Step 1) Fill out the New Student Questionnaire

Step 2) Understand the term "liberal arts" and the umw degree requirements

Step 3) Understand AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, and Cambridge Credit

Step 4) Understand Prerequisites & Vertically Building Coursework

Step 5) Consider Pre-Professional Interests

Step 6) Tips and other considerations when planning a schedule

Step 7) First-Year Seminar

Step 8) Choose Possible Courses

Step 9) Fill Out the Course Registration Request Form

Step 10) Video Guides & How to Register

Step 8) Choose Possible Courses

Geology

Please refer to the current University Catalog to see the course descriptions and a major description with requirements for geology.

New students considering a major in geology should complete GEOL 111 and CHEM 111 as soon as possible in order to continue with the major.  These sequences begin in the fall, so you should register for GEOL 111 and CHEM 111 next fall semester (i.e. your second semester at UMW).

Students who have not had a precalculus course in high school should also complete MATH 121.

Below please find some examples of first semester schedules for a geology major. There are many variations of a first semester schedule; the examples are just meant to help you see that there are many ways to reach the same goals.

Example 1:

Course (credits)	Requirement(s) Met
SPAN 101** - Beginning Spanish (3) Human Experience & Society Course (3) Human Experience & Society Course (3) Course from Arts, Literature, or Performance (3) FSEM 100D5 - Scientific Controversies Media (3)	FL Gen Ed Gen Ed Gen Ed FSEM

Example 2:

Course	Requirement(s) Met
Global Inquiry Course (3) FSEM 100EE - Biology and Culture (3) Course from Arts, Literature, or Performance (3) Quantitative Reasoning Course (3)	Gen Ed FSEM Gen Ed Gen Ed

Please note that certain sequence courses begin in the fall. Examples of this can be found in all of the sciences and some of the foreign languages. If you are unable to start at the correct place in the sequence, we recommend that you try to do so in the following fall semester.

*Please note that not all sections of a course may have the Across-the-Curriculum (ATC) attribute(s). Across-the-Curriculum designations for a course are dependent on instructor and semester. ATC designations for each course are listed in the Banner description for the semester in which you are registering.
**This particular course is in a discipline that allows students with demonstrated competence upon admission to UMW (such as AP/IB credit, dual enrollment, etc.) to begin courses at a higher level. Please read the Academic Planning Guide carefully to see if you meet the requirements. For example: students may begin at any level language course for which they feel prepared (101, 102, 201, or 202), but must then complete the rest of the sequence in order without skipping any levels.