Most geologists are employed by private industry - in petroleum, mining, cement, ceramic, sand and gravel, and in environmental and engineering firms. Many work for various federal agencies and the 50 state geological surveys, or are self-employed, often working as consultants. Geochemists are employed in the mineral resource industries, Earth and space sciences, environmental sciences, and several branches of chemical science and technology. In addition to careers in industry, geochemists are employed by consulting firms, academic institutions, and the federal government. Career opportunities exist within industries, engineering consulting firms, and the federal government dealing with subjects as diverse as energy, waste management, the environment, natural resources availability, weather forecasting, the prediction of climate change, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and planetology.
Academic institutions provide teaching and research opportunities.
The B.A. degree program in Earth Sciences is intended primarily for students who want a liberal arts education with a broad emphasis in the several subdisciplines that constitute the earth sciences. The B.S. degree program in Earth Sciences is intended for those students who plan to teach earth science in secondary schools. A minor program jointly offered with the Political Science Department Students are encouraged to participate in the activities of the Geology Club and Geophysics Society. The department awards textbook scholarships for academic achievement each semester and annually presents the MacDiarmid Award to the department's outstanding graduating senior, the Paul D. Willette Scholarship to the outstanding junior, the Walther M. Barnard Geosciences Scholarship to the outstanding sophomore, and the Mark D. and April Hoefner Orgren Scholarship to the outstanding freshman.