Their work and career paths vary widely and include geology, environmental science, paleontology, economic geology, geophysics, hydrology, oceanography, marine science, atmospheric science, planetary science, meteorology and soil science. A Geology degree from SUNY Potsdam is an excellent foundation for a career in any of these areas.

Geology is the study of the earth's physical makeup and history, from minerals, soil and mountain ranges to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other geologic phenomena.

It's an ideal subject to study at SUNY Potsdam, given the campus setting is in the midst of ancient meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks of the St. Lawrence Valley and Adirondack Mountains that have a billion-year-old story to tell. The department maintains a Seismic Network consisting of eight seismograph stations in the St. Lawrence Valley, the largest in northern New York. The geology major is centered in the liberal arts and prepares students for careers in geology or further study on the graduate or professional level.

Many recent graduates have found work in the environmental field; others are employed in the lucrative gold and silver mining fields of Nevada, Alaska and Australia. Recent alumni are currently in graduate school at the University of Vermont, Virginia Tech, the University of Georgia, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Indiana, Curtain University in Australia and Western Ontario University.