Independent Research

Students in the Geology Department at Appalachian State are fortunate to have numerous opportunities to engage in faculty-led research in a variety of earth science fields:

hydrogeology field research student

Note to international applicants: the Geology Department at Appalachian State University is an undergraduate degree granting department only, and therefore we do not have opportunities for MS or PhD students.

Appalachian Geology students typically work alongside faculty both in the field (ranging from field sites on campus to sites literally on the other side of the world) as well as doing more computational/modeling/experimental/microscopy work in the lab.

Students are involved with independent research either for wages (through external grants of individual faculty members), through departmental Undergraduate Research Assistantships, or for independent study or senior thesis credit (GLY 2500, GLY 3500, GLY4501, GLY4510) for 1-3 credits per semester.

Eligibility Rules (from Student Handbook)

  • Students with less than a C- grade in any particular geology course and/or less than a B average in geology may not take Independent Studies.
  • Students who have received poor grades in regular courses may not repeat those courses as an Independent Study.

Necessary Forms for Independent Study credits:

College of Arts and Sciences Independent Study Contract (PDF)