This major could open up a number of career opportunities. Perhaps designing maps and routes for transit companies.

Interesting (if somewhat misleading) comments from the other two reviewers on this topic. In response to some of those comments I would say that... 1> I have never found it to be stupid work, 2> I neither married another geologist nor got any job through nepotism, 3> I don't consider any place as bumph**k nowhere so I've never been bored with field assignments, 4> my working conditions have always been just fine, 5> I've never been without work since I graduated so I certainly don't consider myself unmarketable, 6> I've rarely had to deal with morons. Only other scientists and professionals, >7 I'm hardly starving.. and I support four younger brothers as well as myself, 8> I swear I've never been humiliated by my profession. (That one's pretty funny.)...I admit that I had to get advanced degrees to get ahead but that's to be expected in many fields these days. Geology/Geochemistry is no different than any other profession. The options available for work in this field are truly endless. Everything from civil engineering projects to archeological research to lab analysis to teaching and writing. I would recommend this profession to anyone.

I originally got into geology for idealistic reasons. Throughout middle and high school, I had this obsession with fossils and the like, and wanted to be a paleontologist. By the middle of high school, I decided that getting started in geology would be my best bet of getting a job in case paleontology didn't worked out. Well I will tell you, while geology may be interesting on paper, when you actually do the mapping--as I did in a camp for six weeks in bumphuck nowhere--you realize how stupid the work really is. Everything is so arbitrary, and not two people will have even remotely the same maps on most occassions--especially when producing geomorphology, or dirt maps. Since acquiring geological data for the most part is qualatative in nature, it is more art than science. At camp, even locating yourself is qualatative--no GPS units. It makes you wonder sometimes how accurate alot of those geology and geologic hazard maps really are. Plus, alot of the interns in the oil business consist of yourself being part of a rig crew in some hellhole like texas or lousisiana with big bubba. You soon start to think to yourself..I did all of this crap to deal with morons like these in horrible working conditions? Anyways, after recieving my B.S. in Geology, I am entering graduate school in a geography program specializing in Geographic Information Systems, something more marketable and interdisiplinary. The only ones with geology degrees that actually BECOME full fledged geologists who actually like their jobs are the ones who are either: married to one, or have a relative who will give them a job. So unless you want to end up telling bubba which rock cuttings from the oil rig to pick up in the drilling fluids, I suggest you pick another field..unless of course nepotism is on your side ;).

We were told that geology was like engineering- all you needed was a B.S. degree. In fact, we were told that the only people who needed advanced degrees were those doing cutting edge research or teaching at the college level. Further, we were told that oil companies PREFERED to hire people with only a B.S. This was all lies of course- it hadn't been true for 30 years. All a B.S. in geology will get you is starvation- and humiliation (even if you graduate with honors.) Oh yes, and it turns out that you will have a hell of a time finding steady work even if you go through the hell of getting the Ph.D. Don't bother.