Vision & Mission
VISION
To be a global leader in the integration of geological education and research relevant to discovery and development of natural resources focusing on hydrocarbons, with minimum impact on the environment.
MISSION
The Geology program is committed:
- To prepare graduates who are empowered with basic knowledge, skills, values, and confidence to take a leadership role in the fields of geology;
- To prepare graduates to carry out research that contributes to the knowledge and sustainable development of the Kingdom in diverse aspects of geology, with emphasis on petroleum-related topics; and,
- To provide a stimulating campus environment to foster life-long learning, through seminars, professional short courses, and public forums.
Goals
The goals of the Geology program are:
- To reflect in our teaching, research, and service the breadth and importance of geology to society;
- To provide students with the technical expertise and skills needed to gather and interpret geological data in a scientific manner;
- To provide students with the necessary tools to effectively communicate the results of geological investigations to other professional and public; and,
- To maintain and enhance distinction in the areas of hydrocarbon resources, groundwater, mineral resources, and the environment;
- To develop cutting edge research with high scholarly impact; and
- To interact with society, alumni, and partners.
Measurable Objectives
The program will provide
- Up-to-date lecture and laboratory-based courses;
- Local, regional, and international field experiences;
- Laboratory experiences that provide exposure to modern equipment and technologies that will enhance career opportunities for our students;
- State-of-the-art computer technology and software for data acquisition, analysis, and modeling applications within the broad area of geosciences;
- Research and interactive problem-solving opportunities and support for undergraduate students (senior projects, field trips, field courses, and summer training). Prepare students with sufficient experience in conducting scientific research;
- Educational learning opportunities for non-geology majors;
- Opportunities for faculty members, researchers, staff and graduate students to develop research with scholarly impact;
- Opportunities to increase the participation in national and international scientific events for students, researchers, teaching staff and faculty members;
- Opportunities to establish partnerships, collaborations, and consortia for research with top international institutes in the geological sciences;
- Opportunities to strengthen the relationships with society, alumni, and partners through outreach programs that include training, courses, consultations, awareness, etc.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Learning Domains | Program Learning Outcomes |
---|---|
Knowledge | Identify and classify the different structural features within the Earth’s crust and the conditions that control them. |
Recognize the major groups of rock-forming minerals in hand specimen and under the microscope. | |
Identify the type, texture and composition of common sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks, in hand specimen, core, and thin section. | |
Recognize the major groups of stratigraphically important fossils in hand specimen and/or under the microscope. | |
Demonstrate an understanding of Earth history and the geological time scale. | |
List the large-scale geologic features of the Saudi Arabia region. | |
Skills | Document, interpret and map geological formations in the field by outcrop study with the observable features accurately recognized and located. |
Make stratigraphic correlations, facies analyses, and paleo-environmental interpretations. | |
Estimate HC reservoir properties and assess the HC potential in sedimentary basins. | |
Utilize field observations and software modeling tools to develop quantitative interpretations and solutions to hydrologic studies and problems. | |
Competence | Write field reports and laboratory reports based on original observations. |
Work effectively in teams to solve problems relevant to geology, keeping in mind societal issues such as natural hazards, resource utilization and conservation, and environmental change. | |
Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills to transmit complex technical information in a clear and concise manner, including the use of multimedia tools. | |
