The Geosciences major offers an understanding of the evolution of our planet and its interacting global systems. In this era of global change, geoscience provides the tools that can help us learn to live sustainably with our environment, and appreciate our place within the vastness of Earth history. Forces within the Earth create mountain ranges and ocean basins and drive the movements of continents. Wind, water and ice shape the surface of the Earth, making and changing the landscapes around us. Sedimentary rocks and the fossils within them teach us how life and climate have evolved over the vastness of time. The Geosciences department helps students understand and appreciate these complex Earth systems.
Our department is small, and this means students and faculty interact closely in the classroom, on field trips, and during department events which range from cookouts to watching cheesy geology-themed movies. Our graduates leave Williams for a wide range of careers, including environmental consulting, hydrology, hazard assessment, the energy and mining industries, outdoor education, and teaching and research in universities, colleges, and secondary schools. Many students choose to double-major in a diversity of fields across the divisions, and often find jobs where they can apply the synergies of their Geoscience double major. No matter what field they enter, all our Geoscience graduates pursue their lives and careers with a deeper appreciation for the natural world around them.