Geology and Earth Science

What it’s about:

Geology/earth science is the study of the earth and the forces that act on it. Topics include the history and formation of planet Earth; the behaviour of the solids, liquids, and gases that it is composed of; and the interaction between the biosphere-the living things that call the earth their home-and the planet’s inorganic, or nonliving, substances.

What the study of this major is like:

Geology/earth science students first take introductory courses in physical and/or historical geology that teach you basics: rock, mineral, and fossil identification; landform evolution; plate tectonics; and the geological time scale. Topical courses, such as environmental geology; planetary geology, or oceanography, may also serve as introduction to the major. Most introductory courses and upper-level courses have weekly three- to four-hour laboratories or field trips of various lengths. To learn other essential geology/earth science tools, you take yearlong courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology.

Upper-level courses are often arranged in sequence: you take courses in a specific order so that you learn the skills and knowledge needed to continue. For instance, a semester or year of mineralogy provides the analytic skills (such as the use of the petro-graphic microscope) essential for later courses in petrology. Paleontology, sedimentation, and stratigraphy often form a sequence covering the origin of sedimentary rocks and the fossil organisms they may contain. Geomorphology and glacial geology courses focus on processes that shape the earth’s surface. Courses in resources-energy, mineral, and water-examine their origin, as well as the exploration, recovery, and use of these essential commodities.

A unique aspect of geology/earth science is its emphasis on the history of the earth-a recurring theme of many courses in the major.Another trademark is its reliance on fieldwork. Because the field is to a geologist what the library is to a historian most geology/earth science courses include fieldwork as well as lab work. Some undergraduate departments require a semester-long or summer course in field geology, and most graduate departments require such a course for admission.

Many summer courses, which average four to five weeks and are based at permanent facilities in the western states, offer intensive training in geological mapping and in preparing reports. After completing the third year and a field course, the best-qualified majors may be able to find summer jobs as geological field assistant or interns in industry or government.

Visualizing in three dimensions, and comprehending the large scale of many geological phenomena, can be challenging at first. And although geologists are typically not regimented in their activities, you cannot afford to be undisciplined. Because deadlines in geology/earth science courses are usually farther apart than in many other majors, you must figure out a long-term time management plan.

The main philosophical differences among programs are in applied rather than purely academic geological science. If you are interested in using your geological training to tackle concrete problems, you will probably be more comfortable in a department that focuses on hydrogeology, petroleum geology, environmental geology, and exploration seismology. Such departments have more of an engineering perspective, and may even have a geological engineer or civil engineer on staff. In more academically focused departments, faculty members include petrologists, mineralogists, palaeontologists, and tectonists.

Career options and trends:

Earth science teacher*; engineering geologist; environmental hydrologist*; petroleum geologist; government agency staff geologist; researcher*;

A Ph.D. degree is required for most research positions in colleges and universities and in government.

Many graduates work in the energy industry, particularly in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. The petroleum industry is a cyclical business, with employment rising and falling with the price of energy. But over the long term there will be opportunities in the energy sector, especially for those willing to work overseas. In other industries, the need to comply with environmental regulations and to responsibly manage land and water will create opportunities for environmental geoscientists, especially hydrologists and engineering geologists.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment to grow much faster than average in this field, with job openings exceeding the number of jobseekers through 2018.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors