| Chairperson: | Doummar, Joanna J. |
| Professor: | Abdel-Rahman, Abdel-Fattah M. |
| Associate Professor: | Doummar, Joanna J.; Salah, Mohamed K. |
| Assistant Professors: | Haidar, Ali T.; Nemer, Tony S. |
| Instructors: | Khadra, Wisam M. |
The Department of Geology offers programs leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geology and Master of Science degrees in certain areas of the vast field of earth sciences. It also offers a more broadly based program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geosciences. Students wishing to transfer to Geology or Petroleum Geosciences must secure the approval of the department. In addition, students must have a strong background in sciences and have taken the freshman science program or its equivalent.
The department also offers undergraduate elective courses which include GEOL 101, GEOL 102, GEOL 103, GEOL 104, GEOL 106, and GEOL 201 in the area of general Geology, and GEOL 204, GEOL 205, GEOL 206, GEOL 208 and GEOL 227 in the fields of environmental and planetary Geology.
Field trips are a required part of most Geology courses.
Mission Statement
The Department of Geology at the American University of Beirut is committed in providing the best Geoscience education in the Middle East, via its emphasis on excellence in teaching, and engaging students in research. The aim is to prepare our students to fulfill the needs of this region in terms of its geological nature, its petroleum and mineral reserves, as well as groundwater resources, and their role in the world economy and environmental implications. This is achieved within the context of learning about the occurrence, distribution and origin of natural resources worldwide. With the structure of our courses which include laboratory components, field work and training, term papers, oral presentations, and problem-solving assignments, we train our students to observe, analyze, critically evaluate, think independently, and derive their own conclusions. We emphasize the development of the conceptual apparatus, and the unbiased and accurate reporting of field and laboratory data (observation) and its significance in reaching a correct interpretation. In this manner, we promote high ethical professional standards, character, and scientific integrity. The program prepares students to be life-long learners and well-rounded individuals, who can lead successful careers in the areas of energy and petroleum resources, hydrogeology, mining, geotechnical sciences and related fields.
BS Degree in Geology
The requirements for a BS degree in Geology are 90 credits for students entering the department at the sophomore level, including 36 credits in the major. The distribution of university requirements is as follows:
Core required Geology courses: GEOL 201, GEOL 203, GEOL 207, GEOL 213, GEOL 216, GEOL 216L, GEOL 219, GEOL 221, GEOL 223, GEOL 223L, GEOL 226, GEOL 297, and GEOL 298 which is a total of 30 credits, in addition to two required Geology elective courses (6 credits).
Students have to take three required Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits) - MATH 201 STAT 210 or STAT 231, and CMPS 203 or equivalent, in addition to two Understanding the World courses (6 credits) from Chemistry and/ or Physics. Students may opt for MATH 202 or Understanding the World course to fulfill the 3 remaining mandatory credits.
Students are also required to take a total of 6 credits to be selected from a list of approved departmental courses or interdepartmental courses A 0-credit mandatory internship course GEOL 299 provides students with the opportunity to acquire a professional experience in the field of Earth Sciences.
No course may be taken without its prerequisite unless authorized by the department chair.
University General Education Requirements
The General Education requirements are Understanding Communication - English (6 credits), Understanding Communication - Arabic (3 credits), Cultures and Histories (9 credits), Human Values (3 credits), Societies and Individuals (6 credits), Understanding the World and Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits with at least 3 credits from each), and Community Engaged Learning (3 credits).
At least one of the courses from Cultures and Histories or Human Values should be from the History of Ideas: CHLA. At least one course from your degree requirements (except Understanding Communication) should cover the theme of Social Inequalities (3 credits).
Students admitted in Geology are eligible to continue in the program provided they obtain, by the end of their third regular term at AUB, a minimum average of 2.3 in any three out of the following five courses: GEOL 201, GEOL 216, GEOL 213, and GEOL 223. Otherwise, they will normally be dropped from the department. Consideration for readmission requires a minimum cumulative average of 2.3 overall and a minimum average of 2.3 in any three out of the following five Geology courses: GEOL 201, GEOL 216, GEOL 213, and GEOL 223, and this should be achieved within the following two regular terms (at the very latest) after being dropped from the major. Majors must complete the following courses, in which a general average of 2.3 or more must be maintained in core geology required courses.
BS Degree in Petroleum Geosciences
The requirements for a BS degree in Petroleum Geosciences are 90 credits for students entering the department at the sophomore level, including 40 credits of Geology courses, 6 credits of chemistry and physics courses, 6 credits of business courses, 3 credits in economics (ECON 211 or 212) and 3 credits in education (EDUC 215 or 230). The distribution of university requirements is as follows:
The core courses of the Petroleum Geosciences program (totaling 58 credits) are GEOL 201, GEOL 203, GEOL 207, GEOL 216, GEOL 211, GEOL 212 (or equivalent), GEOL 213, GEOL 219, GEOL 221, GEOL 222 & GEOL 214 (or equivalent), 225 or equivalent, GEOL 226, GEOL 227, GEOL 229 (or equivalent), GEOL 297, GEOL 298, ACCT 210, MNGT 215, and ECON (GE); one of the following chemistry courses: CHEM 201, CHEM 202, or CHEM 208, as well as one of the following physics courses: PHYS 204, PHYS 205, or PHYS 210. In addition, a required elective course, CMPS 203, MATH 201, or STAT 210, must be completed.
