The Department of Earth and Space Sciences prepares students for rewarding careers in geoscience and education. We offer a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Geoscience in two concentrations (Geology and Earth Systems) as well as a teaching certification program with a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Earth and Space Sciences, which is housed in the Department of Secondary Education. We also offer a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Geoscience that is tailored for the professional development of geologists and pre-college teachers. Check out our multiple minors as well!
What's Currently Going On in the Department?
We Offer:
- Many different types of
equipment and facilities for students to use
There are many facilities in the Department of Earth & Space Sciences available to students. These range in nature from student study areas to extensive sample collections to high-tech research equipment. On the second floor of the Merion Science Center is a student computer lab. The computer lab hosts 16 desktop computers, a printer and scanner. We also have over 100 laptop computers for students in classes. Our computers have University multi-site licenses for software including the Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS, MATLAB, SAS, and more. The student lounge functions as a library and a place for students to gather and work on projects.
The Department has three (3) research UAVs used for a range of geological and meteorological research projects as well as our ESS 480 "Drones" course, where students acquire hands-on experience in maneuvering five (5) small Hubsan 107L drones. Several department faculty and students have earned FAA UAS licensure. Our drones are capable of performing high-resolution aerial mapping, 3-dimensional photogrammetry and DEM generation, thermal and multispectral imaging, and carrying a wide-variety of scientific payloads including magnetometers, meteorological instrumentation, sub-aqueous sonar, gamma ray detectors, multi-gas meters, and pressure transducers. Our drone equipment includes: DJI Matrice 600 Pro sUAS, DJI Mavic Pro Platinum sUAS, DJI Inspire 1 sUAS, Zenmuse XT2 Thermal Imaging Camera, Zenmuse X5 EO Camera, Zenmuse X3 EO Camera, MicaSense Rededge M Multispectral Camera. - Courses that build career skills: problem-solving, teamwork, field work, data analysis, written/oral communication, and cutting-edge training on scientific instruments
- Flexible curriculum with opportunities for independent study research and internships for credit
- A solid foundation for a career in the environmental industry, geology, or teaching in secondary schools
- A faculty of nationally-known scholars who involve students in a variety of research projects
- A large alumni network of professional geologists and teachers in the Philadelphia Region
- An Earth and Space Science Club, Sigma Gamma Epsilon (The Geology Honors Society), plus participation in WCU's Women in Science and Astronomy Clubs.
- Graduate assistantships (GAs), scholarships, travel and research grants available each semester
- A friendly, nurturing, and exciting place that prides itself on personalized attention to our students!
- In fact, Collegefactual.com ranks WCU geoscience program highest in the PA State System.
Career opportunities in Geoscience are EXCELLENT!
- Demand for geoscientists expected to increase 5% -- FASTER AS AVERAGE -- through 2028 (source: BLS.gov).
- The median salary for geoscientists is over $92,040 / year (source: BLS.gov).
- Check out the distribution of geoscience-related occupations and salaries (source: AGI).
- Facts about Geoscience here in Pennsylvania!
Recent Research Presentations
Geoscience Graduate students Katie Dowling presented a Poster at GSA Connects 2021, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Portland, OR.
"GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE EAST POINT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISTRICT, NEW JERSEY."
DOWLING, Katherine1, WHOLEY, Heather2, NIKITINA, Daria1, KNIGHT, Cameron1, SULLIVAN, Jacob2 and KAISER, Joan1, (1)Earth and Space Sciences, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 700 S High St, West Chester, PA 19383, (2)Anthropology and Sociology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383
Dr. Nikitina presented:
GEOARCHAEOLOGY OF DYNAMIC LANDSCAPES: SITE DISCOVERIES, INVESTIGATIONS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS FOR COASTAL DELAWARE, USA
NIKITINA, Daria1, WHOLEY, Heather2, POWERS, Michael3 and DOWLING, Katherine1, (1)Earth and Space Sciences, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 207 Merion Science Center, West Chester, PA 19383, (2)Anthropology and Sociology, West Chester University of
Dr. Nikitina co-authored:
GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE MURDERKILL WATERSHED: DELAWARE BAY, MID-ATLANTIC USA
WHOLEY, Heather1, NIKITINA, Daria2 and BURGOYNE, Rachael2, (1)Anthropology and Sociology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383, (2)Earth and Space Sciences, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 207 Merion Science Center, West Chester, PA 19383
Come join our community and plan a rewarding career to make the world a more sustainable place for the future! For more information, contact the Department Chairperson, Dr. Hal Bosbyshell (hbosbyshell@wcupa.edu), or Joan Kaiser (jkaiser@wcupa.edu), Administrative Assistant, at 610-436-2727.