Bachelor of Science [B.S] [Geological Sciences] From Michigan State University

The degree is intended for students seeking a career in the petroleum industry, mining, academia or related fields, or continuing on for graduate work and incorporates courses in cognate sciences, field experiences and a summer field camp.

The roles of geoscientists are to better understand Earth’s physical environment, predict likely outcomes of interacting Earth processes, identify and quantify natural resources for a sustainable planet, and understand the role of anthropogenic forces and societal choices that impact the Earth system. The ability to investigate processes over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales is central to the geoscience perspective. As a part of MSU's land grant philosophy, it is our mission to discover new knowledge, apply fundamental research insights to societal problems, and train the next generation of citizens, scholars, and policy makers.

Changes in the physical, chemical, and biological environment are natural phenomena that impact the earth and its systems from microscopic to global scales. These changes are evident in the geologic record, and their consequences affect the environment where life flourishes now and will continue to do so into the future. Geological scientists determine the history of natural change, what changes are possible, how and when they occur, the phenomena which attend them, and their results. Of particular concern is that many recent changes on Earth (e.g., pollution of soil, water, and air; disruption of global biogeochemical cycles; decreases in habitat diversity) are a direct or indirect consequence of human activities.