Students interested in the evolution of life on Earth can take this minor in association with degrees from any field of 
study across the university. Fundamental courses include historical geology, invertebrate paleontology and vertebrate paleontology.
This has been designated a Green Leaf program.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total credits: 18-21
This is a Green Leaf program.
Students should refer to the Admissions & Policies tab for specific policies related to this program.
Students must successfully complete the following coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00.
Required Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 102 & GEOL 104 | Historical Geology (Mason Core) and Historical Geology Laboratory (Mason Core) | 4 |
| GEOL 312 | Invertebrate Paleontology | 4 |
| GEOL 334 | Vertebrate Paleontology (Mason Core) | 4 |
| or BIOL 334 | Vertebrate Paleontology | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Electives
Many of the courses below have additional prerequisites beyond the required core courses above; please check the individual courses carefully.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses from the following: | 6-9 | |
| Sedimentary Geology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
or BIOL 309 | Oceanography | |
| Paleoclimatology | ||
| Marine Geology | ||
| BioDiversity | ||
| Foundations of Ecology and Evolution (Mason Core) | ||
| Comparative Chordate Anatomy | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Applied Ecology | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Marine Mammal Biology and Conservation | ||
| Biogeography | ||
or BIOL 374 | Biogeography: Space, Time, and Life | |
| Total Credits | 6-9 | |