Geoscience is the study of the Earth. It spans a broad range of interconnected fields, including natural hazards, climate change, the formation of Earth and other planets, the evolution of life, the hydrology of Earth’s surface and subsurface, and the evolution of mountains, continents, glaciers, and oceans.

The Geoscience certificate provides a flexible path for students seeking a broad introduction to geoscience as well as those interested in pursuing a targeted area within geoscience. Because geoscience draws on many other disciplines to investigate how the Earth works (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, civil engineering), the Geoscience certificate is a great fit for students in a wide range of majors. 

Students in this certificate have an opportunity to gain skills and competencies in a variety of geoscience fields, including environmental geoscience, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, glaciology, paleoclimate, groundwater and surface water systems, and paleontology. These topics will help prepare students to understand and respond to geoscience issues, environmental risks, resource challenges, and climate-driven change in Wisconsin and beyond.

How to Get in

For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. 

Students declared in the Certificate in Geoscience cannot also declare the Geology and Geophysics major.

Requirements

The Certificate in Geoscience requires a minimum of four courses and at least 12 total credits. Students must complete a unique course to satisfy each requirement.

Residence and Quality of Work

• Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
• At least 6 certificate credits must be completed in residence.

Certificate Completion Requirement​

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain how various Earth systems operate and describe the basis for that understanding. Earth systems include plate tectonics, climate, the hydrological cycle, geochemical cycling, and others.
2. Apply field/lab-based methods, spatial reasoning skills, temporal reasoning skills, and/or quantitative approaches to solve problems in geoscience.
3. Analyze geological, biological, chemical, and/or physical information to understand processes and the rates of those processes, in order to explain how the Earth operates.

Advising and Careers

Advising

Talk with a Geoscience academic advisor about course selection, questions about declaring, and more: certificate_committee@geoscience.wisc.edu.

Certificate advisors can help students identify topics of interest within Geoscience, craft pathways through the certificate, and offer guidance on post-graduate careers and graduate school opportunities.

Declare the Certificate

Students can declare this certificate by following the process described on the Department of Geoscience website. Students are welcome to declare at any time, before or after meeting with an advisor.

Career Opportunities

The certificate in Geoscience offers a valuable pathway for students in a wide range of majors (e.g., science, engineering, social science) to broaden their training and open opportunities for careers or graduate study in a wide range of fields (e.g., environmental geoscience, geology, geophysics, glaciology, climate, paleontology, planetary geology). The demand for such degree professionals is reflected in the large number of university geoscience programs worldwide and in the growing demand in the workforce for graduates with geoscience training. Key employment sectors include geoscience consulting firms, government agencies, energy and resource management industries, climate science and sustainability initiatives, and hazard assessment/disaster response organizations.

Study Abroad

Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu

As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.

SuccessWorks

SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.

Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.

• What you can do with your major  (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
• Make a career advising appointment
• Learn about internships and internship funding
• Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students