"Doing Geology in the Field", a Six-Week course in Field Geology at the Indiana University Geologic Field Station, SW MontanaStudent Opportunities Scholarships | Internships | Career Information | Departmental Honors | Summer Field Courses | Geology Club
The Geoscience department offers several scholarships yearly: one for returning students, one for new students, and a field scholarship. Watch this space for information about the 2009-2010 application process.
Internships and student-faculty research are highly valuable experiences in which Geology majors are participating in record numbers. Many are supported by faculty research grants, funds from W.S.U.'s Southeastern Minnesota Water Resources Center, or other internal and external sources. Academic credit may be earned for internships and research.
The Department has established an Internship Policy to guide students in planning for this important experience.
A measure of the quality of the geology program at W.S.U. is the success of its graduates. Recent graduates are 95% employed in geologically related fields, ranging from secondary-school teaching to environmental geology, or are attending graduate school. Two Geology alumni have received Winona State University's Distinguished Young Graduate Award, and alumni are employed throughout the U.S., many in the upper Midwest. Clusters of alumni in the Twin Cities and Chicago areas serve as a network for assisting graduates in finding employment. Employment opportunities in environmental geology are excellent, and continue to increase as land-use problems grow more acute.
Many entry-level positions are available for students with the bachelor's degree. However, approximately 25% of our geology graduates have chosen to enter graduate school, recognizing that the master's degree enhances opportunities for advancement and long-term career stability. The quality of the geology program can be measured by assistantships and fellowships awarded to graduates at schools such as M.I.T., University of Wisconsin at Madison, University of Minnesota, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Kansas, Northern Arizona University, New Mexico State University, and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to name a few.
Employment opportunities in the geosciences described by the Geological Society of America at the beginning of the 1990's are vastly increased over those of the 1980's. Federal and state regulatory legislation regarding waste disposal and its relationship to clean water and clean air has greatly increased employment opportunities for geologists. Many new positions are created each year with consulting firms, industries, and state and local governmental agencies. These positions are being filled by persons with bachelors and masters degrees, but the majority of employers prefer graduates with the M.S. Hiring in the petroleum industry has stabilized. Graduates with master's degrees have the best opportunities. The aging of the faculties of colleges and universities is beginning to result in increased employment opportunities for geologists in higher education. Now is an excellent time to begin preparations for such a career, and interested students should plan to attain a Ph.D. degree. Earth Science teachers will be needed in increasing numbers in most regions of the United States according to most national teacher-employment surveys. Most Earth Science teachers are employed in secondary schools where Earth Science is usually a required component of the science curriculum.
Looking for a Job
Internships and student-faculty research are highly valuable experiences in which Geology majors are participating in record numbers. Many are supported by faculty research grants, funds from W.S.U.'s Southeastern Minnesota Water Resources Center, or other internal and external sources. Academic credit may be earned for internships and research.
Geology and Earth Science majors who are seeking internships, and those nearing graduation and are seeking employment, should be preparing resumes and cover letters and should seek the assistance of the geology faculty in this endeavor. An example resume and cover letter are included here to assist students in this important task.
For more information regarding eligibility, participation and completion, expectations, etc., please click here.
Why Should I Take a Geology Field Course?
The following abstract was written by Jim Meyers for presentation in a symposium dealing with geology education in the field at the 1996 GSA meetings in Denver. It provides students with a rationale for studying geology in the field.
"Doing Geology in the Field", a Six-Week course in Field Geology at the Indiana University Geologic Field Station, SW Montana
FACULTY OF G429, Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
The need for study of geology in the field is under increasing attack as students and employers demand more technical, employment-oriented education. Enrollments have declined and budgets have decreased accordingly. Introduction of technique-oriented field courses has increased dramatically in various sub-disciplines, further eroding enrollments in conventional field geology programs. Indiana University's capstone course, "Field Geology in the Northern Rocky Mountains," (G429) has steadfastly maintained that students benefit most in their professional careers by learning to "do geology in the field,", learning by discovering geologic relationships and solving problems related to a broad spectrum of geologic situations. G429 students learn to integrate their knowledge from various sub-disciplines in geology, and develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to decipher complex geological relations in a variety of terrains. Students also develop an ability to evaluate field data by understanding the limitations of those data and constraints they place on interpretation. Students are immersed in an intensive six-week course in doing geology in the field. The course begins with a 6-day regional field trip and three weeks of study in "instructional field areas." and culminates with two weeks of intensive work in "final study areas" where faculty provide feedback to students regarding their observations, mapping, hypothesis construction and testing, and interpretation. Weekly one-day "independent field exercises" give students the opportunity to test their knowledge and skills, discover areas of strengths and weaknesses, and develop self-confidence. Emphasis throughout the course is on formulating questions, making and recording observations on the outcrop, and formulating and testing multipleworking hypotheses. Basic geological concepts and methodology in a variety of sub-disciplines are continually reinforced. Students learn to make interpretations and predictions from data that are necessarily inadequate, incomplete, and imprecise, preparing them for solving problems as professional geologists. We believe that popular new technique-oriented field courses in geophysics, hydrogeology and environmental geosciences should supplement, not substitute for conventional integrated study of geology in the field.
Questions for Students to Consider When Selecting a Field Course
Why study geology in the field?
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What should be the emphasis of a capstone course in doing geology in the field?
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What should I look for in a field course?
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What factors should I consider when looking at the cost of a field course?
When should I apply?
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What might I expect to experience in a field course?
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Where can I get information regarding field courses?
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Winona State University has a very active Geology Club that takes biennial field trips and hosts various events throughout the school year. For more information, visit their student-run website.