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Petroleum Engineering

Driven and adventure-seeking students make use of their abilities and take charge of their future in Marietta College’s Petroleum Engineering Program. This competitive major prepares students to thrive in careers in upstream oil and gas operations, specializing in reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, production engineering, completions engineering and upper-level management. Our talented professors have extensive industry experience and are wholly dedicated to providing a comprehensive, in-depth education that is based in the liberal arts.

Marietta College has the only accredited liberal arts-based undergraduate petroleum engineering program in the nation and is internationally accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. Our students benefit from classroom, laboratory and fieldwork experience. When they graduate from Marietta College, they are ready for success in the industry, which happens to lead all engineering disciplines in starting salary.

Industry leaders know the quality of our graduates — and many of them are Marietta alumni who remain close to the College throughout their careers. Marietta College’s Petroleum Engineering Program is for students who know exactly where they want to be — MOVING FORWARD.

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Geology

Combining rigorous scientific investigations with a love of the outdoors, Geology is the science that studies climate change, mineral deposits, faulting and earthquakes, volcanoes, groundwater, landslides, erosion and deposition, coral reefs, caves, fossils, plate tectonics, and the history of the Earth. Geologists are the ones who find petroleum and mineral resources, and they work to mitigate natural hazards, locate groundwater resources and track subsurface pollution. Students in Marietta College’s Geology program strive to make a difference in this field. 

Talented faculty help students build strong foundations in all of the fundamental areas of geology, giving students plenty of flexibility in career directions and a strong foundation for success in graduate school. Marietta’s student-centered program is renowned and has depths in Petroleum Geology, Environmental & Engineering Geology, and Paleontology.

These concentrations are enhanced through close collaborations with Marietta’s Environmental Science and Petroleum Engineering programs and with the Aaron Scott Dinosaur Quarry in Utah.

Graduates of Marietta’s Geology program work in the oil & gas, mining, environmental and engineering industries, as well as for national, state and local government agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, NOAA, Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service and the Department of Energy.

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Land & Energy Management

It’s a big world, and pioneers love to explore. Marietta College’s Land & Energy Management major offers you the freedom to thrive in an industry that values the qualities that a liberal arts education provides.

Land & Energy Management builds on the strength of a rigorous business core that is also infused with other disciplines such as geology, environmental science, communication and writing, and mathematics and computing. With such a broad and in-depth skillset, Marietta’s graduates stand out in the industry. You will also be prepared to enter professions involved in land and mineral rights acquisition for fossil fuel and renewable energy resource development, along with other commercial development activities. Land & Energy Management majors may also choose to pursue Energy Systems Studies and Energy Systems Engineering minors to complement this major.

This distinct program — which is only one of 13 in the nation accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen — will prepare you for a career with oil & gas exploration and extraction companies, state and federal government agencies, utility company development and conservation programs, financial institutions, and law firms.

With the AAPL accreditation, Marietta College students who complete the program earn three credit years toward the five-year work experiences required to sit for the Registered Professional Landman Certification Exam. This accreditation also qualifies our students for exclusive scholarships.

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Environmental Science

Environmental Science majors at Marietta are dedicated to making a difference and develop the skills to back it up. This major is for students who want to be environmental problem-solvers — change-agents in the field, in the corporate world and in government. 

Our students learn from top scientists, economists and policy experts who help inspire them to make the big ideas happen. Faculty at Marietta College take a collaborative approach to helping students develop skills necessary in this ever-changing environmental landscape. They spend time in the classroom, in the lab and in the field, and put that knowledge into action during internships and at professional conferences.

Students majoring in Environmental Science seek out this challenging curriculum because they are driven to make an impact in their industry as scientists, conservationists and policy makers.

Graduate programs and industry leaders seek out Marietta College students for their in-depth knowledge in the field and their strong communication skills.

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Environmental Studies

At the heart of the Environmental Studies program at Marietta College is the belief that human social, scientific and technological systems, which have created major environmental problems, can also be used to solve these problems and lead to a sustainable future.

Students enter the Environmental Studies major eager to learn more about the social issues surrounding environmental problems. What they receive at Marietta College is an interdisciplinary education that guides them through the sciences, social sciences and humanities aspects of the field. By taking this liberal arts approach, our majors gain a deeper understanding of how people interact with the environment, the impact of that interaction and opportunities to improve environmental concerns.

Environmental Studies majors work individually and collaboratively with other Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors on applied research and practicum projects to tie their scholarship into the study of local, real-world environmental problems.

At Marietta College, research and development are encouraged — and celebrated! Every April, students present their original research projects to their peers, faculty, staff and the community during All Scholars Day. Over the course of four years, Marietta College Environmental Studies majors develop the skillset to identify and solve problems, as well as talk about their work to peers and professionals in the field.

