Geosciences Degree Programs and Career Paths | Colorado State University

Eighty-seven percent of students have post-graduation plans secured, including employment or master’s degree programs, according to data from the Warner College of Natural Resources.

The Warner College of Natural Resources catalog reports that the Department of Geosciences maintains an average teacher-to-student ratio of one to eight. Four specialized concentrations organize the undergraduate curriculum around distinct career pathways and student interests.

Undergraduate majors across all five departments within the Warner College of Natural Resources lead to a Bachelor of Science degree. Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits, including at least 42 credits in upper-division courses. Most majors require a four- to five-week summer field training program totaling five or six credits prior to the junior or senior year.

Summer field instruction takes place at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus located 55 miles west of Fort Collins. The geosciences department runs an intensive summer field course focusing on geological mapping in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Students utilize the nearby Rocky Mountains, Colorado High Plains, and intermontane basins for hands-on field studies.

Fort Collins offers hundreds of miles of biking and hiking trails, rock climbing, and fishing locations with over 300 days of sun per year. The Warner College of Natural Resources catalog notes that advanced ROTC students must coordinate schedules with academic advisors during their junior year to avoid conflicts in the senior spring semester.

The geology concentration provides a field-oriented undergraduate education suited for professional careers in the energy, water, environmental, and resources industries. Environmental geology students focus on surface and shallow subsurface processes that shape the Earth and supply critical soil and water resources. The geophysics concentration merges foundational geology with quantitative data analysis, physics, mathematics, and computer skills. Hydrogeology delivers education in surface and subsurface water science and applications.

Students can expand their major by adding minors in geology or other complementary disciplines. The Warner College of Natural Resources catalog states that ten undergraduate degree programs operate within the college, featuring specialized concentrations or designated areas of further study.

International resources management represents an expanding focus within the Warner College of Natural Resources. Students may complete one or two semesters of resource management education abroad through institutional agreements managed by the Office of International Programs in Laurel Hall.

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are available in each department. The college houses four professional master’s degrees:

• Master of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
• Master of Natural Resources Stewardship
• Master of Tourism Management
• Professional Science Master’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability

Research and training facilities housed within the college include the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands. Carmyn Ginnetti serves as the College Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator, located in the Michael Smith Natural Resources Building, Room 410, according to catalog listings.

High school graduates are advised to complete all available English, science, and mathematics courses to prepare for college-level work. Students planning to attend a community college prior to enrolling at Colorado State University should follow the freshman program for their chosen major closely. To ensure graduation within four years, students should transfer no later than the beginning of their junior year.