What We Do

Geology is the comprehensive study of the solid Earth, atmosphere, ocean, other planets, and the fossil record of life. Increasingly, a grounding in geology is seen as essential for those concerned with care of the environment and assessment of natural hazards, as well as for those involved with utilising Earth's resources. Solutions to problems of pollution and waste disposal, to major civil engineering problems such as those encountered at dam sites, and to the causes and effects of global climate change, must all be sought in the framework of geology.

Earth science is interdisciplinary, and the study of geology frequently employs tools, concepts, and theories from mathematics and the other natural sciences, including chemistry, biology, and physics. Geologists work to solve problems of local and global perspectives related to all Earth systems. The study of minerals, rocks, and fossils continues to be an essential and exciting component of a geologist's training.

Wichita State University is located in south central Kansas. We are located within a day's drive from numerous classic sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic, paleontologic, and structural locales in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska. Field work is emphasized in the department, and undergraduate research is encouraged. Scholarships and graduate teaching assistantships are available for qualified students.