ASBOG Exam

The National Association of State Boards of Geology examination, commonly known as the ASBOG Exam, is a challenging and comprehensive assessment for men and women who want to become licensed geologists. The exam is divided into the following content domains: general geology (field geology, geophysics, imagery, modeling, and graphical methods); mineralogy, petrology, and petrography; sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology; quaternary geology, geomorphology, and surficial processes; structure, tectonics, and seismology; hydrogeology and environmental geochemistry; engineering geology; and economic geology and energy resources.

In the general geology content domain of the ASBOG Exam, the following subjects are covered: project management, organization, economics, and ethics; subsurface exploration, techniques, and interpretations; geologic and geophysical tools, application, and interpretation; and surface mapping and map applications. This domain also includes questions about cross-section construction; photogrammetry, terrain measurement, GPS, and GIS; image analysis and interpretation; scale and scale analysis; measurement theory (accuracy and precision); documentation and recordkeeping; and modeling concepts. In the section on mineralogy, petrology, and petrography, the ASBOG Exam addresses these topics: rock and mineral identification; crystal symmetry, systems, and forms; igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and processes; and geochemical reactions and diagenesis. In the sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology section, the following subjects are covered: geologic time; geochronology; fossil record and evolution; stratigraphic principles; geochemical reactions; weathering and soil formation; erosion; sediment transport; depositional environments; facies analysis; basin analysis; sedimentary structures; and diagenesis. In the section of the ASBOG Exam pertaining to quaternary geology, geomorphology, and surficial processes, the following topics are addressed: geomorphic processes, sea level change, landform analysis, weathering, groundwater and surface water, low-temperature geochemistry, human-land interaction, and soil development and classification. The ASBOG Exam was developed by the National Association of State Boards of Geology.