Departmental Overview

 

The Department of Geology and Meteorology of Kean University offers four degree programs: B.S in Earth Science/Geology, B.S. in Earth Science/Meteorology, B.A. in Earth Science/General and a B.A in Earth Science/Teacher Certification. The Department is housed on the third floor of the Science Building and its facilities include classrooms, geology and meteorology laboratories, a computer laboratory, a planetarium, library, weather instrument towers, and an X-ray diffractometer.

B.S in Earth Science/GEOLOGY:

The Geology degree program prepares students for careers with government agencies or private companies that deal with the solid earth environment. Some examples of the varieties of topics that geologists study include beach and shore problems, river and stream flooding, groundwater use and contamination, land-use planning, geologic mapping and field investigations, and the petroleum and mining industries.

The Departmental geology laboratories are equipped for microscopic and chemical analyses, spectrographic analyses, X-ray diffraction and fluorescence investigations, and topographic and other map analyses. The Department has extensive mineral, rock, and fossil collections for use in instruction, a display museum for exceptional specimens, and a seismograph that keeps students up to date with the latest worldwide earthquake events. A departmental van provides a comfortable ride on numerous field trips associated with course work.

The Geology Option requires supporting background courses in chemistry and physics, and required courses in mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, paleontology, and field geology. The Option is rounded out with elective courses such as marine geology, hydrology, geomorphology, or stratigraphy.

Recent past graduates have proven very successful in developing geoscience careers and several have gone on to achieve M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

B.S. in Earth Science/METEOROLOGY:

The Meteorology degree program prepares students for careers in the fascinating field of atmospheric behavior. Graduates pursue careers with a variety of private companies and governmental agencies. Examples of the type of work include weather forecasting for radio and television stations or private companies, forecasters for the National Weather Service, meteorologists with shipping and the airelines,and employment with consulting companies working on environmental and air pollution problems.

The Department maintains a fully operational weather station, a weather analysis laboratory, climatological station, two remote weather observing stations and weather map archives. Data analysis and display systems include McIDAS, GEMPAK and several prototype Java applications. The Meteorology Option requires supporting courses in physics, mathematics and computing. Required courses follow U.S. Weather Service guidelines and include atmospheric dynamics, advanced atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric thermodynamics, physical meteorology, meteorological instrumentation, synoptic meteorology and hydrology. Additional elective courses may include climatology, oceanography, and air pollution.

Concerns about environmental air pollution and its potential local or world-wide effects, destructive storm prediction, and agricultural and aviation meteorology provide for exciting careers. Several students have continued their studies and achieved M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at major universities.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION IN METEOROLOGY: Meteorology students may seek employment with private or government meteorological agencies and earn course credit in addition to valuable work experience. Up to 6 credits may be earned as cooperative education.

B.A. in Earth Science/GENERAL:

The Earth Science General option provides for a range of courses in geology, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy and is therefore less specific than the geology or meteorology options, and provides a broader environmental background. This option is commonly taken as the second major by Early Childhood and Elementary Education Majors.

B.A. in EARTH SCIENCE/TEACHER CERTIFICATION:

This option prepares students for teaching positions in earth science for grades K-12. Students follow the program for the General Option along with courses taken in the College of Education.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS

SECOND MAJOR: The Department of Geology and Meteorology offers a program by which individuals who have completed a college degree may study as a second major in one of the Department's options. This involves only taking the required major courses with some possible background or prerequisite courses depending their college degree curriculum. Students need not have an undergraduate degree in the sciences to apply for the seond major program.

COLLATERAL PROGRAM IN MARINE SCIENCES:

Students enrolled as a major in biology, chemistry, or earth sciences may take the Collateral Program in Marine Sciences. Kean University participates with other colleges in the state in the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Field stations are maintained at Sandy Hook and Seaville. The field stations enable the Consortium to offer courses, sponsor student and faculty research, and provide a site for meetings, symposia, workshops and field work. Summer courses vary each year.

M.A. DEGREE IN INSTRUCTION, CURRICULUM AND ADMINISTRATION: EARTH SCIENCE OPTION: A program leading to an M.A. degree and teacher certification in Earth Science is available for teachers presently teaching earth science but who lack the certificate. The program consists of 34 graduate credit hours of study in both earth science and education with supporting background courses as necessary depending upon an individual's previous education and experience.

CENTER FOR EARTH SYSTEM EDUCATION: Located on the East Campus the Center for the Earth Sciences houses a variety of educational materials for teachers and students. The Center maintains extensive library and electronic resources, and organizes conferences, workshops, short courses and field trips, all of which emphasize New Jersey's own resources and features.

For further information on any of the above programs please contact:

Dr. Shing Yoh, Chairman
Department of Geology and Meteorology
Kean University
1000 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ 07083-0411
(908)737-3692
Email : syoh "@" kean.edu

or for admission information:

Admissions Office
Kean University
1000 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
(908)737-7100

or:

Graduate Office
(908)737-3355