Geology is the study of rocks, but it’s also a lot more than that. Students who earn a degree in geology or a related field can go on to work for mining operators, in the fossil fuel and alternative fuel industries, for ecological groups, for engineering firms, as educators, and for governments. Understanding rocks is literally understanding our earth, and so there is a lot you can do with it.
Students who pursue geology in college can expect to go out into the field for research and hands-on learning, and will often need to pursue their interests at the graduate level to qualify for the entry-level version of their dream job.
If you’re interested in studying geology at a top school, send us an email. We help students chart a course to a successful future.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at MIT was founded by geologist William Barton Rogers in 1861. Rogers also founded MIT, and was the first president of the school. Students in the geology program pursue a “quest to solve real-world problems through the application of biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics.” The program supports individualized courses of study, and students work directly with their professors. If you go to MIT, 42% of your classmates will go on to grad school.
Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts
A concentration in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard offers the opportunity to focus in geological science, environmental geoscience, solid earth geophysics, geochemistry, geobiology, atmospheric and ocean science, or planetary science. Field experiences are central to the program, with departmental opportunities in Hawai’i and the Canadian Rockies, and a range of other options students can access globally. In addition to traditional science courses, professors in the program offer funky ones like “GeoSciFi Movies: Real vs. Fiction.”
Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut
Students in the Earth and Planetary Sciences program at Yale can select a track in Geology and Natural Resources. There is also a new Energy Studies interdisciplinary track that was approved in February 2023. Whatever track you choose, you’ll have access to a close-knit community and amazing field opportunities. Previous ‘field trips’ have included programs to Japan, Patagonia, Barbados, South Africa, the Caribbean, and Italy.
Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, Maryland
Students in the bachelor’s degree program in Earth and Planetary Studies at Johns Hopkins can conduct a Senior Thesis guided by a faculty member, which can include independent research and prepares students for graduate-level studies. In pursuit of the major, students take classes like “The Story of Earth,” “Mineralogy,” and “Planetary Interiors.”
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) — Pasadena, California
The major in Geological and Planetary Sciences in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at Caltech offers a geology, geobiology, geochemistry, or geophysics track. All students in the program are encouraged to take part in research, particularly summer programs, and many classes involve field trips, such as the “Regional Field Geology of the Southwestern United States” program.
University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
The University of Chicago has a deep history of being at the forefront of thought in geology since 1892. Students can pursue a major in Geophysical Science as either a BS or a BA, depending on whether you want to go to graduate school — in which case the BS is your best bet. The BA is better for students looking to go into environmental policy, law, business, or pre-college education.
University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Students in the Geology concentration in the Earth Science major at Penn learn “how humans and ecosystems interact with the dynamic Earth.” Through “hands-on experience with fossils, rocks, minerals, maps, aerial photographs, and satellite images in the laboratory and on field trips,” students gain deep practical experience while building mathematical and scientific expertise. The Penn Geology Society was formed in 2016 to bring students together around a shared passion.
Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey
Students at Princeton formed the Princeton University Geosciences Society (PUGS) to foster community through field trips, speakers, and events. The Geology & Earth History program in the Department of Geosciences is at the core of the PUGS mission and offers students a combination of science and tech education through lab experiments, fieldwork, data analysis, and computer modeling
Stanford University — Stanford, California
The BS degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Stanford is centered on field courses that take you out of the classroom and put theory into practice. Research opportunities range from the length of a break to a whole year. Students also have access to a coterminal Master’s program, which allows accepted students to start in on their graduate degree before finishing their Bachelor’s, which is especially useful as a graduate degree is required for many professions in the geology space.
Duke University — Durham, North Carolina
Students in the Geosciences program in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke can pursue a degree in Earth & Climate Sciences that has a strong focus on “environmental stewardship, the conservation of biodiversity, and the sustainable and equitable use of the planet’s natural resources.” Through a multitude of coursework, lab work, and field study programs, students can direct their course of study to tailor the degree to their interests.
A degree in geology is a passport to a wide variety of career paths that may or may not be obvious to those interested in studying rocks. From office jobs to spending your life in the field, there is something for (nearly) any (science-minded) student.
If geology is your thing, send us an email. We help students like you find, and get into, their perfect college.