Undergraduate Field Camp
Earth Sciences Field Courses
Summer Earth Sciences Field Program: GEOS 3300 and 4300
Field experiences remain vitally important to Earth Sciences education of undergraduate and graduate students across the planet. The Summer Earth Science Field Program at The University of Texas at Dallas emphasizes a rigorous, hands-on experiential approach to field investigations of modern and ancient Earth Systems. The program consists of two, three-credit courses – Introductory Field Geology (GEOS 3300) and Advanced Field Geology (GEOS 4300) – taught back-to-back. GEOS 3300 begins in mid-May, immediately after Spring final exams, and returns to Dallas in early June. GEOS 4300 starts in early June and returns in late June to early July.
Summer Field Camp 2025 applications are due February 9, 2025.
Space is limited, so be sure to apply early!
GEOS 3300
The first summer field camp is a traditional geology field curriculum that takes students through the geologic history of Texas from the Llano Uplift to Big Bend. Students learn the basics of geologic field observations and geologic mapping.
Prerequisites
- Physical Geology with lab (GEOS 1303/1103, or equivalent)
- History of Earth and Life with lab (GEOS 1304/1104, or equivalent)
- Basic knowledge of stratigraphy, topographic map reading, and the use of a Brunton compass and hand-held GPS is advisable.
- Permission of instructor may be granted under unusual circumstances
GEOS 4300
The second summer field camp focuses on studying modern coastal systems with surface and subsurface observations. Students will learn how to collect and interpret sediment cores and geophysical data from rivers, estuaries and barrier islands along the Texas coast.
Prerequisites
- Stratigraphy and Sedimentology (GEOS 3421, or equivalent)
- Structural Geology (GEOS 3470, or equivalent)
- Permission of instructor may be granted under unusual circumstances
Fees and Supplies
There is a course fee of $1,000 for each class, and this includes transportation to the field areas and return to Richardson as well as most board and any pertinent housing. In-state tuition for each class is about $2,050. We provide all of the base materials for mapping projects and all necessary cooking materials; students are required to being their own eating materials. A list of mapping supplies and personal items is included in the overview and supplies document (link below).