What a geoscience career has to offer...

Are you curious about the Earth, what you can see, can’t see, or how it got that way over the eons? Or are you passionate about our environment and how it is changing and would like to play a part in improving our stewardship of it? Do you want to be a part of finding energy and mineral resources; in managing our water? Do you like science, travel, adventure, and enjoy the mountains, deserts, and oceans? You can pursue all these interests and get paid while you do it – as a Geoscientist. Geoscientists do all of the above to one degree or another but are often known by names such as geologist, geophysicist, oceanographer, paleontologist, and others. All share activities in looking at and into the Earth and its history.

For a career path you could choose from several different avenues: academic (public school teacher, community college instructor, university professor and researcher), industry (exploration geologist and geophysicist, engineering and environmental geologist), or government scientist (U.S. Geological Survey, NOAA, NASA). Geoscientists are well trained in observing the Earth and have a broad education in mathematics and the physical or biological sciences. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is required for many industry jobs, while Ph.D. degrees are needed for research and university teaching positions. UCSB can provide you with the education and experience to open doors in any of the employment areas of geosciences, and we hope you will look through our web site to find ideas on how you can succeed here and in your career. For examples of what is possible click here and find out what our graduates have done.

Employment prospects are good, with some fields growing very fast. Retirements over the next 15 years will open many university positions. The web sites below can provide you with more detailed information on the current status of opportunities. For information about our degree programs see our Undergraduate or Graduate Education web pages.

Start investigating now and plan your career with our Earth!

Some useful career planning links...

American Geological Institute

This site is a gateway to other information including the Sloan site given below. It is also where you can download the 2001 Report on the Status of Academic Geoscience Departments as a PDF file and the 2000 Report on Earth and Space Science PHDs. Visit the Adobe web site if you need to download Acrobat Reader.

Bureau of Labor Statistics of U.S.

This site provides comprehensive information on a wide scope of geoscience career issues including these headings: Nature of the Work | Working Conditions | Employment | Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement | Job Outlook | Earnings | Related Occupations | Sources of Additional Information

Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

Here you can find a complete overview in the field of geoscience careers including: Profiles of Geoscientists - Spectrum - Money - Location - Education and Skills - Day in the Life - Future - Geosciences Overview PDF - Geosciences Resources PDF. This site also has an interesting and valuable discussion of Networking as a key part of a successful search for employment.