Welcome to the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. We take a broad view of the Earth and offer courses that develop a scientific understanding of our planet, its history, natural systems, resources and recent global change. Our students explore the origin of the Earth and solar system, the formation of continents and oceans, the evolution and extinction of life, the distribution and availability of water and natural resources, and the impact of humans on the environment.
A truly distinctive and critical component of the student experience in our department is our field-based education that is designed to inspire in our students a lifelong passion for learning about the natural world. Indeed, our majors likely spend more time traveling to a range of regional and international destinations to explore the world beyond campus than students in any other program at Pacific. Recent field trips visited the Chilean Patagonia, Hawaii, the Colorado plateau and a variety of locations throughout the west coast of North America. Many of our majors work closely with faculty on award-winning collaborative research projects that advance scientific knowledge of the Earth. These ongoing research efforts can take students to exotic geologic locales, including western Ireland, Japan, the ancient Appalachian Mountains of upstate New York and the high Sierra Nevada.
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Our department offers a dynamic intellectual environment and a close-knit community that helps students develop a solid foundation for further study and prepares them for the amazing range of career opportunities available to Geological and Environmental students today. Some of our graduates continue their geological education in top-tier graduate schools and have pursued careers as university professors. Others have gone on to successful and lucrative professional careers in a wide range of fields, including government, geotechnical or environmental consulting, law, medicine and public policy.
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