<p>Which has the better:
Job opportunities?
Lower competition for jobs?
Job growth?
Working conditions?
Stability?
Flexibility to do more than one particular objective?
Salary?</p>
<p>I have read on some oil company websites that they do not offer geology positions unless you have a masters at the bare minimum. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule though.</p>
<p>I myself am in the same situation. I am stuck between Petroleum Engineering and Geophysics. I would like to get into exploration within the oil & gas sector.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for job stability, oil/gas may not be for you. Like mining and other commodity-based fields, the job environment depends on prices, so the industry is famous for boom/bust cycles. It’s in a boom right now, but they never last forever. Not to say it’s a bad field to be in, but you need to be prepared with some plan B options for the busts.</p>
<p>Salaries for both positions are comparable (I like Glassdoor for doing comparisons), and the majors (Exxon, Shell, BP, etc.) pay more. AlterEgo brings up the good point that geophysics will require at least a master’s degree. It is possible to find positions as a petroleum engineer with a bachelor’s, but from what I’ve heard, it’s better to get a master’s for long-term career potential. (Maybe someone from the petroleum engineering side can weigh in here.)</p>
<p>Given all of that, you should base your choice on what you actually like to do. The job functions have relatively little overlap, so try out a class or two of each to decide what is more up your alley.</p>
<p>I have considered do a BS in Mechanical or Civil/Environmental Engineering and then a MS in Geophysics. My thing is that I do not want to land in the oil or mining industry. To be honest, I want to do something in the earth sciences that has to do with studying natural hazards.</p>
<p>@ ARGWUS</p>
<p>You might want to look into some of the California schools, both public and private. California faces a number of geological hazards so it is likely that Geology departments in California colleges and universities would put emphasis on geological hazards.</p>
<p>“To be honest, I want to do something in the earth sciences that has to do with studying natural hazards”
DS was and is interested in exactly the same area. He went to USC for UG, which has a great program in GeoPhysics/ Seismology AND also operates the Internationally known Southern Calif. Earthquake Center[ SCEC]-founded and run by the former Dept Chair of Geology at MIT- Tom Jordan. DS had incredible paid Internship opportunities all 4 years at USC, and is now working on his PhD in Seismology at CalTech, which has the #1 Geophysics / Seismology program in the country [ but only offers UG or PhD degrees, not MS degrees]
Berkeley also has great Geophysics UG and graduate programs as well.</p>
<p>I would also like to add that if someone wants to major within the geosciences department and boost job prospects in O&G, it would be advisable to pick Geophysics over Geology. Why? For one, it is more of an analytical degree and closely relates to an engineering degree when it comes to math/science courses. It might help compete with engr major applying for the same job if you have a strong GPA.</p>
Although this is an old thread I just wanted to reply to Alterego’s comment for anyone doing a google search of geosciences vs eng.
Geophysics does not have a lot of opportunities at the B.Sc level, it doesn’t have a lot of opportunities at the M.Sc level either. However, there are not very many geophysicists out there and so the job prospect per graduate is very good. Oil companies will pay huge money for a good exploration geophysicist, I mean 150-200k(+) if not much more.
Geophysics is a much harder degree than Engineering. In Engineering you essentially take second year maths and science courses and then the rest is design courses and general practice courses. In Geophysics you will be taking 4th year level math and physics courses and your geoscience courses will be pertaining to the physics side as well.
The good thing about a geophysics degree is that you not only have the geology background /chemistry but you have the mathematical and physics background as well. This makes you a very educated scientist at the undergraduate level. However, it is a hard degree / concentration to obtain and because of this you need to take your studies seriously and be motivated to finish the program.
Unfortunately as of right now (2016) the energy resources industry is in a bust (generally) due to many factors. However, when it is booming you will be raking in a lot of money. Geophysics also gives you the opportunity to travel to very interesting places and being able to study the world as objectively as one can (with instrumentation usually) offers a very connected feeling with your existence.
/Geophysics major with a lot of EngGeo friends.