Graduate Certificate in Environmental Geology

Program Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Geology from the University of Kansas provides a comprehensive understanding of environmental geology principles and their applications. The program consists of 13 credit hours of online or hybrid coursework, including a required field techniques workshop. Students can complete the certificate as a stand-alone program or as a precursor to the Professional Science Masters in Environmental Geology.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Geology is a nearly all-online program offered by the Department of Geology at the University of Kansas in collaboration with the KU Edwards Campus.

• Objectives: The certificate prepares students with a comprehensive understanding of environmental geology principles and their applications in various fields.
• Description: The program consists of 13 credit hours of coursework delivered in online or online-hybrid mode.
The only exception is the required 1-credit-hour field techniques workshop course, which is offered in person.
• Program Options:
• The certificate can be completed as a stand-alone graduate certificate.
• It can be paired with an appropriate graduate degree that the student is simultaneously enrolled in.
• It can serve as a precursor to starting the full Professional Science Masters in Environmental Geology (PSM-EG) program.

Outline:

• Program Structure: The certificate program requires the completion of 5 courses totaling 13 graduate credit hours.
• Course List:
• EVRN 721 Environmental Regulation and Policy:
(3 credit hours)
• GEOL 751 Physical Hydrogeology:
(3 credit hours)
• Prerequisites: Students without previous hydrology courses must take GEOL 552, Introduction to Hydrogeology, before taking this course.
GEOL 552 does not count towards graduate elective credits for the environmental geology degree or certificate.
• GEOL 753 Chemical and Microbial Hydrogeology: (3 credit hours)
• GEOL 755 Site Assessment:
(3 credit hours)
• Select 1 of the following field methods courses:
• GEOL 536 Geological Log Analysis:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 556 Field Methods in Hydrology:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 557 Environmental Site Operations, Management, and Safety: HAZWOPER Health and Safety Standards:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 791 Advanced Topics in Geology: _____ (Direct-push Methods for Site Characterization):
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 851 Field and Laboratory Methods: Physical Hydrogeology:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 853 Field and Laboratory Methods: Chemical Hydrogeology:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 855 Field and Laboratory Methods: Environmental Geophysics:
(1 credit hour)
• GEOL 856 Field and Laboratory Methods Special Topics: _____ (Environmental Geophysics):
(1 credit hour)
• Field Course:
• The field course typically meets on a Saturday at the Edwards or Lawrence campus, supplemented with online materials over an 8-week period.
• Alternatively, students can attend a week-long summer field course held in Colorado, earning 3 workshop credit hours to fulfill the program's requirements.