Students admitted in Petroleum Geosciences are eligible to continue in the program provided they obtain, by the end of their third regular term at AUB, a minimum average of 2.3 in any three out of the following courses: GEOL 201, GEOL 211, GEOL 212, GEOL 213, and GEOL 222. Otherwise, they will normally be dropped from the department. Consideration for readmission requires a minimum cumulative average of 2.3 overall and a minimum average of 2.3 in any three out of the following five Geology courses: GEOL 201, GEOL 211, GEOL 212, GEOL 213, and GEOL 222. This should be achieved within the following two regular terms (at the very latest) after being dropped from the major.
University General Education Requirements
The General Education requirements are Understanding Communication - English (6 credits), Understanding Communication - Arabic (3 credits), Cultures and Histories (9 credits), Human Values (3 credits), Societies and Individuals (6 credits), Understanding the World and Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits with at least 3 credits from each), and Community Engaged Learning (3 credits).
At least one of the courses from Cultures and Histories or Human Values should be from the History of Ideas: CHLA. At least one course from your degree requirements (except Understanding Communication) should cover the theme of Social Inequalities (3 credits).
Minor in Geology
To obtain a minor in Geology, students must complete the following core course GEOL 201, and any four courses from the following: GEOL 209, GEOL 211 or 216, GEOL 213, GEOL 222 or 223, and GEOL 227 (for a total of 15 credits).
Course Descriptions
36 Credits
|
Modes of Analysis |
Understanding Communication - English and Arabic (9) |
Cultures and Histories (9) and Human Values (3) |
Societies and Individuals (Min. 6) |
Understanding the World, Quantitative Reasoning (9:3/6+3/6) | Community-Engaged Learning (3) |
| Lecture Courses
(9+12+6+36 +9+3)
| Required Arabic course (3)
Required English courses: 203(3), 204(3)
| Required credits in the Cultures and Histories: 9 credits including History of Ideas and 3 credits Human Values
| Required elective economics courses: A 200- level approved GE economics course (3): recommended ECON 211(3), or ECON 212(3); and a 200-level approved GE education course (3): EDUC 215 or 230
| Required Geology courses: GEOL 201(3), 2164(3), 2132,3,4(3), 2142,3(3), 2192,4(3), 2212,3,4(3), 2222,3,4(3), 2242,(3), 226(3), 2274(3), 2292,3(6)
Elective geology courses: GEOL 209, 2252,3(3), 2712,3(3), 2722,3(3), 290(3)
Two understanding the world courses must be an approved general education course from outside the major (PHYS 210, 211) or CHEM 201, 202, 208)
Required quantitative reasoning courses: CMPS 203(3), MATH 201(3) and STAT 210 (3) or STAT 231(3)
| Required geology courses:
219(2)2,
297(3) 2,4
298(3) 2,3, 4 299(0)2,3
|
| Seminar
(18 + 12)
| | |
| Geology courses: GEOL 201(3), 2132,3,4(3), 2162,3(3), 2212,3,4(3), 2232,3,4(3), 226(3)
Elective geology courses: GEOL 2252,3(3), GEOL 208, 2092,3(3), 2272,3(3), 290 (3)
Two approved GEOL courses or approved courses from MSFEA, FAS (BIOL), FHS and FAFS
| |
Laboratory (11+4)
| | | | Required geology courses: GEOL 203(1), 207 (1), 216L(1), 223L2,4(1),
2132,3,4(3), 2192,4(2), 2212,4(3), 226(3)
| |
| Research Project
(36+12)
| | | | Required geology courses:
2192(2), 2972,4(3), 2982,3,4(3), 2992,3(0)
| |
40 Credits in Petroleum Geoscience
Modes
of Analysis |
Understanding Communication - English and Arabic (9) |
Cultures and Histories (9), Human Values (3) |
Societies and Individuals (Min. 6) |
Major requirements (40) Understanding the World, Quantitative Reasoning (6:3+3) |
Community-Engaged Learning (3) |
Lecture Courses
(9+12+9+3 +37+6+3) | Required Arabiccourse (3) Required English courses: ENGL 203(3), 204(3) | Required credits in the Cultures and Histories: 9 credits including History of Ideas and 3 credits Human Values | Required business courses: ACCT 210(3), MNGT 215(3) Economics course: ECON 211(3) or ECON 212(3) One approved GE Societies and Individuals course (3): EDUC 215(3) or EDUC 230(3) | Required
geology course: GEOL 201(3), 211(3), 2122,4(3), 2132,,4(3), 2142,3(3), 2192,4(3), 2212,3,4(3), 2222,3,4(3), 2252,3(3), 2264(3), 227(3), 2292,3(6) Chemistry and
physics courses: CHEM 208 and one of PHYS 204(3), PHYS 205(3), PHYS 210(3). Elective geology courses: GEOl 2712,3 (3), 2722,3(3), 290(3) Required elective computer science courses: MATH 201(3), STAT 210(3) or CMPS 203(3) | Required course (3) |
| Seminar (30+12) | | | | Required
geology courses: GEOL 2012(3), 2132,3,4(3), 2142,3(3), 2192,4(2), 2212,3,4(3), 2222,3,4(3), 2252,3(3), 2292,3(6) Elective geology courses: 2712,3(3), 2722,3(3), 290(3) | |
| Laboratory (13,3) | | | | Required
geology courses: GEOL 203(1), GEOL 207(1), 211(3), 2122,4(3), 2132,3,4(3), 2222,3,4(3), 2264(3), 2274(3) | |
| Research Project (27+12) | | | | Required geology courses: GEOL 2014(3), 2132,3,4(3), 2142,3(3), 2192,4(3), 2212,3,4(3), 2222,3,4(3), 2252,3(3), 2292,3(6) Elective
geology courses: GEOL 2712,3(3), 2722,3(3), 3183,4(3) | |