Use computer software packages to analyze and interpret geologic data. | |
Use standard field equipment (GPS, compass, etc.) and optical microscope for sedimentologic, petrographic and micropaleontologic analyses. |
(A) General Education (47 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Chemistry | CHEM 101, 102 | 8 |
Physics | PHYS 101, 102 | 8 |
Math | MATH 101, 102 | 8 |
English | ENGL 101, 102, 214 | 9 |
Islamic and Arabic studies | IAS 101, 111, 201, 212, 301, 322 | 12 |
Physical Education | PE 101, 102 | 2 |
TOTAL | 47 |
(B) Core Courses (41 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Principles of Geology | GEOL 101 | 3 |
Earth History and Paleontology | GEOL 213 | 3 |
Mineralogy | GEOL 217 | 3 |
Petrology | GEOL 220 | 3 |
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy | GEOL 270 | 3 |
Structural Geology | GEOL 305 | 3 |
Petroleum Geology | GEOL 315 | 3 |
Regional Geology | GEOL 318 | 3 |
Computational Methods in Geology | GEOL 354 | 3 |
Geology Seminar | GEOL 409 | 1 |
Subsurface Geology | GEOL 465 | 3 |
Seismic Data Interpretation | GEOP 416 | 3 |
Essentials of Geophysics | GEOP 102 | 2 |
Introduction to the Petroleum Industry | PETE 101 | 2 |
Integrated Design I | CPG 498 | 1 |
Integrated Design II | CPG 499 | 2 |
TOTAL | 41 |
(C) Electives Courses (31 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
CPG Electives | GEOP/GEOL/PETE xxx | 12 |
Science Elective | BIOL/CHEM/PHYS xxx | 3 |
Math/ICS elective | MATH 201 or STAT 201 or ICS 103 | 3 |
General Studies | GS xxx | 6 |
Free Electives | XXX xxx | 6 |
TOTAL | 30 |
(D) Summer Sessions (8 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Summer Camp | CPG 199 | 1 |
Summer Training | GEOL 399 | 1 |
Field Geology | GEOL 430 | 6 |
TOTAL | 8 |
(E) List of Geology and CPG Elective Courses | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Sustaining the Earth | GEOL 303 | 3 |
Remote Sensing & GIS Applications in Geology | GEOL 312 | 3 |
Geohazards | GEOL 332 | 3 |
Engineering Geology | GEOL 341 | 3 |
Fundamentals of Geochemistry | GEOL 356 | 3 |
Stable Isotope Geochemistry | GEOL 357 | 3 |
Carbonate Geology | GEOL 364 | 3 |
Hydrogeology | GEOL 423 | 3 |
Geomorphology | GEOL 431 | 3 |
Marine Geology | GEOL434 | 3 |
Petroleum Geochemistry | GEOL 435 | 3 |
Oceanography | GEOL 436 | 3 |
Undergraduate Research | GEOL 444 | 3 |
Environmental Geology | GEOL 446 | 3 |
Energy and the Environment | GEOL 447 | 3 |
Biostratigraphy of the Arabian Plate | GEOL 450 | 3 |
Economic Geology | GEOL 456 | 3 |
Mining Geology | GEOL 460 | 3 |
Mineral Economics | GEOL 461 | 3 |
Current Topics in Geosciences | GEOL 482 | 3 |
Special Topics | GEOL 490 | 3 |
COURSE | TITLE | LT | LB | CR | COURSE | TITLE | LT | LB | CR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Year (Preparatory Year) | |||||||||
ENGL 01-xx | Preparatory English I | 15 | 5 | 4 | ENGL 03-xx | Preparatory English III | 15 | 5 | 4 |
ENGL 02-xx | Preparatory English II | 4 | ENGL 04-xx | Preparatory English IV | 4 | ||||
MATH 001 | Preparatory Math I | 3 | 1 | 4 | MATH 002 | Preparatory Math II | 3 | 1 | 4 |
PYP 001 | Preparatory Physical Sciences | 2 | 0 | 2 | PYP 002 | Preparatory Computer Sciences | 0 | 2 | 1 |
PYP 003 | University Life Skills | 0 | 2 | 1 | PYP 004 | Prep. Engineering Technology | 0 | 2 | 1 |
PE 001 | Prep. Health and Physical Educ. I | 0 | 2 | 1 | PE 002 | Prep. Health and Physical Educ. II | 0 | 2 | 1 |
20 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 15 | ||||
Total credits required in the Preparatory-Year Program: 31 | |||||||||
Second Year (Freshman) | |||||||||
GEOL 101 | Principles of Geology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOP 102 | Essentials of Geophysics | 2 | 0 | 2 |
PETE 101 | Intro Petroleum Industry | 2 | 0 | 2 | MATH 102 | Calculus II | 4 | 0 | 4 |
MATH 101 | Calculus I | 4 | 0 | 4 | PHYS 102 | General Physics II | 3 | 3 | 4 |
PHYS 101 | General Physics I | 3 | 3 | 4 | CHEM 101 | General Chemistry I | 3 | 4 | 4 |
ENGL 101 | Intro Academic Discourse | 3 | 0 | 3 | ENGL 102 | Intro. To Report Writing | 3 | 0 | 3 |
PE 101 | Health and Phys. Ed. I | 0 | 2 | 1 | PE 102 | Health and Phys. Ed. II | 0 | 2 | 1 |
14 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 18 | ||||
Summer Session I | |||||||||
CPG 199 | Summer Camp | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
Third Year (Sophomore) | |||||||||
