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Using Your Undergraduate Degree

Academia

Some elementary and secondary school systems employ earth science graduates with bachelor's degrees and teaching credentials (which requires an additional one-year course), though many require a master's degree. Junior colleges also employ teachers with master's degrees. For those interested in a faculty position at the university level, with a career in both teaching and research, the Ph.D. degree is necessary.

Research

Opportunities exist for careers in research at the National Laboratories, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceans and Atmosphere Administration, the Department of Energy, the National Geodetic Survey, and the US Geological Survey. The major oil companies employ earth scientists in their research departments, as do many other industries.

Industry

For individuals who want to enter the job market directly after graduation, employment prospects are good for those with a B.S. in any of our majors. After having been employed for about five years, you will probably want to take the examination of the State Board of Registration for Geologists and Geophysicists. Our alumni traditionally do very well. The overall pass rate is 47 percent; however, 95 percent of UCLA graduates pass the exam.

Employment opportunities exist in the following areas:

Environmental Companies
Owing to the heightened awareness of environmental problems, there is an increasing demand for earth science graduates in the areas of ground water, hazardous waste disposal, asbestos risk evaluation, and preparation of environmental impact statements.

Engineering Geology Companies
Prospects are good for engineering geology graduates to evaluate slope and landslide stability, and to consult on large engineering projects such as housing tract developments, bridges, dams, pipelines and tunnels. Employment is not uncommon at the B.S. level, and subsequent schooling may be paid for by the employer.

Teaching
The shortage of qualified physical sciences teachers at the primary and secondary levels is a national problem. Our programs involve broad training in physics, chemistry, and math, as well as geology, and so should be excellent preparation for such a career.

Mining Companies
Employment opportunities exist, often in remote areas of the world, with mining firms in need of mining engineers, mineralogists, and economic geologists.

Oil Companies
The slump in the petroleum industry in the past few years is now turning around, and oil companies are now beginning to hire more graduates with backgrounds in sedimentology/stratigraphy, organic geochemistry, geophysics, structural geology, and petroleum geology. During periods of high demand for petroleum, oil companies often hire many geologists with bachelor's degrees, but chances for employment and advancement in industry are generally better for those with advanced degrees, especially the master's.

Other industries
State and local government agencies, utility companies, museums, national and state park systems, publication firms, and software production/marketing companies are among many other possible employers. For students interested in the U.S. space program, a background in geology or geophysics could lead to a career at one of the NASA-associated agencies.

Further Education

In many cases, the earth science student will want to continue his/her education in one of several directions:

Graduate school in Earth Science
The master's is the most common entry level degree for employment in industry, while a doctorate is required for a career in research or university teaching. A UCLA degree in geology or geophysics is highly rated, as the department is ranked third among all geoscience departments in the country. A strong degree from UCLA will help you get into a good graduate school.

Graduate School in Other Science Fields
Geology majors may seek graduate degrees in geochemistry, marine geology, hydrology, oceanography, paleontology, physical geography, soil science, gemology, etc. A degree in geophysics may be followed by a graduate program in space physics, planetology, atmospheric sciences, astronomy.

Professional Schools
Medicine, nursing, dentistry, law. The breadth of courses, exposure and integration of all the subfields of science (chemistry, physics, biology, and math) make good preparation for these professions. Our majors have a good record of acceptance to schools in these fields.