Become a dynamic leader in environmental geology and big data science
Geology is a diverse field that can lead to many different career paths. Our Environmental Geology programs will provide you with the advanced geological knowledge and critical skills needed to lead in the field. It’s customized for working professionals, allowing you to complete your master’s degree in less than two years without interrupting your career, or you may spread out the coursework to fit your schedule.
Start in the Fall, Summer or Spring
Choose Your Pathway

The 32-credit-hour master’s program is designed to meet the high demand for advanced geology expertise used in applied industry sectors, including modeling of groundwater flow, characterization of contaminant migration, groundwater and contaminant geochemistry, and environmental geophysics.

Graduate Certificate Program
The 12-credit-hour program allows students to gain more skills in a growing field as well as obtain micro-credential that can be added to a resume and LinkedIn. It also provides an ideal bridge into the master’s program should students desire to continue on for an advanced graduate degree.
Frequently asked questions
What skills will students gain?
- How to develop and apply robust numerical models of complex groundwater flow regimes using in part, python.
- How to apply state-of-the-art water chemistry and bioremediation strategies using the Geochemist's Workbench.
- How to understand and characterize contaminant migration chemistry and hydrogeologic case studies.
- How to understand and apply a suite of environmental geophysical methods.
- How to develop a strong quantitative foundation in multi-scale geodata analysis.
What types of careers do graduates get?
- Geologist, Geochemist, Hydrogeologist
- Manager or Mid-Level Environmental Consultant
- Environmental technician, scientist and specialist
- Environmental regulator
- Pollution abatement and hazardous waste remediator
- K-12 teacher/college instructor
- Educational consultant or museum educator
Where are alumni working?
- AEI Consultants (California)
- Hamp, Mathews and Associates (Michigan)
- Consulting Solutions Inc. (CSI), (Chicago IL)
- Casc Engineering and Consulting, Inc. (California)
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- United States Air Force
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
- Weston Solutions, Inc. (Pennsylvania)
- Stantec, Inc.
- John Deere, Inc.
What are the application deadlines?
Master's Degree
Apply by:
- December 15 to start in the Spring semester
- April 15 to start in the Summer Semester
- August 1 to start in the Fall semester
Certificate
Apply by:
- January 10 to start in the Spring semester
- May 15 to start in the Summer Semester
- August 15 to start in the Fall semester
Environmental Geology Online
Get a sneak peek at the Environmental Geology online programs at the University of Illinois.