Associate Degree - Specialization in Geology Tacoma Community College

Geology is the study of the materials and processes of the earth. This includes rocks and minerals, internal processes such as volcanism, surficial processes such as landscape formation, the study of the history of life, and geological hazards.

Geologists are involved in a wide range of activities, including studies of Earth's materials and processes, exploration of resources, and understanding and protecting the environment.

At TCC, you can earn an Associate of Science with a Specialization in Earth Sciences. Upon completion of this program, you will be prepared to transfer to a four-year institution.

While in high school, students should pursue all available courses in math, chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science. Once at TCC, students can take many of the supporting sciences that transfer institutions require for their geology degrees. Students can also take a variety of TCC earth science classes to introduce them to the different facets of the field and explore what type of geology they want to pursue.

Different transfer institutions require different levels of supporting sciences, and even at a single transfer institution, the exact requirements vary depending on the degree concentration. For this reason, it’s imperative to consult with the geology advisor, Ralph Hitz, to develop an academic plan that best prepares you for transfer.

A degree from TCC is a great way to start your geology education. Upon transfer to participating Washington four-year institutions, all 90 credits of your TCC degree are applied toward your bachelor’s degree. If you decide to delay the transfer, or not transfer, then you still have an associate’s degree with a strong science record on your transcript.

Pathway 1:

Associate of Arts, DTA

This is a great choice if you don’t know what kind of geology you want to study or where exactly you want to transfer to. The AA degree ensures that, upon transfer to DTA-participating Washington schools, all of your general education requirements for your bachelor’s degree are met, and you transfer with junior standing, ready to dig into your major. To follow this path, consult the AA description in the TCC catalog and make sure to complete the classes listed below as you pursue the degree requirements. Be aware of the following caveat: some schools and some geology degree concentrations may require additional Math (153), additional Chemistry (163), and additional Physics (223). However, most transfer options in Washington do not require these additional classes. The advantage of pursuing an AA as described here is that you most likely will not need the third quarter of these supporting sciences and also your general education requirements, at your transfer school, are guaranteed to have been met.

• MATH& 151, 152
• CHEM& 161, 162
• PHYS& 221, 222
• GEOL& 101
  (recommended- GEOG 205)

Pathway 2

Associate of Science, Track 1

This is a good choice if you know where you want to transfer and know that the degree at your transfer school requires a full year of calculus (Math& 151-3), a full year of chemistry (Chem& 161-3), and a full year of Phys& (114-6, or 221-3). All of these courses are offered at TCC and can be completed within the framework of the AS-T1 degree with an Earth Science Specialization, described in the TCC catalog. The only disadvantage to this pathway is that if you change your choice of transfer school you may have classes on your transcript that you don’t need for your major. The other disadvantage is that transferring with an AS does not guarantee that all of your general education requirements will be met at your transfer school. You may have to take additional general education courses once you’ve transferred.