Field Geology ,Certificate
Earth Science, Field Work, Landforms, Mining, Mountains, Natural Resources, Rocks
Enhance your prospects for geology-related careers, internships or graduate school with a foundation in field-based geologic skills.
The certificate program in field geology prepares undergraduate students with the core knowledge base and field experience to identify, describe, collect and interpret a variety of types of geological field data.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe
This video provides an overview of the Field Geology degree program at ASU.
2026-2027 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
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The certificate in field geology requires 15 credit hours, of which 15 credit hours must be upper division. A minimum of six upper-division credit hours must be taken from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When selecting courses, the college offering the course can be identified by viewing the course details in Class Search. Only courses completed with a grade of "C" (2.00 on a scale of 4.00) or better can be used to satisfy certificate requirements. |
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GLG 310 Structural Geology
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
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GLG 452 Field Geology II
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
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GLG 455 Advanced Field Geology
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
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6 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 6 |
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Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
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Students must complete the following prerequisite courses or their equivalencies with a grade of "C" or higher (scale is 4.00 = "A") to pursue the field geology certificate:
GLG 101 Introduction to Geology I (Physical) and GLG 103 Introduction to Geology I Laboratory, or
SES 121 Earth, Solar System and Universe and SES 123 Earth, Solar System and Universe Laboratory, and
GLG 321 Mineralogy and GLG 451 Field Geology I
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before the completion of an undergraduate degree. A student who already holds an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Interpret a variety of types of geologic field data.
- Prepare an interpretive written and illustrated technical report based on a geologic map they develop from field observations and data collection.
Graduates who have completed this undergraduate certificate have a strong, field-based background; this is required for many entry-level jobs with resource mining, geotechnical and environmental consulting companies. It is also a strong asset for acceptance to many graduate research programs in the earth sciences.
Career opportunities include:
- geologic materials technician
- geologic sample test technician
- geoscientist
- geotechnician
- mining and geological engineer
Sample career settings include:
- environmental industry
- geotechnical industry
- mining and petroleum industries
School of Earth and Space Exploration
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ISTB4 795
sese-advising@asu.edu
480-965-5081
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
