The Geology (BS) - Environmental Geology degree from Appalachian State University prepares you to understand diverse topics such as evolution and plate tectonics, sedimentation and sea-level change, water resources and groundwater contamination, and much more. Appalachian Geology graduates have the field skills, core geologic knowledge and credentials to obtain a Professional Geologist license (PG), an essential certification for many jobs in the field of geology, especially those in the environmental industry.

In this degree, you will take a core set of classes that prepare you to go directly into the environmental industry upon graduation. Because the laboratory portions of these courses utilize state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including a 16-well educational well field and high-tech geophysical equipment, you will have the knowledge base and field skills that environmental employers are seeking.

Earth materials are in high demand even as green industries and environmental consulting expand, so there are many jobs available to our graduates. Approximately one-third of Department of Geology graduates since 1998 are working in the environmental industry, mostly with environmental consultants but also with federal, state and local governments. The balance of our graduates are spread equally in education, both secondary and college, oil and mineral resources, and in graduate school.