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Geology is the study of the physical nature and and historical evolution of the solid Earth. Geologists, people who uncover knowledge about the Earth, help us understand such important phenomena as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, the oceans, mountains, metal and mineral deposits, petroleum and other sources of energy, water supplies, climate change, sea-level change, and many more. By understanding the Earth and its past, we can better understand the present and can make predictions about the future of the planet. Geologists are critically important in our efforts to respect and conserve the planet’s resources, and to maintain and preserve a healthy, livable environment.
AREA OF EMPHASIS AT DELAWARE
The Geology academic program emphasizes sound education in the basic knowledge about the Earth that is common to all geosciences - the Earth’s materials, its surface, its interior, its history, thinking geologically, and reasoning scientifically. Geological knowledge builds on a foundation of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. The program emphasizes and encourages undergraduate research and field-oriented study. The program prepares graduates to enter graduate schools, the energy industry, the environmental industry, and many other professional career paths. The Department of Geological Sciences offers three degree programs Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Geology, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Geology, and Bachelor of Arts in Earth-Science Education (XES). The BA degree is a liberal-arts program, and contains 30 credits in geology courses, plus work in math and other sciences. The BS degree contains 45 credits in geology, plus more work in math and other sciences. The BS degree is both the main route to advanced study and the route to immediate post-graduate employment. The majority of geology majors take BS degrees. BS students with appropriate interests may elect a concentration in paleobiology or coastal and marine geoscience. The XES degree prepares students to teach earth science in secondary schools, and leads directly to a teaching credential. The XES degree combines course work in many sciences with course work in education theory and teaching practice, and usually leads directly to employment. The Geography Department cooperates with the departments of Biological Sciences and Geologic Sciences to offer a BS degree in Environmental Science. The Environmental Science degree emphasizes a broad understanding of the makeup, character, and functioning of environmental systems, and ways of analyzing their interactions and interdependence. Geology is one area of concentration within the degree program.
