Certificate Program in Hydrogeology
As a student in the certificate program in hydrogeology at Western Michigan University, you will gain the field, technical and analytical skills that prepare you for successful careers in hydro- and environmental geology. Students will learn the principles and practices of aquifer testing and analysis, contaminant transport and remediation, drilling and water well design, installation and development and near-surface geophysics. Students will also practice water, soil, gas and sediment sampling, field geochemistry, scientific writing, proper data collection, field documentation, scientific presentation and analysis. Through a combination of online academic year and in-person summer field courses, students will gain knowledge as well as the ability to carry out relevant field techniques and develop technical and problem-solving skills.
During your program, you will learn how to design an investigation, collect and analyze your own data, form interpretations and share your results with peers, faculty and members of the geosciences community. Trained environmental professionals are needed to solve problems concerning drinking water supplies, wastewater treatment, water resources availability, subsurface contaminant transport, water quality and quality assessment, the effects of climate and land-use change on water and wetland resources and many other environmental issues. This program provides the specialized knowledge, critical thinking and communication skills necessary to succeed as a trained environmental professional. Graduates of this program have attained positions in state and federal government agencies, non-profit agencies and environmental and geotechnical consulting firms.
Why Pursue a Certificate in Hydrogeology?
- You want to specialize or expand your skill set into hydro- and/or environmental geology.
- You are seeking a manageable post-graduate program that includes theoretical, laboratory and field training and technical skills that will prepare you to be a marketable entry-level geologist, hydrogeologist or environmental scientist.
- You are currently employed with a non-profit, regulatory or consulting group but desire to learn the technical and field aspects of environmental geology and hydrogeology through hands-on training.
- You are interested in a career in geosciences working in a state or federal agency, non-government organization, environmental or geotechnical consulting firm.
Careers
What can I do with my hydrogeology certificate? Recent graduates have gained success employment with state and federal government agencies, private consulting firms, non-profit organizations and educational services. Employment opportunities may include work dealing with: environmental consulting, environmental regulations, hydrogeologic investigation, wetland mitigation, flood prediction, pollution abatement and hazardous waste remediation and environmental geochemistry. Some specific careers available to those with certificates in hydrogeology are:
- Geologist, Hydrogeologist, or Environmental Scientist
- Manager or consultant
- Environmental technician
- Environmental regulator
Program Overview
- Application requirements: Learn more about specific application requirements.
- Program requirements: To learn more about specific program requirements, consult the most recent catalogs: graduate catalog or the undergraduate catalog.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Find answers to the most frequently asked questions pertaining to the certificate program.
- Program design: Our students have 20 to 40 percent classroom/laboratory education with a 60 to 80 percent focus on research. Students will gain experience through attending dynamic lectures, performing laboratory research in our state-of-the-art facilities and applying their knowledge in hands-on field courses. Our programs are designed for national and international students coming from diverse scientific backgrounds with a variety of career goals—from industry to academia.
- Course listings: To see which courses will be offered when, check out the WMU course listings. You can also read course descriptions for geosciences classes here.
Advising
- Academic advising: Do you have questions about which classes to take, how to meet program requirements or what your progress is towards certificate completion? Do you need more information about Graduate College forms or deadlines? All of these questions can be discussed with the Hydrogeology Certificate program advisor, Dr. Dan Cassidy.