The Geology & Geophysics Degree
The Geology and Geophysics major offers unusual opportunities to integrate knowledge and technology from chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, space and planetary science, and other disciplines to understand processes that have shaped the Earth, its environments, and the life that it has sustained over billions of years. Geoscientists provide insight on surface and groundwater resources and how to protect and preserve them. They probe the causes and potential risks associated with natural hazards including earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, landslides, climate change, and sea level rise. Sustainable exploration and extraction of key mineral resources needed to build and power a resilient and green society depends on well-trained geoscientists. To explore Earth history, develop materials and energy resources, and to take the pulse of a dynamic planet, geoscientists use an extraordinary array of tools, including satellites to measure changes of Earth’s surface, sensitive instruments to detect seismic waves for exploring resources underground, cutting-edge instrumentation to measure the composition of minerals and rocks at microscopic scales, and computational approaches to assemble and interrogate enormous sets of data acquired from rocks and fossils across the globe.
Honors in the major
Students interested in earning Honors in the major should consult with and receive permission from the honors advisor. Students should declare their intention to graduate with honors by the end of their sophomore year or the start of their junior year. Honors students are expected to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. Appropriate background courses for the thesis should be chosen in consultation with the student’s thesis adviser. To graduate with Honors, a student must maintain a GPA of 3.4 in all geology and geophysics courses.
Degree Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to fulfill a minimum set of General Education Requirements. Additionally, background courses include calculus, chemistry, and physics. Work with an advisor to ensure that you choose courses appropriate to your interests and career plan. Consult the Guide for specific degree requirements.
Declare a major
To declare a major in geology or geophysics, students must meet with the undergraduate advisor, Sabrina Manero. Email her to schedule an appointment – smanero@wisc.edu
Geology & Geophysics Degree Information
Undergraduate Advisor
Careers
Over half of our geoscience graduates work in hydrogeology or the petroleum and mining industries. These jobs require personal adaptability and an unusual breadth of training, often in the form of an MS degree. About one fifth of our graduates work in state and federal geological surveys or in government research activities. These positions work on problems in geologic mapping, mineral resources, groundwater, and engineering. Many Geoscience students continue on to obtain a PhD degree and become faculty members teaching and researching at a college or university. A Geology and Geophysics major is also appropriate for students interested in careers in elementary or secondary education, environmental policy, or environmental law. For additional information on career opportunities, talk to the Geoscience student advisor.
Looking for a certificate instead?
Students can officially declare the Geoscience Certificate starting August 25, 2026. If you’d like to let the Department of Geoscience know that you’re interested in the certificate before then, please fill out this form. An advisor in the Department of Geoscience would be happy to chat with you about the certificate anytime and can help you prepare to declare the certificate.