About Us

The Department of Geosciences at Western Michigan University resides in Rood Hall. Additional lab and teaching space is in Haenicke Hall and Wood Hall. The Department comprises 15 board appointed faculty (including joint appointments). Rood Hall with snow. Undergraduate majors typically total in excess of 100 students in 5 majors areas; Earth Science (including Science Education dual majors), Geochemistry, Geology, Geophysics, and Hydrogeology. Graduate enrollments typically numbering 40-50 students are enrolled in a range of specialization in either Earth Science or Geology Masters Degree programs. The Ph.D. program typically has 10-15 students in a range of disciplines including hydrogeology, environmental geology, and geochemistry/isotope geochemistry.

The undergraduate Geology major was founded in 1959 and an Earth Science Major and minor were established in 1963 (within the combined Departments of Geography and Geology). The Department of Geology was founded in 1965 with Graduate degrees, MS Earth Science Education and MS Geology, established in the late '60's and early ' 70's, respectively. An active research program was initiated in the department at this time with successful external, federal funding. The purposeful establishment of an applied, environmental geology/hydrogeology emphasis in the department in the early '70's resulted in substantial, external funding in the late '70's in this area and subsequent development of an undergraduate Hydrogeology major and regionally reputable hydrogeology emphasis at the graduate level. A PhD program with Hydrogeology emphasis was established in 1990. The Department changed its name to the Department of Geosciences in 1997 in an effort to reflect the increasing diversity of our departmental offerings.

Haenicke Hall Currently, there is a very diverse applied, as well as basic, research emphasis in the department. The faculty of the Department of Geosciences at Western Michigan University has a well-funded and active research program that addresses a wide range of research topics in the general fields of geochemistry, geophysics, hydrogeology, geotechnical geology, glacial geomorphology, earth science education, and sedimentary systems and basin analysis. Over the past twelve months there has been a number of new initiatives pertaining to research activities and construction of new research facilities.

The Department of Geosciences has historically emphasized employment opportunities for its graduates and the training of geosciences professionals. We boast an alumni cadre placed in a wide range of geosciences professions including: science education; resource exploration; environmental science; consulting; regulatory; research; parks and recreation; and software design. Our PhD graduates have been very successful in the job market with most currently employed in either higher education or private sector consulting.

The Department of Geosciences at Western Michigan University is a growing center for geologic and environmental research, and offers a variety of programs for college students seeking a career in the Earth sciences, as well as adult professionals looking to extend their education in environmental science, resource exploration and recovery, or earth science teaching.

We offer high quality degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Our undergraduate programs include a traditional, pre-professional Geology Major (with a Group Science Minor) and a non-professional Earth Sciences Major (and Earth Science Minor) for students interested in geology but who don't intend to pursue a career in an earth science discipline. We also offer specialized major programs in Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Hydrogeology, where students can gain a highly focused and rigorous education in one of these professional disciplines.

In collaboration with the Mallinson Institute for Science Education at WMU, we also offer a major in Earth Science Teaching for prospective K-12 educators.

At the graduate level we offer a Ph.D. program in Geosciences, an M.S. in Geosciences and an M.A. in Earth Sciences. Our Ph.D. and M.S. programs are intended as professional degrees for students continuing in a geosciences career. Our M.A. program is intended for students who plan careers outside the geosciences, but whose work or specialty would benefit from an in-depth education in the geologic sciences.

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