<p>I am a HS senior that will be majoring in Earth Science(Geology B.S.) at Cal Poly SLO next year. I have researched quite a bit, but would love some more input! Most likely my concentration will be Environmental Interpretation and Assessment. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are there any geologists on this forum with experience in this field? Any stories? </p></li>
<li><p>After my undergrad, I was hoping to go into a graduate program for petroleum engineering if possible. Will i have the prerequisites and be prepared to do so with a Earth Science/Geology degree? </p></li>
<li><p>Or how about just a graduate degree in Geology? What job options open with that kind of graduate degree? I hear the market always needs more geologists.</p></li>
<li><p>Any other suggestions for graduate school/jobs after i get an undergrad in Geology? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Cal Poly SLO has a strong reputation in California, but is not particularly known for geology (although it is very well known for soil science, as applied to agriculture). The geology program is relatively new and relatively small.</p>
<p>A geology degree is not a particularly strong qualification for grad school in petroleum engineering (although it might not totally disqualify you either). Such programs would probably prefer to admit mechanical or chemical engineering majors and teach them some geology – rather than starting with a geology major and trying to teach them engineering.</p>
<p>There are reasonably good job opportunities for geologists. Ideally you want a master’s degree. The Cal Poly “Environmental Interpretation and Assessment” track is oriented toward careers in environmental geology, typically the evaluation of sites where the soil or groundwater has been contaminated by pollution. This can get you a job in an environmental consulting firm, or in the environmental management division of an oil company or other industrial firm. </p>
<p>Geologists also, of course, traditionally work for mining and oil companies, doing exploration. The Cal Poly program is not particularly oriented toward this sort of work, but you could go from Cal Poly to a grad school that was. There are many strong grad schools in geology in California and surrounding states.</p>
<p>I have a BS and MS in Geology. I had a low GPA (2.29) from my undergrad degree. I worked for two years in exploration for a mining company and that was it. Ever since then I have beeb either unemployed or underemployed, doing other jobs that don’t involve geology. At the present time I am a 51 year old unemployed geologist. If I could go back in time I would have majored in something else. I would recommend engineering simply because we will always be building something. There is a lot of competition for those jobs, and if you like math applications, engineering (Chemical, mechanical, electrical) would be a better choice than geology in my opion. Civil and environmental engineering are competitive fields at the present time and I would look ath other fields before I jumped on those majors. Petroleum engineering is like geology. The job market is cyclic and it makes a tough life for many in those two fields.</p>
For this reason, many geologists now work for engineering firms, evaluating the physical and chemical properties of soil, rock, or groundwater and the implications for construction. Engineering geologists evaluate the geotechnical properties of soils and potential geologic hazards, such as faults and slope failures. Environmental geologists evaluate chemical contamination in soil and groundwater, and evalute the effects of groundwater extraction for water supply or remedial purposes.</p>
<p>Most US states now have licensing programs for “Professional Geologists”, which parallel the licensing programs for “Professional Engineers”. Depending on your state, there are varying degrees of legal overlap between PG and PE practice, with PGs being particularly visible in California and other West Coast states.</p>
<p>If you are interested in environmental or engineering geology (as opposed to exploration), you should look into taking the state FG exam as a senior. This is the first step in the licensure process; it parallels the FE exam for engineers.</p>
<p>I am also 51 and have a BS and MS in geology … I have been fortunate to be employed throughout my career as a geologist with oil/gas exploration adn production companies.</p>
<p>So a slightly different expereince than trent. I have been around long enough to know that the difference is luck, timing, mostly with a little bit of skill, training and the like. </p>
<p>For me I wouldnt trade my geology training … but as trent pointed out it can be up and down… if you are intereseted in ‘the earth’ advice above isnt bad, but there are so many tracks to ‘success’ i woudl recommend taking it one step at a time… if you are at cal poly slo and like it and like geology … get the degree, do as well as you can, and plan on some graduate education either in geology or otherwise … and cal poly has a good engineering program … I used to live in california and while probably not well known outside california, most degrees are somewhat regional</p>
<p>Thanks for the answers so far.
I have a couple of new questions!! I hope i dont sound like a “gunner” or something; I am just trying to get a feel for the field. </p>
<p>-I know the quality/rank of your undergrad school doesn’t matter , but does the rank/quality of your graduate school matter in job placements for people with M.S. in Earth Science/Geology/Engineering?
-For example, would a Geologist with a M.S. from CalTech have significantly better job opportunities than a M.S. Geologist that went to Colorado School of Mines?
-Also, does your class rank at that school matter, like it does in Law school?
Do you guys know where to find stats on graduate schools? I have been looking for admission numbers, such as average B.S. GPA’s and average GRE scores for the top schools, like MIT,CalTech, or UCLA. I know its 4 years early, but i have yet to find any numbers online!
-How competitive of a field is Geology? Is it extremely difficult to get into Top-14 graduate schools? </p>
<p>Yes, the school you attend matters. I think most employers know good people come from other schools as well as the top teir schools. If you want or must go to that school then go. I would not major in geology if I could go back in time, and I doubt I would have even gone to college if I new then what I know now.</p>
<p>Geologists have poor salary and poor job opportunities based on most of the geologists I have talked to.</p>
<p>Engineering is a much more secure field to be in. I recommend Geological Engineering or Petroleum Engineering as a B.S. Maybe Mining engineering.</p>