Earth and Environmental Geosciences
Do you care about the Earth?
Environmental geosciences tackle society’s most important environmental problems — climate change, energy resources, pollution and hazards — through a detailed and integrated study of major components of the Earth system: atmosphere, hydrosphere and the solid Earth.
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80%
of our majors participate in faculty-mentored research
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95%
of our majors attend graduate school or find a job in their field after graduation
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$92,500
median annual salary of geoscientists in 2023 based on U.S. Labor statistics
A High-Quality Education
Majors gain hands-on experience in Geoscience Field Camp, which takes place in New Zealand and Colorado. All upper-level courses have extensive field components taking place in the U.S. and faculty share the opportunity with students to conduct field-based research around the world in places like Nepal, China, Ethiopia, Europe and South America.
Faculty-mentored research is strongly encouraged as our faculty have active research programs funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA and other major funding agencies. Personal attention between students and faculty provides students with great research experience leading to presentations at national and international conferences, publication in peer-reviewed science journals, student awards and fellowships.
Meet our Faculty
Cross-campus opportunities are abundant for our majors, including with the Hanley Sustainability Institute and the Rivers Institute, which allow students to engage in various campus environmental initiatives.
Learn More About College Institutes and CentersA focus on sustainability
The University of Dayton Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences has a strong focus on the environment and sustainability, with an integrative curriculum that trains students to solve 21st century problems. Students work closely with faculty to learn about the workings of the Earth and develop skills to thrive in modern geoscience careers.
University of Dayton students majoring in earth and environmental geoscience perform field work in the western United States, Canada, China, India, Africa and New Zealand. Students learn how to identify environmental problems in real-world settings, and gain valuable skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, data analysis and accountability.
The University of Dayton Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences offers students opportunities to conduct field and laboratory research with faculty experts to learn first-hand what it is like to be a geoscientist. Students build connections with knowledge and relationships with professors to help find their purpose and passion.
Explore
Visit Campus
Interested in learning more about earth and environmental geoscience? We'd love to meet with you. Schedule an academic appointment by calling our department at 937-229-1720. You can also choose to schedule a general campus tour and admission presentation.
General Campus Tour and Admission PresentationGIS Certificate
Undergraduate majors may begin working on a graduate level certificate in Geographic Information Systems. GIS integrates hardware, software and data for capturing, managing, analyzing and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. Recent decades have seen a revolution in GIS technology and a consequent explosion of its applications in many areas. As a result, there is a great demand for people with GIS skills.
Bachelor of Science in Sustainability
Our majors have the opportunity to earn a double major in the new Bachelor of Science in Sustainability.
Experiential Learning
Real-World Experience
Through practical learning opportunities like internships and co-ops, you can build your resume, gain practical experience and prepare for a successful career.
Next Steps
12
the average class size for environmental geosciences courses