水文学是一门处理固体土壤及其大气层的发生，循环，分布和性质的科学。今天社会面临的许多重大环境问题都与水文或水问题有关。其中包括气候变化对水文的影响，地下水和地表水中有害物质的运输，维持人类消费，工业，灌溉，娱乐，能源生产和农业使用的高质量水，对地质灾害的理解以及重要水生环境的管理。由于水对于物理，化学和生物学原理很重要，并受其影响，因此水文学科学学士学位课程的设置是多学科的。
Hydrology is a science dealing with the occurrence, circulation, distribution, and properties of the waters of the solid earth and its atmosphere. Many of the significant environmental problems that society is facing today are related to hydrologic or water issues. These include the hydrologic impact of climate change, the transportation of hazardous materials in both ground and surface water, the maintenance of high quality water for human consumption, industry, irrigation, recreation, energy generation, and agriculture, the understanding of geological hazards, and the management of important aquatic environments. Because water is important to and affected by physical, chemical, and biological principles, the curriculum of the B.S. degree in hydrologic sciences is multidisciplinary.