Our Geology B.A. and B.S. degrees focus on the history of Earth and life on Earth (fossils, geologic time, climate change), its composition (minerals, rocks, soil, water), the processes that shape our planet’s surface (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, etc.), and the geologic/physiographic features that define it (mountains, oceans, etc.). Practical applications of coursework cover everything from the material resources that society is built on to environmental concerns regarding soil, water, pollution, climate change, and natural disasters. Geologists play a critical role in the protection of the environment, public health, and natural resources and as such our Bachelor of Science degree is registered as a Licensure-Qualifying Geology Program with the New York State Education Department.
The B.S. in Geographic Information Science gives students an understanding of how we represent the world through maps and how spatial information and problem-solving impact all aspects of our lives, from finding directions on our phones, to optimizing supply chains, to public health and safety. Coursework for the degree includes a core GIS technology component combined with cognate classes in math and the natural sciences, as well as electives in complimentary fields including art, anthropology, political science, computer science, and others. GIS skills learned via this degree can be applied to any discipline.
The B.S. in Environmental Science focuses on experiential learning from across the natural sciences as a way to understand the physical, biological, and chemical aspects of the environment. This interdisciplinary major provides a broad cross-training in environmental science that pairs well with a minor or double major in many of the environmentally relevant degrees offered by our department and others.