Department of Earth Sciences
Geology Field Trips
This fall, geology students travelled across Pennsylvania, examining the impact of Pleistocene glaciers on the landscape. In the photo above, students are standing on a diabase sill that is exposed along the banks of the Susquehanna River near Three Mile Island. The landforms of the surrounding area (including water gaps, river terraces, and potholes) are the result of the interplay between melting glaciers and the underlying rock.
Geology students recently returned from field trips to the Bear Valley (PA) and Hudson Valley region of New York. Shown above, students are standing on vertical beds of Becraft Limestone deposited during the lower Devonian (~400 million years ago). Students mapped contacts between various formational units and created a map to be used in a cross-sectional interpretation of a fold and thrust belt environment.
Students attend NE GSA Meeting in Bretton Woods, NH
During spring break geology students travelled to Bretton Woods New Hampshire for the annual Northeast Geological Society of America meeting. Along the way, the students looked at some great rocks. Students stopped at classic exposures of Barrovian Metemorphism associated with the Taconic Orogeny in Dutchess County New York. They also stopped outside of Albany New York to check out the Lower Devonian fossiliferous limestones exposed at the Helderberg Escarpment. They might have been able to see even more with less snow on the ground and falling from the sky!
Rock Solid Preparation - Millersville University geology graduates passed the most recent Fundamentals of Geology Examination at a rate of 80%. This pass rate is well above the national average of 58%. In nearly all content domains of the exam, the Millersville geology alums exceeded the national average, in some cases by over 10 percentage points. The Fundamental of Geology Examination is a four hour test administered by the National Association of State Boards of Geology. It has been established to assess common knowledge and skills in geology throughout the nation.
Bachelor of Science in Geology
A B.S. in Geology provides the greatest diversity of coursework with an excellent foundation in all geology disciplines. This option allows students to explore the full breadth of geology and also allows the greatest number of outside science electives. For example, students with an interest in biology or mathematics may take up to five courses that count toward the geology major. If you have a general interest in geology and want to learn the Earth system as a whole then this would be an excellent program for you. View course requirements.
Bachelor of Arts in Earth Sciences
The B.A. in Earth Sciences program is less specialized, and somewhat less demanding, than any of the B.S. programs. It requires an introductory course in each of the earth science disciplines: geology, meteorology, and oceanography. The B.A. allows a student to construct his or her own program, consisting of 18 credits of earth sciences courses beyond the introductory level. These courses may concentrate in one area (geology, meteorology, or oceanography) or spread across disciplines.
The B.A. program is an excellent program for the student who wishes to enter the environmental consulting field after graduation. Concentrating one’s course work in meteorology may lead to a career in a field such as air quality control. A concentration in oceanography prepares the student for a career in coastal resource management. The B.A. program combined with a second major or minor, such as Geography or Occupational Safety and Environmental Health, leads to a wide range of careers in the industry or in the government. Moreover, the B.A. program is an excellent choice for a student who has an interest in the legal or business aspect of the environmental sciences and intends to enter professional law or business school after graduation. View course requirements.
B.A. in E.S./Environmental Geology
In recent years, the environmental field has become more diversified providing a job base for students with a more general background in the geosciences. To fulfill this need, the Department of Earth Sciences has created a major in Environmental Geology. This program is designed for those students who wish have a basic interest in the environment industry whether that be work with non-profit organizations or in environmental consulting field. The B.A. Environmental Geology option provides a solid grounding in the geosciences while providing greater flexibility and diversity in choosing courses. Students may select courses that emphasize water quality issues, land use, or coastal processes depending on their interests. Another selling point for many students is that the B.A. option only requires one semester of calculus and one year of algebra based physics. The B.A. in Environmental Geology is a good preparation for a career in groundwater resource management, in conservation and planning agencies, and in the environmental nonprofit movement. View course requirements.
Department of Earth Science
Millersville, PA 17551-0302