Geoscience, Engineering Geology, M.S.

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Why Study Engineering Geology at Montana Tech? 

You’ll learn from industry-experienced — and connected — Montana Tech faculty who are passionate about helping you succeed in geological engineering. You’ll be prepared for geological engineering careers or to pursue your master’s in geological engineering at Montana Tech.

World Class Faculty

The Geological Engineering Department at Montana Tech has distinguished faculty members who all hold Ph.D. degrees in subdisciplines including Civil Engineering with Geotechnical emphases, geochemistry, hydrogeology, and stratigraphy. Each faculty member has significant industrial experience they bring to the classroom, laboratory, and field site. 

State-of-the Art Engineering Geology Labs 

You have plenty of hands-on learning opportunities at Montana Tech. With access to state-of-the-art and fully equipped laboratories, our engineering geology degree students will graduate learning how to operate sophisticated laboratory and field equipment. Our geological engineering department is home to state-of-the-art facilities including a triaxial testing lab, an underground mine facility, and geotechnical and groundwater modeling software.

Engineering Geology Internships

Obtain even more hands-on experience through engineering geology internships to supplement your bachelor’s degree from Montana Tech. Through our annual Career Services events, you’ll have access to more than 100 companies that come to campus to recruit Montana Tech students for engineering geology summer internships for continuing students and full time employment for our geological engineering graduates.

Exceptional Location

By choosing Montana Tech for your engineering geology degree, you’ll benefit from our location in Butte, Montana. You can tour local engineering operations and pursue engineering geology internships in Butte as well as in nearby cities such as Bozeman and Missoula. Plus, you’ll also have innumerable opportunities to enjoy Montana’s great outdoors in your free time.

Study geological engineering and have fun too

Get involved in various clubs and organizations on campus. Or enjoy the expansive nature Butte, Montana offers for year-round activities. Ski at nearby resorts or in the backcountry, enjoy local hot springs, hike the Great Divide, or fish in pristine mountain streams.

Be Ready for a Career in Geological Engineering

Through this rigorous engineering geology degree you’ll not only gain the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. You’ll also develop communication, interpersonal, and project management skills. From Montana Tech’s engaged engineering geology faculty to Career Services, you’ll have the resources, support, and connections you need to land coveted internships and jobs and receive a top engineering geology salary.

Admission Requirements 

A Master of Science in Geoscience with an “Option in Engineering Geology” requires that the student have a degree in geology or a related field, math through calculus II, and two semesters of college physics, a course in statics is also required, with mechanics of materials recommended. 

Thesis and Non-thesis Options Available

The program has a 30-credit option that requires a thesis or publishable paper and a 36-credit option that does not require a thesis or publishable paper. 

What is Geological Engineering? 

Geological engineers focus on designing solutions to problems related to the materials of the Earth’s crust, including minerals, sediments, rocks, water, and solid and fluid hydrocarbons (coal, oil, and natural gas). Their specialized engineering knowledge is required in the design and construction of civil works such as roads, dams, and foundations for buildings and bridges; the evaluation and utilization of groundwater resources and their interaction with surface waters; the search for, development, and extraction of rock, mineral and energy resources; and the protection and remediation of the environment. Geological Engineers are also routinely involved in the characterization and mitigation of geologic hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides, ground subsidence, and volcanic activity.

What Types of Jobs Do Engineering Geology Graduates Get? 

Our engineering geology graduates do field and laboratory work with rocks, soils, groundwater, and mineral resources all over the world. Graduates pursue careers in engineering, consulting, mining, and slope stability. A degree in engineering geology allows students broad engineering skills in a wide array of fields. Many of our students will go on to pursue Ph.D. programs at Montana Tech or other prestigious universities.

Explore Classes in the Geosciences, Engineering Geology, M.S. Degree 

The final examination for thesis and publishable paper-option students will consist of an oral presentation and defense of thesis or paper. Questions may be asked on any topic related to the thesis/paper or course work taken as part of the graduate program. The presentation will be open to all interested parties, but the defense will be open only to the student’s graduate committee.

The final examination for non-thesis option students will consist of a written and/or oral examination formulated by the student’s graduate committee. The oral examination will draw questions from the written examination plus any course work undertaken as part of the graduate program.