Empower your future
Choose your adventure
Find your community
Discover your purpose
Have fun
Welcome! We are glad you are here
Join our amazing learning community of students learning alongside world-class faculty. In the Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, experience drives your education. Our students get hands-on training during their coursework, field trips, and through internship and employment opportunities at the Michigan Geological Survey. Armed with skills and knowledge, our graduates pursue rewarding careers aided by our extensive alumni network. We offer a distinctive educational experience, one that is aimed at developing the whole person.
Why join the Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences?
- a welcoming and inclusive learning community
- personal attention from faculty/staff
- learn by doing hands-on research alongside expert faculty
- resume experiences outside of the classroom
- benefit from small class sizes
- excellent job placement for graduates
- not to mention our…
- well-equipped laboratory facilities
- course-based field trips and research opportunities
- connection to the Michigan Geological Survey
- active geology club
- robust alumni network
Why major the geological and environmental sciences?
Find a rewarding career - Geoscience graduates are in high demand with more job opportunities than qualified individuals to fill them. A degree in geosciences offers versatility, leading to careers in environmental consulting, water resources management, coastal preservation, land use planning, natural resource management, public service, teaching, climate change mitigation, materials science, risk assessment, green technology, geothermal energy, critical minerals exploration, and the hydrocarbon industry. Through these rewarding careers, our graduates address important societal challenges.
Get well compensated – Our alumni rank among the highest earners at WMU. As of May 2023, the median annual salary for geoscientists nationwide was $92,580, with the top 10% earning over $172,600 (U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics). In the past five years, every one of our graduates has successfully found employment in their chosen field.
Shape a successful future - Geoscientists follow paths of exploration and discovery in search of solutions to society's most challenging problems. Geoscientists explore captivating subjects and leading the way in tackling critical challenges, such as climate change, resource management, environmental degradation, and energy sustainability. By knowing more about the Earth, geoscientists can help protect our environment and our resources, as well as help guide informed societal decisions about the future of our planet.
Explore your world - Hands-on, experiential learning emphasizes practical experience and active participation in the educational process. Our students engage directly with the material, applying theoretical knowledge to the real-world through fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and collaborative projects that deepen understanding and enhance skills. By immersing themselves in experiential learning, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, a stronger connection to the subject matter, and ultimately are more successful in the job market.
Check us out on Instagram.