Goals and Objectives

• To provide a strong base of knowledge in geology
  
• To provide "hands-on" laboratory and field experience
  
• To provide a research experience
  
• To encourage strong communication skills
  
• To encourage lifelong learning and instill a commitment to use knowledge wisely and act as responsible citizens

Program

In addition to the general education program of the university, the geology program includes required course work in physics, chemistry and mathematics and the core courses in geology:

• Historical Geology
  
• Mineralogy
  
• Petrology
  
• Geomorphology
  
• Structural Geology
  
• Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
  
• Paleontology
  
• Geophysics

Minors are available in hydrogeology, earth science and geology as well as several emphases such as environmental geology, engineering geology, oceanography, mineral exploration, and petroleum geology. Students may also tailor their program to prepare for entering graduate school.

Faculty

There are five geologists in the plant and earth science department, and fifteen other faculty in the department with expertise in related fields such as soil science, hydrology, environmental science, environmental geochemistry, hazardous waste management, geographic information systems and remote sensing. Students will also do technical course work involving many science departments on campus, including chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics and geography/cartography.

What do Geologists Do?

Geologists are involved in many exciting and important tasks, such as:

• searching for energy resources such as petroleum, coal, natural gas and geothermal energy;
  
• studying the movement and quality of ground water resources;
  
• the discovery, mining and reclamation of mineral deposits;
  
• studying earthquake faults and volcanoes, trying to predict their behavior and preventing the damage they do;
  
• excavating and evaluating dinosaur and other fossil sites;
  
• designing and monitoring dams, highways, and landfill sites;
  
• looking for meteorites in Antarctica.

Geologists’ jobs may have them working on problems of their home town or traveling to the far corners of the earth. They may be doing basic field work in the wilderness one day and utilizing the most sophisticated analytical and computer equipment the next.