GEOL 213 | Earth History & Paleontology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 220 | Petrology | 2 | 3 | 3 |
GEOL 217 | Mineralogy & Optical Min. | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 270 | Sedimentology & Stratigraphy | 2 | 3 | 3 |
CHEM 102 | General Chemistry II | 3 | 4 | 4 | XXX xxx | MATH/STAT/ICS Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 |
IAS 101 | Practical Grammar | 2 | 0 | 2 | IAS 111 | Belief and its Consequences | 2 | 0 | 2 |
GS xxx | General Studies Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 | ENGL 214 | Academic and Prof. Comm. | 3 | 0 | 3 |
12 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 14 | ||||
Summer Session II | |||||||||
GEOL 399 | Summer Training | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
Fourth Year (Junior) | |||||||||
GEOL 305 | Structural Geology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 315 | Petroleum Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOL 354 | Computational Meth. Geol. | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 318 | Regional Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
XXX xxx | CPG Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 | XXX xxx | CPG Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
XXX xxx | Laboratory Science Elective | 2 | 3 | 3 | IAS 212 | Professional Ethics | 2 | 0 | 2 |
IAS 201 | Objective Writing | 2 | 0 | 2 | XXX xxx | Free Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
11 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||
Summer Session III | |||||||||
GEOL 430 | Field Geology | 0 | 18 | 6 | |||||
Fifth Year (Senior) | |||||||||
CPG 498 | Integrated Design I | 0 | 3 | 1 | CPG 499 | Integrated Design II | 0 | 6 | 2 |
GEOL 409 | Geology Seminar | 1 | 0 | 1 | XXX xxx | CPG Elective IV | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOL 465 | Subsurface Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 | IAS 322 | Human Rights in Islam | 2 | 0 | 2 |
XXX xxx | CPG Elective III | 3 | 0 | 3 | XXX xxx | Free Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOP 416 | Seismic Data Interpretation | 3 | 0 | 3 | GS xxx | General Studies Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
IAS 301 | Language Comm. Skills | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||
12 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 13 | ||||
Total credit hours required for B.S. degree: 126 |
Requirements
(A) General Education (47 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Chemistry | CHEM 101, 102 | 8 |
Physics | PHYS 101, 102 | 8 |
Math | MATH 101, 102 | 8 |
English | ENGL 101, 102, 214 | 9 |
Islamic and Arabic studies | IAS 101, 111, 201, 212, 301, 322 | 12 |
Physical Education | PE 101, 102 | 2 |
TOTAL | 47 |
(B) Core Courses (41 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Principles of Geology | GEOL 101 | 3 |
Earth History and Paleontology | GEOL 213 | 3 |
Mineralogy | GEOL 217 | 3 |
Petrology | GEOL 220 | 3 |
Sedimentology & Stratigraphy | GEOL 270 | 3 |
Structural Geology | GEOL 305 | 3 |
Petroleum Geology | GEOL 315 | 3 |
Regional Geology | GEOL 318 | 3 |
Computational Methods in Geology | GEOL 354 | 3 |
Geology Seminar | GEOL 409 | 1 |
Subsurface Geology | GEOL 465 | 3 |
Seismic Data Interpretation | GEOP 416 | 3 |
Essentials of Geophysics | GEOP 102 | 2 |
Introduction to the Petroleum Industry | PETE 101 | 2 |
Integrated Design I | CPG 498 | 1 |
Integrated Design II | CPG 499 | 2 |
TOTAL | 41 |
(C) Electives Courses (31 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
CPG Electives | GEOP/GEOL/PETE xxx | 12 |
Science Elective | BIOL/CHEM/PHYS xxx | 3 |
Math/ICS elective | MATH 201 or STAT 201 or ICS 103 | 3 |
General Studies | GS xxx | 6 |
Free Electives | XXX xxx | 6 |
TOTAL | 30 |
(D) Summer Sessions (8 credit hours) | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Summer Camp | CPG 199 | 1 |
Summer Training | GEOL 399 | 1 |
Field Geology | GEOL 430 | 6 |
TOTAL | 8 |
(E) List of Geology and CPG Elective Courses | ||
---|---|---|
Course | Code | Credit Hours |
Sustaining the Earth | GEOL 303 | 3 |
Remote Sensing & GIS Applications in Geology | GEOL 312 | 3 |
Geohazards | GEOL 332 | 3 |
Engineering Geology | GEOL 341 | 3 |
Fundamentals of Geochemistry | GEOL 356 | 3 |
Stable Isotope Geochemistry | GEOL 357 | 3 |
Carbonate Geology | GEOL 364 | 3 |
Hydrogeology | GEOL 423 | 3 |
Geomorphology | GEOL 431 | 3 |
Marine Geology | GEOL434 | 3 |
Petroleum Geochemistry | GEOL 435 | 3 |
Oceanography | GEOL 436 | 3 |
