Geology is the study of the materials, processes, and history of the solid Earth and its fluid envelopes. Geology is an integrative field, drawing on mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology to understand the interactions of the lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere. Studies in geology commonly combine observations and measurements from field, laboratory, and computational studies. Geology plays an important role in decisions about resource use, slope stability and the safety of building projects, natural hazards standards, mineral exploration and extraction, the basic workings of the Earth, and the understanding of the effects and rates of natural and human-induced change in the environment.
Most graduate research in the geology program includes field study. An approved field course of at least 9 quarter credits or equivalent experience is prerequisite to candidacy for a graduate degree. No foreign language is required.
Students who seek training in a combination of field and laboratory techniques applying a variety of scientific problems will find very few places with the number of opportunities or the variety of facilities that are available at Oregon State. Research in the department falls under three broad areas: Solid Earth Processes and History; Surface Earth Processes and History; and Human Interaction with the Earth.