Undergraduate Studies

Field Experience

Field Trips

Field experiences are an important aspect of all of the geological sciences. The UA Department of Geological Sciences integrates field trips into numerous undergraduate and graduate classes and sponsors a Regional Geology Class (GEO 490/590) that focuses on field trips to classic geologic locations. Recent locations include the La Popa Basin and Craton.

Summer Field Course

The Department of Geological Sciences offers a five-week field course for undergraduates, with opportunities to apply geologic techniques and principles, such as mapping, data collecting, and reporting. The course is offered during the first summer term (late May to late June), and students must apply to enroll.

Rio Grande river landscapeRio Grande, New Mexico, photo by Kim Genareau

GEO 495: Geology Field Course

Cliff edge of Caldera in New Mexico
Ignimbrite Outcrop, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, photo by Kim Genareau

The 2023 field course will take place May 30-June 30 in Alabama, Texas, and New Mexico. If you are interested in applying by the deadline of March 15, please contact Dr. Kim Genareau, Field Course Director. If you are not a UA student, you can still take the course for six credit hours, and should contact Dr. Genareau as soon as possible. This year, the course fee is $1000, which includes some, but not all, food costs.  This amount does not include transport to/from Alabama, college fees, or the six credits of tuition ($2610 for Alabama residents; $6990 for non-residents).