Geology is the study of the Earth. Volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, landslides, erosion and plate tectonics are some of the things that geologists investigate and try to understand. Geology is a field-oriented science that involves mapping and analyzing rocks, deciphering the Earth's history from the rock record, locating natural resources, identifying natural and man-made hazards, and understanding Earth's natural processes. Since Saint Louis University's undergraduate geology program is relatively small compared to larger public universities, students have more opportunities to interact with faculty, get personalized attention and take advantage of opportunities inside and outside of the University. One highlight of students' education is the annual department field trip in which faculty, graduate and undergraduate students spend one week exploring a region of the country. Traveling through national parks, seeing natural systems not commonly encountered by students and learning firsthand about the Earth and its environment is rewarding to all who participate. The department heavily subsidizes these trips so that most students can participate.