Geology
Geology combines physics, biology, chemistry, and math in the interdisciplinary study of the Earth and the environment.
The Geology department seeks to give students a well-rounded Earth science education that balances fundamental knowledge of geology with broadly applicable problem-solving and communication skills.
The integrated science of geology combines biology, chemistry, and physics as they apply to the workings of Earth and other planets. Well-trained geoscientists are increasingly in demand to address the environmental challenges and natural resource limitations of the modern world. A central tenet for understanding and predicting Earth processes and environmental change is the ability to decipher past Earth history from geologic records. Thus, the major in Geology includes study of the physics and chemistry of Earth materials and processes; the history of the Earth and its organisms; and the range of techniques used to investigate the past and present workings of the Earth system.
Field and lab experiences are essential parts of geology training, and field trips and lab work are part of all introductory courses, most other classes, and most independent research projects.
Visit the Geology department page on Inside Bryn Mawr for more information.
Elizabeth Yost '19
Elizabeth talks about her fieldwork in Utah and studying the “ghost fossils” she found there.
Degree Options
Geology major, A.B.
Geology minor
Geoarchaeology concentration
The Department of Anthropology participates with Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology and Geology in offering a concentration within the major in geoarchaeology.
Geochemistry concentration
The geochemistry concentration encourages students majoring either in Geology or in Chemistry to design a course of study that emphasizes Earth chemistry.