Geology and Geological Engineering

Program Description

A Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering is the basis for careers concentrating on the interaction of humans and the earth. Geological Engineers deal with a wide variety of the resource and environmental problems that come with accommodating more and more people on a finite planet. Geologic hazards and conditions must be recognized and considered in the location and design of foundations for buildings, roads, and other structures; waste disposal facilities must be properly located, designed, and constructed; contaminated sites and groundwater must be accurately characterized before cleanup can be accomplished; water supplies must be located, developed, and protected; and new mineral and energy resources must be located and developed in an environmentally sound manner. Geological Engineers are the professionals trained to meet these challenges.

The Geological Engineering curriculum provides a strong foundation in the basic sciences, mathematics, geological science, and basic engineering along with specialized upper-level instruction in integrated applications to real problems. Engineering design is integrated throughout the four-year program, beginning in Design I (Freshman year) and ending with the capstone design courses in the senior year.

The Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Geological Engineering.

Students have the background to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, the first step in becoming a registered Professional Engineer.

Graduates follow five general career paths:

Engineering Geology and Geotechnics. Careers in site investigation, design and stabilization of foundations and slopes; site characterization, design, construction and remediation of waste disposal sites or contaminated sites; and assessment of geologic hazards for civil, mining or environmental engineering projects.

Groundwater Engineering. Careers in assessment and remediation of groundwater contamination, design of groundwater control facilities for geotechnical projects and exploration for and development of groundwater supplies.

Petroleum Exploration and Development Engineering. Careers in the search for and development of oil and gas and their efficient extraction.

Mineral Exploration and Development Engineering. Careers in the search for and development of natural deposits of metals, industrial materials and rock aggregate.

Geological Science. Students are also well prepared to pursue careers in basic geoscience. Graduates have become experts in fields as divergent as global climate change, the early history of the Earth, planetary science, fractal representation of groundwater flow, and simulation of sedimentary rock sequences, to name a few. Careers are available in research and education.

The curriculum may be followed along two concentration paths with slightly different upper-division requirements. Both concentrations are identical in the first two years as students study basic science, mathematics, engineering science, and geological science. In the junior year, those students pursuing careers in groundwater engineering, engineering geology and geotechnics, or geoenvironmental engineering applications follow the Environmental, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, and Groundwater Engineering concentration. Students anticipating careers in resource exploration and development or who expect to pursue graduate studies in geological sciences follow the Mineral and Petroleum Exploration Engineering concentration.

At all levels the Geological Engineering Program emphasizes laboratory and field experience. All courses have a laboratory session, and after the junior year students participate in a field course, which is six weeks of geologic and engineering mapping and direct observation. The course involves considerable time outdoors in the mountains and canyons of Utah and southwestern Colorado.

At the senior level, students begin to focus on a career path by taking course sequences in at least two areas of geological engineering specialization. The course sequences begin with a 4-unit course in the fundamentals of a field of geological engineering which is followed by a 3-unit design-oriented course that emphasizes experience in direct application of principles through design projects.

Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Programs

Several degree programs offer CSM undergraduate students the opportunity to begin work on a graduate certificate, professional degree, or master's degree while completing the requirements for their bachelor's degree. These programs can give students a head start on graduate education. An overview of these combined programs and description of the admission process and requirements are found in the Graduate Degrees and Requirements section of the Graduate Catalog.

Professor and Department Head

Wendy A. Bohrson

Professors

David A. Benson

Zhaoshan Chang, Charles F. Fogarty Endowed Chair

Thomas Monecke, Director of Center for Advanced Subsurface Earth Resource Models and Co-Director of Center for Mineral Resources Science

Alexis Navarre-Sitchler, Joint Faculty Appointee, Energy and Natural Resources Security Group Los Alamos National Laboratory

Piret Plink-Bjorklund

Eric Roberts, Director, Potential Gas Agency

Paul M. Santi, Director of Center for Mining Sustainability

Kamini Singha, Associate Dean of Earth and Society Programs

Stephen A. Sonnenberg, Charles Boettcher Distinguished Chair in Petroleum Geology

Lesli J. Wood, Robert Weimer Distinguished Chair

Wendy Zhou

Associate Professors

Mathias Burisch

Yvette Kuiper

Bruce Trudgill

Gabriel Walton

Assistant Professors

Kevin Cannon

Adrienne Marshall

Danica Roth

Ryan Venturelli

Research Professors

Marsha French

Richard Goldfarb

Zane Jobe, Director of the Chevron Center of Research Excellence

David Leach

J. Fredrick Sarg

Richard Wanty

Research Assistant Professors

Mary Carr

Ben Frieman

Research Associate Professor

Katharina Pfaff

Teaching Professor

Christian V. Shorey

Teaching Assistant Professor

Brendan Hanger

Professors Emerita

Wendy Harrison

Eileen Poeter

Professors Emeriti

John B. Curtis

Jerry D. Higgins

Murray W. Hitzman

Neil F. Hurley

Keenan Lee

Samuel B. Romberger

John E. Warme

Richard F. Wendlandt

Associate Professors Emeriti

L. Graham Closs

Timothy A. Cross

Gregory S. Holden

Program Educational Objectives (Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering)

In addition to contributing toward achieving the educational objectives described in the CSM Graduate Profile and the ABET accreditation criteria, the Geological Engineering program at CSM has established the following program educational objectives, which students are expected to attain within a few years of graduation:

1.  Demonstrate a high level of technical competence

2.  Demonstrate prowess in written, oral and graphical communication

3.  Experience good teamwork and leadership practices

Student Learning Outcomes

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Program Requirements

In order to achieve the program goals listed above, every student working toward the Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Engineering must complete the following requirements:

Degree Requirements (Geological Engineering)

Following the sophomore year, Geological Engineering students choose from one of two concentrations:

1. Minerals and Petroleum Exploration Engineering
2. Environmental, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, and Ground-water Engineering

Minerals and Petroleum Exploration Engineering Concentration

Recommended for students intending careers in exploration and development of mineral and energy resources or intending careers in geoscience research and education.

*

Technical Elective: MNGN321 or CEEN312.

Geologic Science and Engineering elective: An elective must be selected from a department list of approved courses.  The elective must total 3 hours of math and basic sciences or engineering topics.

Environmental, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, and GroundWater Engineering Concentration

Recommended for students intending careers in geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology, or other environmental engineering careers.

Students in the Environmental, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, and Groundwater Engineering concentration may further specialize by utilizing their free elective courses to emphasize a specific specialty. Suggested courses are presented below and should be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor. The emphasis area is an informal designation only and it will not appear on the transcript.

Engineering Geology and Geotechnics Emphasis

Water Engineering Emphasis

Major GPA

During the 2016-2017 academic year, the Undergraduate Council considered the policy concerning required major GPAs and which courses are included in each degree’s GPA.  While the GPA policy has not been officially updated, in order to provide transparency, council members agreed that publishing the courses included in each degree’s GPA is beneficial to students. 

The following list details the courses that are included in the GPA for this degree:

• GEGN100 through GEGN599 inclusive
• GEGX100 through GEGX599 inclusive
• GEOC100 through GEOC599 inclusive
• GEOL100 through GEOL599 inclusive

The Mines guidelines for Minor/ASI can be found in the Undergraduate Information section of the Mines Catalog.

Geological Engineering Minor and Area of Special Interest

To receive a minor or ASI, a student must take at least 12 (ASI) or 18 (minor) credits of a logical sequence of courses. This may include GEGN101 (4 credits) and up to 4 credits at the 200-level.

Students must consult with the department to have their sequence of courses approved before embarking on a minor program.

Courses