该研究课程为学生提供了在能源，工程，经济和环境地质领域的专业地质学家的职业资格的准备。它也为研究生做准备。该研究课程要求开设一门地质基础课程，八门基础地质课程，例如矿物学，构造地质学和古生物学。还需要四门地球环境课程，例如海洋学，水资源或地球化学，以及参加夏季地质野外训练营，还需要九小时的物理，八小时的化学以及标准的文理学院课程课程。该课程旨在为学生准备在环境咨询行业，州和联邦政府机构以及能源和开采行业（如石油，天然气和煤炭）中的入门级就业。专业地质学位还为学生准备申请研究生课程的准备。
This program of study prepares students for careers as professional geologists in the fields of energy, engineering, economic, and environmental geology. It also prepares students for graduate school. This program of study requires one introductory geology course, eight fundamental geology courses such as mineralogy, structural geology, and paleontology. Four geo-environmental courses, such as oceanography, water resources, or geochemistry, and participation in summer geology field camp, are also required, as well as nine hours of physics, eight hours of chemistry, and the standard College of Arts & Sciences core courses. This curriculum is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the environmental consulting industry, state and federal government agencies, as well as energy and extraction industries, such as oil, gas, and coal. The Professional Geology Degree also prepares students for application to a graduate program.