 Advanced Structural Geology (5)

Topics in advanced structural geology based on petrographic, geophysical, and experimental data combined with field observations.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 306, 307, and 325.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 609 Advanced Stratigraphy (5)

Application of principles and techniques of stratigraphic analysis to the interpretation of time equivalence, depositional systems, and paleogeography of stratigraphic sequences.  Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and sedimentological and petrologic approaches will be incorporated into laboratory/field projects.  Emphasis will be on Cenozoic rock units in Southern California.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 305 and 309.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 610 Low Temperature Geochemistry (5)

Introduction to low‑temperature rock‑water interactions and aqueous geochemistry including weathering and surface‑water chemistry, mechanisms of authigenesis and diagenesis, pore‑fluid chemistry, clay mineralogy, and environmental geochemistry.  Laboratory work will focus on the examination of rock‑water interactions in fresh‑ and saltwater aquifers in the San Joaquin Basin.  Prerequisites:  CHEM 212, GEOL 306, 309, and 310.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 625 Shallow Subsurface Exploration Methods (5)

Advanced study of shallow subsurface exploration methods.  Topics may include surface methods such as reflection and refraction seismology, gravity, magnetics, electrical resistivity, electromagnetics and ground penetrating radar.  Geophysical well logging may also be included.  Classroom component consists of brief overview of methods followed by advanced topics such as signal processing, advanced interpretation techniques, and critique of case studies.  Field and lab components consist of acquisition, processing, and modeling of gravity, magnetic, seismic refraction, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic and ground penetrating radar data.  Prerequisite:  calculus and an introductory course in geophysics or permission of the instructor.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the class schedule for specific details.

GEOL 650 Groundwater Flow Modeling (5)

Course will include a review of the principles of groundwater flow and transport equations and models.  Special emphasis and hands‑on experience with the USGS models MODFLOW and MOC.  Prerequisites:  GEOL 475 and familiarity with MSDOS operating system.  Students are encouraged to have completed GEOL 555.

GEOL 677 Advanced Topics in Geology (5)

Topics and prerequisites to be announced.  May be repeated for different topics.  These will include such subjects as: advanced economic geology; advanced seismology; computer applications in geology/geostatistics; exploration geophysics; exploration techniques in groundwater geology; hydrogeology; neotectonics; photogeology and remote sensing; seismic stratigraphy; tectonic evolution of California; underground fluids; and West Coast stratigraphy.  Specific areas designated when offered, and prerequisites listed depending on the specific topics.  A field trip fee may be required.  Consult the Class Schedule for specific details.

GEOL 690 Master’s Thesis (5-9)

Either laboratory or field investigation, or both, on a research problem.  Preparation, completion, and submission of a written thesis approved by the Thesis Committee and the Departmental Graduate Committee, which is defended orally.  Credit is given only for research underlying thesis, or writing of thesis.  May be taken for a total not exceeding 9 units.  Credit on acceptance of the thesis.  Instructor is normally chairperson of student’s thesis committee.  Prerequisites:  Classified status and an officially appointed thesis committee.

GEOL 700 Continuous Enrollment (1-5)

Registration required for all students who have completed course work, but have not completed the thesis.  The student will continue to register each quarter for GEOL 700 until the thesis is completed and successfully defended.  Prerequisite:  prior registration in GEOL 690 with a grade of SP.