WHICH SUBJECTS COMBINE WELL WITH GEOLOGY?
Geology is an extremely broad science, and experience in almost any other
science course can
support and benefit a geologist.
If one views Geology as a study of the physics and chemistry of the
Earth then it is clear that a solid grounding in physics and chemistry is
important in the education of
a geologist.
It is no small wonder that two of the largest subdisciplines of Geology are
geophysics
and geochemistry.
Those with a particular interest in the evolution of life
(palaeontology) should
seek to combine their Geology studies with appropriate courses in Life
Sciences.
One should not underestimate the interaction between Geology and our modern
human society,
whether it concerns the exploitation and utilization of mineral resources, the
mitigation of natural disasters covered by tsunami, volcano, flood, landslide
and earthquake activity, the conservation
and effective use of soil and water resources, or the planning and
construction of roads, bridges,
tunnels, dams and new urban areas. There is currently widespread interest in
climate change,
particularly global warming.
Geology is crucial to climate change research, first because the record
of climate change is preserved in rocks and ice and a knowledge of this record
is vital for predicting
future changes; and secondly, because geological processes may also result in
climate modification.
Investigating all these environmental problems requires significant from the
geologist and those
with interest in these areas should combine Geology with studies in geography,
environmental
science, engineering and economics.
Students wishing to major in Geology should choose courses
which, together with Geology semester credits, build as strong a science
degree as possible.
Another factor to bear in mind is that geologists study the whole Earth and
there are world-wide
employment opportunities for geologists.
Although a sound knowledge of English is essential for a
career as a scientist, a working ability in other languages considerably
enhances the capacity of
geologists, particularly those employed in mineral exploration, to function in
the field.
Students
might consider taking a course in French, Spanish or Chinese in their degree
curriculum in order to
improve their employability on the global job market.