Undergraduate Field Course
The Summer Geology Field Course (GEOL-4000) is a 6-semester hour, capstone Geology Field experience administered by the Dept. of Earth, Environment and Planning at East Carolina University. The Course is conducted in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado within a geologic and tectonic setting that includes the Southern Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Rio Grande Rift, the Jemez Caldera, and the San Juan Mountains. The course emphasizes project based learning including: field mapping, stratigraphy and geophysics, and is designed to train students in field oriented problem solving and critical thinking that will prepare them for a professional career in the Geological Sciences. This includes introducing students to complete project life cycles from data collection in the field, to analysis in a digital and GIS based environment and final production of scientific reports.
Mapping Area, San-Ysidro New Mexico
Overall, the New Mexico and Colorado regional setting immerse students in diverse geologic environments, ranging from: active faults, Proterozoic metamorphic rocks, Paleozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary rocks, young volcanic terrains, and Late Cenozoic alluvial and colluvial sediments. This setting makes learning about the geosciences a truly unique experience! In addition, the van ride out includes field trip stops in the NC Appalachians, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
Course Information
GEOLOGY 4000 – 6 semester hours: May 18- June 23, 2026 (Including Travel Days in vans to and from New Mexico and Colorado)
TUITION AND FEES: Total cost for applicants is approximately $4300. Tuition and fees should be paid by April 3, 2026, pending financial aid disbursements. Students who are not currently enrolled at East Carolina University will have to pay an Application Fee ($75) to be admitted as a Visiting Summer Student. Also, the course will run during ECU Summer Session 1. Total fees cover tuition, transportation and lodging (not food).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Feb. 20, 2026. Applications are welcome as long as space remains for additional students. Our Geology Field Course fills quickly, so apply early if you want to be assured a spot in the 2026 Geology Field Course.
PREREQUISITES: Courses in Mineralogy, Petrology, Stratigraphy/Sedimentology, Structural Geology, and Field Methods are preferred. You must have completed a course in Structural Geology and General Petrology (Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic) to attend the Field Course. Some substitutions are allowed for qualified candidates.
Application process
- Submit Intent to Enroll form by Feb. 20, 2026 to Dr. David Farris (farrisd19@ecu.edu)
- Sign up as an ECU visiting student
- Register for the course when ECU Summer Session 1 registration opens around April 1, 2026
For more information Contact the Field Course Director:
Dr. David Farris
farrisd19@ecu.edu
Department of Geological Sciences
Download form:
Intent to Enroll ECU Geology Field Course 2025 Form
Location Photos
