Degree Requirements

Undergraduate petroleum and geosystems engineering students can reference the below suggested arrangement of courses and curriculum flowcharts for an eight-semester program.

Current Catalog

Previous Catalogs

Students entering PEN or GEH degree plans are required to have access to a portable computing device capable of running programs suitable for use in the classroom and on the university wireless network. The use of this device will be necessary in many required courses, and individual instructors may require the device be brought to class or lab sessions. Please use the downloadable PDF for a list of minimum hardware requirements.

Bachelor of Science: Petroleum Engineering

Energy is a key component of our everyday lives; and a secure energy future requires a balance between environmental impact and affordable supply. Petroleum and geosystems engineers are able to address and solve important issues that will lead to energy security and thus are in high demand.

Producing oil, gas and other fluid resources from the earth is the task of the petroleum engineer. This challenging and rewarding field of engineering requires application of a wide range of knowledge­—from the basic sciences of mathematics, physics, geology, and chemistry to the principles of engineering analysis, design, and management. Petroleum engineers provide the technological expertise to bring oil and natural gas from deep within the earth to the surface for delivery to processing facilities. Petroleum engineers focus on the efficient and safe extraction of fluids from their natural geologic formations.

In addition to traditional petroleum engineering career choices, there are other emerging careers for petroleum engineering graduates in pollution clean­up, underground waste disposal (including the subsurface injection of carbon dioxide to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases), and hydrology. These disciplines increasingly rely on the expertise of petroleum engineers. Additional energy-related applications for which petroleum engineers are uniquely educated include in situ uranium leaching, geothermal energy production, and coal gasification.

Since many petroleum companies conduct worldwide operations, the petroleum engineer may have the opportunity for assignments all over the world. Petroleum engineers must solve the variety of technological, political, and economic problems encountered in these assignments. These exciting technological challenges combine to offer the petroleum engineer a most rewarding career.

Graduates of the program are expected to understand the fundamental principles of science and engineering behind the technology of petroleum engineering to keep their education current and to give them the capability of self-instruction after graduation. They should be prepared to serve society by using the ideals of ethical behavior, professionalism, and environmentally responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Bachelor of Science: Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology

Geosystems engineers and hydrogeologists are concerned with the development and use of engineering approaches in the management of water resources in addition to oil and gas, as well as environmental restoration of contamination sites and other processes related to the subsurface. This unique degree program, offered jointly by the Cockrell School of Engineering and the Jackson School of Geosciences, is designed to teach students the geological and engineering principles needed to solve subsurface resource development and environmental problems.

The curriculum includes a fundamental sequence of engineering and geological sciences courses in such areas as multiphase fluid flow, physical hydrology, heat and mass transfer, field methods, and engineering design. This interdisciplinary systems approach, combining engineering and geological sciences, is increasingly required to address complex real-world problems such as characterization and remediation of aquifers. The degree program is designed to prepare graduates for employment with environmental, water resource management, and energy companies in addition to many government agencies. Better-qualified graduates of the program may pursue graduate study in subsurface environmental engineering, petroleum engineering, geology, and other related fields.