Bachelor of Science in Geosciences - Secondary Education

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Share the Wonder of Science

The Geosciences – Secondary Education major at Eastern Washington University prepares you to teach earth and space science at the secondary education levels.

You’ll develop a deep understanding of geology, meteorology, oceanography, physics, and more while learning how to bring these subjects to life in the classroom.

This program combines geosciences coursework with hands-on field experiences and education training, all aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Whether you’re fascinated by natural disasters, climate systems, or the geological forces that shape our planet, you’ll graduate prepared to share that passion with students and make an impact.

 

Why Study Geoscience at the Region's Polytechnic?

Get a hands-on education, real-world experience, and personalized support so you can launch your career with confidence.

Industry-Connected Learning

You will work with state, federal, and industry professionals to solve geological and environmental problems in the region.

Faculty-Mentored Research

Work one-on-one with faculty to plan, carry out, and present research at local, regional, and national conferences, including the Geological Society of America.

Real-World Fieldwork

Experience geoscience outside the classroom with a variety of field-oriented courses and hands-on learning opportunities.

What You Get To Do

  • Research to better understand how humans and environments interact
  • Apply geoscience techniques to a complex problem
  • Produce materials that professionally and effectively communicate to a range of audiences
  • Use analytical skills in geosciences to prepare for the professional job market or graduate studies
“Every class is hands-on. I’m in the lab, in the field, collecting samples, testing them—it’s not just textbook learning. When you’re out there, doing the work, it sticks with you in a way that reading alone never could." — Marilyn Smith '25

Applied Learning Opportunities

  • Community-Based Projects: Team up with local organizations on projects that allow you to solve problems and make a difference.
  • Practicums: Build hands-on skills in structured field placements—like classrooms, clinics, or community agencies—that are often required for professional certification.
  • Service-Learning Experiences: Work on critical issues—such as food security, poverty, or climate change—that connect community service with what you’re learning in class.
  • Volunteerism: Give back to your community while gaining experience, building connections, and seeing how you can apply your classroom knowledge to make an impact in the world.
A geology instructor and group of students hike up a hill to look at geological formations

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Geosciences - Secondary Education Major, Bachelor of Science (BS)

Admission: This Program requires admission into the School of Education.  
Grade Requirements: A cumulative GPA ≥2.8 for all courses, ≥C in each required geosciences course and required supporting course, ≥B- in each required education course. Education Grade Requirements

Required Geosciences Courses
GEOS 100
& 100L		DISCOVERING GEOLOGY
and DISCOVERING GEOLOGY LAB		5
GEOS 113
& 113L		THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER
and THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER LAB		5
GEOS 222
& 222L		THE EARTH THROUGH TIME
and THE EARTH THROUGH TIME LAB		5
GEOS 305INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY5
GEOS 311
& 311L		EARTH MATERIALS
and EARTH MATERIALS LAB		4-5
or GEOS 410
& 410L		 GEOMORPHOLOGY
and GEOMORPHOLOGY LAB
GEOS 314WEATHER FORECASTING5
GEOS 320
& 320L		ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY
and ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY LAB		4
GEOS 360GEOLOGIC HAZARDS4-5
or GEOS 441 DISASTERS
Electives - students must take field-oriented coursework from the list below or from special field courses in GEOS approved by the Earth and Space Science advisor.4-5
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE
and FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE LAB
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE
and FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE LAB
WATER RESOURCES
and WATER RESOURCES LAB
WETLAND SCIENCE I
and WETLAND SCIENCE I LAB
GEOSCIENCE FIELD TRIP
EXPERIMENTAL COURSE
Required Supporting Courses
MATH 142PRECALCULUS MATH II5
PHYS 121DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY5
CHEM 161GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES4
or CHEM 171 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 161LGENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES1
or CHEM 171L GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I
Physics - choose one5
INVESTIGATING PHYSICAL SCIENCE
INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I
and MECHANICS LABORATORY
GENERAL PHYSICS I
and MECHANICS LABORATORY
Required Education Courses
SCED 186SCIENCE TEACHING THROUGH INQUIRY2
EDUC 231FOUNDATIONS OF INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT3
EDUC 232FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSROOM COMMUNITY AND CULTURE3
EDUC 233FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING, LEARNING, AND MOTIVATION IN SCHOOL CONTEXTS4
EDUC 234UNDERSTANDING EDUCATION IN THE US3
SOST 300PEOPLES AND GOVERNANCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST5
EDUC 331SECONDARY APPLIED INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT4
EDUC 332PRACTICES OF CLASSROOM COMMUNITY AND CULTURE IN SECONDARY CLASSROOMS4
SCED 390SCIENCE TEACHING METHODS5
EDUC 431DESIGNING EQUITABLE LEARNING IN SECONDARY CLASSROOMS4
EDUC 434PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS3
EDUC 386AFIELD EXPERIENCE 12
EDUC 386BFIELD EXPERIENCE 22
EDUC 386CFIELD EXPERIENCE 35
SCED 490ASCIENCE TEACHING CAPSTONE SEMINAR3
SCED 490BSCIENCE TEACHING CAPSTONE FIELD APPLICATION2
EDUC 423FULL-TIME STUDENT TEACHING15
SCED 423REFLECTIONS ON SCIENCE TEACHING1
Total Credits131-134

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015EDUC 2313CHEM 161
& 161L (Natural Science BACR 2)		5
GEOS 100
& 100L (Natural Science BACR 1)		5ENGL 2015EDUC 2323
MATH 1415MATH 1425GEOS 113
& 113L		5
 Social Science BACR 115SCED 1862
 15 18 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
EDUC 233 (Social Science BACR 2)4EDUC 2343GEOS 360 or 4414
PHYS 1215GEOS 222
& 222L		5SOST 300 (Diversity - graduation requirement)5
Global Studies - graduation requirement15GEOS 3055Humanities & Arts BACR 215
 Humanities & Arts BACR 115 
 14 18 14
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PHYS 115, 131 and 161, or 151 and 1615GEOS 311
& 311L		4EDUC 3314
SCED 3905GEOS 3145EDUC 3324
Elective - minor or general elective5GEOS 320
& 320L		4EDUC 386A2
  GEOS Field-Oriented Elective25
 15 13 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
EDUC 386B2EDUC 386C5EDUC 42315
EDUC 4314EDUC 4343SCED 4231
Elective - minor or general elective4SCED 490A
& SCED 490B (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)		5 
Elective - minor or general elective4  
 14 13 16
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

GEOS Elective - students must take field-oriented coursework from the approved list or from special field courses in GEOS approved by the Earth and Space Science advisor.

General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Quarter Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
  • Minimum Semester Credits—120 cumulative credit hours
    • 40 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 30 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 10 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

University Competencies and Proficiencies

Writing 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning 

Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List 
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BS in Geosciences - Secondary Education from EWU should be able to:​​

  • demonstrate understanding of core concepts in earth and space science;
  • show evidence of integrating the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards;
  • apply best practices to teach earth and space science that are outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards;
  • demonstrate effective strategies for teaching earth and space science to a community of diverse students;
  • describe the procedures for responding to potential safety hazards in the laboratory, classroom, and field.
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