Why choose CMU to study geology?

The geology department consists of seven permanent faculty, each of whom has earned a doctorate degree. Their areas of expertise cover many subdisciplines of the geological sciences, including earth history, environmental geology, geochemistry, geomorphology, geophysics, hydrogeology, mineralogy, paleontology, petrology, plate tectonics, stratigraphy, structural geology, and volcanology.

The small size of the department offers students an educational experience usually associated with small private liberal arts colleges, yet it also includes all the economic and curricular advantages of a larger state institution. Our recently renovated facilities were designed to limit enrollment in major core courses to 15 students or less, thus insuring individual attention in classes. Most upper level courses involve students in "hands-on" laboratory exercises and many contain a research component where students work either individually or in groups under the guidance of a faculty member. All faculty maintain an "open door" policy and interact with students on a personal as well as professional level. Students are encouraged to pursue research problems in collaboration with faculty members.

Students at the Barton Garnet Mine, Gore Mt., New York