Undergraduate Research | GEOL 444 | 3 |
Environmental Geology | GEOL 446 | 3 |
Energy and the Environment | GEOL 447 | 3 |
Biostratigraphy of the Arabian Plate | GEOL 450 | 3 |
Economic Geology | GEOL 456 | 3 |
Mining Geology | GEOL 460 | 3 |
Mineral Economics | GEOL 461 | 3 |
Current Topics in Geosciences | GEOL 482 | 3 |
Special Topics | GEOL 490 | 3 |
Curriculum (Degree Plan)
COURSE | TITLE | LT | LB | CR | COURSE | TITLE | LT | LB | CR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Year (Preparatory Year) | |||||||||
ENGL 01-xx | Preparatory English I | 15 | 5 | 4 | ENGL 03-xx | Preparatory English III | 15 | 5 | 4 |
ENGL 02-xx | Preparatory English II | 4 | ENGL 04-xx | Preparatory English IV | 4 | ||||
MATH 001 | Preparatory Math I | 3 | 1 | 4 | MATH 002 | Preparatory Math II | 3 | 1 | 4 |
PYP 001 | Preparatory Physical Sciences | 2 | 0 | 2 | PYP 002 | Preparatory Computer Sciences | 0 | 2 | 1 |
PYP 003 | University Life Skills | 0 | 2 | 1 | PYP 004 | Prep. Engineering Technology | 0 | 2 | 1 |
PE 001 | Prep. Health and Physical Educ. I | 0 | 2 | 1 | PE 002 | Prep. Health and Physical Educ. II | 0 | 2 | 1 |
20 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 15 | ||||
Total credits required in the Preparatory-Year Program: 31 | |||||||||
Second Year (Freshman) | |||||||||
GEOL 101 | Principles of Geology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOP 102 | Essentials of Geophysics | 2 | 0 | 2 |
PETE 101 | Intro Petroleum Industry | 2 | 0 | 2 | MATH 102 | Calculus II | 4 | 0 | 4 |
MATH 101 | Calculus I | 4 | 0 | 4 | PHYS 102 | General Physics II | 3 | 3 | 4 |
PHYS 101 | General Physics I | 3 | 3 | 4 | CHEM 101 | General Chemistry I | 3 | 4 | 4 |
ENGL 101 | Intro Academic Discourse | 3 | 0 | 3 | ENGL 102 | Intro. To Report Writing | 3 | 0 | 3 |
PE 101 | Health and Phys. Ed. I | 0 | 2 | 1 | PE 102 | Health and Phys. Ed. II | 0 | 2 | 1 |
14 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 18 | ||||
Summer Session I | |||||||||
CPG 199 | Summer Camp | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
Third Year (Sophomore) | |||||||||
GEOL 213 | Earth History & Paleontology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 220 | Petrology | 2 | 3 | 3 |
GEOL 217 | Mineralogy & Optical Min. | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 270 | Sedimentology & Stratigraphy | 2 | 3 | 3 |
CHEM 102 | General Chemistry II | 3 | 4 | 4 | XXX xxx | MATH/STAT/ICS Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 |
IAS 101 | Practical Grammar | 2 | 0 | 2 | IAS 111 | Belief and its Consequences | 2 | 0 | 2 |
GS xxx | General Studies Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 | ENGL 214 | Academic and Prof. Comm. | 3 | 0 | 3 |
12 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 14 | ||||
Summer Session II | |||||||||
GEOL 399 | Summer Training | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
Fourth Year (Junior) | |||||||||
GEOL 305 | Structural Geology | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 315 | Petroleum Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOL 354 | Computational Meth. Geol. | 2 | 3 | 3 | GEOL 318 | Regional Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
XXX xxx | CPG Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 | XXX xxx | CPG Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
XXX xxx | Laboratory Science Elective | 2 | 3 | 3 | IAS 212 | Professional Ethics | 2 | 0 | 2 |
IAS 201 | Objective Writing | 2 | 0 | 2 | XXX xxx | Free Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
11 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||
Summer Session III | |||||||||
GEOL 430 | Field Geology | 0 | 18 | 6 | |||||
Fifth Year (Senior) | |||||||||
CPG 498 | Integrated Design I | 0 | 3 | 1 | CPG 499 | Integrated Design II | 0 | 6 | 2 |
GEOL 409 | Geology Seminar | 1 | 0 | 1 | XXX xxx | CPG Elective IV | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOL 465 | Subsurface Geology | 3 | 0 | 3 | IAS 322 | Human Rights in Islam | 2 | 0 | 2 |
XXX xxx | CPG Elective III | 3 | 0 | 3 | XXX xxx | Free Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
GEOP 416 | Seismic Data Interpretation | 3 | 0 | 3 | GS xxx | General Studies Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
IAS 301 | Language Comm. Skills | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||
12 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 13 | ||||
Total credit hours required for B.S. degree: 126 |