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Geological Sciences is a degree category that consists of the following common degrees:
- Read more about Paleontology
Dinosaurs. That’s what typically comes to mind when people hear the term paleontology. The field, though, is concerned with so much more than the earth-stomping lizards that roamed our planet for more than 165 million years. It is the study of the history of life on Earth. It draws elements from physics, botany, ecology, chemistry, biology, and geology and explores how these fields are intertwined in the Earth’s geological past.
First and foremost, paleontologists and students of paleontology study fossils – the remains of plants, animals, and other living things that have been replaced by rock material or whose impressions have been preserved in rock. They use fossil remains to understand how ancient ecosystems formed, evolved, and sometimes disappeared. They become familiar with phrases like ‘glacial movement,’ ‘mass extinction,’ ‘tundra ecosystem,’ and ‘evolutionary theory.’ In short, they focus on how life has evolved from the tiniest single-celled organism to the complex life forms we are today.
- Read more about Hydrology
Hydrology is about the active nature of water, the movement of precipitation.
Hydrologists study surface waters like rivers, lakes, and streams and examine how rainfall and snowfall cause erosion, generate caves, and permeate soil and rock to become groundwater or flow to oceans and seas.
They work with other scientists, engineers, and public regulators to forecast and manage floods or droughts, reduce waste water, promote sustainable usage of water, evaluate the feasibility of projects like irrigation systems and hydroelectric plants, and protect water resources.
Students of hydrology study these and other aspects of the field. They learn about water management methods, land use, environmental issues, and how to collect water data, interpret statistics, conduct computer modeling, and use geographic information systems (GIS) and the global positioning system (GPS).