The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences emphasizes a unique combination of field and analytical approaches to its research and teaching. Students will study the earth’s origin, appearance, and internal and surface characteristics; its evolution through geologic time; location of mineral and energy resources; and how humans are affecting the earth and its climate.

Students will spend time in the field. The curriculum includes many courses with field trips to the region around Iowa City and other areas of North America. Geoscience majors commonly visit local outcrops for hands-on study of the rich sedimentary and evolutionary history recorded here. Students will also gain a broad understanding of the earth and its processes by conducting fieldwork in locations such as the Rocky Mountains of southwest Montana; California’s Death Valley and Mojave Desert; the Grand Canyon; and Hawaii. Recent international excursions have included the Dominican Republic and China.

The BA program provides a varied background in geology and is good preparation for secondary school teaching (completing the minimum requirements for the BA may not adequately prepare students for an entry-level professional job in geoscience).