From rocks, minerals and soil, to the mountain landscapes of northern New York, the studies of the geology major will extend beyond that which the eye can see. One can build an earth science career that includes the study of groundwater behavior, oil exploration, and the locating and mapping of ore deposits and waste disposal sites. One may seek employment with government agencies or businesses that seemingly are unconnected to geology. One can undertake research at a university. As with any major at SUNY Potsdam, there are many possibilities.
Geologists concern themselves with a past so distant that the imagination is greatly stimulated.
Geologists also deal with the present, with the study of rocks exposed along highway roadcuts and with contaminated water and land left by careless human activity. Geology is an ideal subject to study at SUNY Potsdam, given the setting and the quality of the faculty. Rocks more than one billion years old can be visited in the nearby Adirondack Mountains. Students also visit the St. Lawrence River, Thousand Islands, Lake Champlain and several active mines. Internships and independent research with faculty who publish and attend professional meetings will help to provide vital training and experience.