Why this Program?

Humboldt Geology trains world class geoscientists to solve tomorrow's problems, and have fun doing it!

We focus on three key areas to provide you with a broad, in-depth and career-ready education:

1) Hands-on activities in the field and in the laboratory, highlighting our geologically-rich location, designed to develop critical thinking and data analysis skills.

2) Small classes taught by faculty dedicated to student-centered learning, who prioritize your individual educational goals.

3) Creating community; as a major, you will become a member of a tight-knit, supportive group committed to getting the most out of their education; as a graduate of Humboldt Geology, you will forever be connected to our strong network of alumni with diverse careers in geoscience.

Where You Learn

Humboldt is a spectacular place—our redwood forests, beaches, rivers, mountains, and marshes are full of life, precisely because of the complex geology of this region.

Cal Poly Humboldt is located along the active Cascadia subduction zone and near the Klamath Mountains and south Cascades volcanic arc. You will immediately take geology courses participating in laboratory sections and weekends in the field, collecting data and making observations. Examples of field trips include visits to the Arcata Marsh to core for records of past earthquakes and tsunami, Big Lagoon to measure coastal erosion, Lassen Volcanic National Park to observe recent volcanic eruptive material, Trinidad State Beach to piece together a complicated rock record of subduction, and Jacoby Creek to measure creek discharge with respect to watershed health.

Stars to Rocks, our first-year learning community, gets you connected to professors quickly, as well as a cohort of like-minded students who support each other throughout college. Joining the student-run Geology Club gives you more opportunities to meet faculty and students, as well as participate in monthly colloquia and events like the annual rock auction.

Geoscience majors will culminate their career in a capstone course that focuses on community outreach about local and regional earthquake and tsunami hazards in partnership with local and state agencies. Geology majors will embark on a four-week intensive field camp, where you will learn to collect geologic data and display it in map and report form, interpret geologic structures, and communicate your results both orally and in writing. For more information, visit our Field Camp link.

Personal Attention

Humboldt’s geology professors are dedicated to their fields and their students. They work on diverse projects regionally, including paleoseismology in Humboldt County, past volcanic eruptions in the Cascade and Aleutian Arcs, tectonics of the Klamath and Appalachian mountains, and glacial geology in the Trinity Alps. All majors have the opportunity to conduct a senior thesis project, partner with a faculty mentor, and get involved in their research program.

Our Stars to Rocks learning community gives you an immediate connection, creating a community of faculty and peers from day one. Our small class sizes let you work one-on-one with professors, who provide mentorship and opportunities for hands-on learning.

After Graduation

Our alumni work in environmental consulting, geotechnical engineering, public safety, emergency management, water resources, science communication, and education. They are hired by the US Geological Survey, California Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Caltrans, US Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and many smaller, private firms specializing in environmental remediation, consulting, and engineering.

Thinking about graduate school? Our Geology B.S. degree includes all of the math and science courses that are prerequisites for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees for geoscience programs in the United States and abroad. Recent graduates have gone on to complete graduate degrees at University of Nevada Reno, University of Montana, University of Idaho, University of Melbourne, and the University of Michigan.

With a solid foundation in field skills, geological reasoning skills, and a strong sense of identity and community as a geoscientist, earning a degree from Humboldt Geology will set you up for a rewarding career as a geoscientist.

First Year Learning Community

Imagine being on a hilltop observatory peering up at the stars, searching for clues about the nature of gravity, analyzing river water samples, or taking a field trip to study the Mendocino triple junction atop the Cascadia subduction zone and San Andreas fault. These are some of the activities offered in Stars to Rocks, a cross-disciplinary learning community for Chemistry, Geology, and Physics & Astronomy majors.

Program Website