Geology Department

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SUNY Cortland’s Geology Department provides a first rate education in the geosciences. In our programs, students gain skills and knowledge for entry into graduate school or employment in the public or private sectors. Students can choose from undergraduate programs in Geology, Geology with a concentration in Environmental Science, or the teacher preparation program in Adolescence Education: Earth Science. Within these programs, students have opportunities to learn through experience by carrying out internships, research or student teaching.

Geology at SUNY Cortland takes full advantage of its location in the scenic Finger Lakes region. Fieldwork is infused into most of the courses and includes studies of the local fossils, glacial landforms and water quality. In addition, our central location within New York state allows us to visit prime mineral and bedrock sites in the Adirondack Mountains and adjacent states. 

The Geology Department is housed in the newly renovated Bowers Hall, and the teaching and research laboratories in the department are equipped with the most current technology and instrumentation. Because of this state-of-the-art facility, our students are engaged in a variety of faculty-mentored research experiences.

Our faculty members take particular joy in mentoring undergraduates and are proud of their accomplishments.  Cortland geology students often present their research at regional, national, and international conferences and have co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals. Students have gone on to graduate schools across the continent from Alaska and British Columbia to North Carolina. Our alumni network stretches from Alaska to Texas to New York in a wide range of geologic, environmental and engineering firms and government positions.