At Marietta College, Environmental Studies is more than a calling — it’s the beginning of a rewarding career in fields like environmental education, fishery and wildlife management, and environmental law.

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Environmental Engineering

Marietta’s Environmental Engineering Program prepares students to excel in the design and oversight of remediation projects that minimize or redress pollution and ecosystem disruption. Because there is a steady increase in human interaction with the environment, there is also a steady and consistent need for highly skilled environmental engineers to help minimize the effects of those interactions. Environmental Engineers work for every kind of company that involves operations, manufacturing, mining, or energy. 

While most programs focus primarily on water and soil, Marietta’s Environmental Engineering Program also focuses on air pollution, ecosystems, and hydrologic systems. Students dedicated to making lasting, positive impacts for the environment complete a rigorous course load that blends environmental science with a core liberal arts curriculum. Because Marietta’s robust general education requirements emphasize communication and problem-solving skills, our students hone these skills and learn how to apply them within their profession. 

Marietta prides itself on being a teaching college — a college whose professors’ primary focus is on educating students. Faculty encourage and team up with students on serious research projects, and both attend and present at national conferences.

Environmental Engineering is coming up front in research, in problem solving, and in dealing with sustainability — and Marietta College’s program is leading the way.

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Engineering Dual Degree

Five years, two colleges, two degrees — and unlimited potential.

Marietta College’s Engineering Dual Degree prepares students for the competitive field of engineering by blending two rigorous academic programs from two distinguished institutions.

During the first three years of the program, students attend Marietta College and select a science major — such as Applied Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics. The Applied Physics major is designed to work with the Dual Degree program and dovetails with the academic requirements of our partner institutions. At Marietta, students complete the requirements of their major, along with a Capstone Research Project and the College’s General Education curriculum. In three years, students gain a strong foundation in mathematics, the sciences, instrumentation and research skills, general engineering, and unrivaled communication skills. 

By the time they’ve completed the portion of their major at Marietta College, Engineering Dual Degree students have experience conducting serious research.

The liberal arts education students achieve at Marietta fully prepares them for the rigors for the second phase of the Engineering Dual Degree. The final two years of the program are completed at one of Marietta’s partner schools: Case Western Reserve University, Washington University in St. Louis, or West Virginia University.

Graduates of the program thrive as engineers, researchers, developers and entrepreneurs, working for industry leaders such as NASA, Google, Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon and Facebook.

The Engineering Dual Degree program is for students who have big dreams — and the dedication to prepare to achieve them.

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Planetary Science

Space exploration may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but for planetary scientists, it's real and it's happening right now. Marietta College's Planetary Science major is ideal for students interested in careers with NASA and other space exploration agencies, or who are curious about the origins and evolution of our solar system and its planets, life, and all other matter.

Planetary science is the study of the formation and evolution of celestial bodies across the universe, with a strong focus on our solar system. While historically planetary science fell within the realm of physics or astronomy, advancements in planetary exploration, such as the NASA Apollo and Mars rover programs, have brought these bodies to our labs and to our robotic fingertips, ushering in the importance of geological sciences to the field.

Thus, planetary science is inherently interdisciplinary, involving study in both physics and geology. This makes Marietta College, where interdisciplinary education is a core value and strongly supported, an ideal location to pursue a planetary science degree. Students take a comparable number of in-depth courses and labs in physics and geology, and gain experiential learning through laboratory analyses, planetarium use, geology field trips, geology field camp — a five-week expedition to the Rocky Mountains — and other opportunities.

Students who want to earn advanced degrees in planetary science will possess the background in both physics and geology that will best prepare them for graduate-level success. If you want to be at the forefront of NASA and space exploration, then this major is for you! 

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Energy Systems Engineering (minor)

The world needs creative problem solvers who have a strong foundation of knowledge in a variety of energy systems. There is no better place to gain that knowledge and the skills to use it than at Marietta College.

Marietta offers three in-depth programs that will enhance a variety of science-based and non-science-based majors. Students can choose to pursue a Certificate in Energy Systems, a Minor in Energy Systems Studies, and a Minor in Energy Systems Engineering.

These programs explore all sources of energy — from traditional, such as fossil fuels and nuclear, to renewable — through lecture, research and lab work. Students also learn energy systems in terms of environmental impact and social value.

Having a secondary focus on the environmental, social and economic aspects of energy systems and energy utilization provides a strong background to any major and make your unique skills more marketable to employers and graduate programs. Pursuing one of these exciting programs also fulfills Marietta College’s challenging General Education secondary concentration requirement.

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Energy Systems Studies (minor)

The world needs creative problem solvers who have a strong foundation of knowledge in a variety of energy systems. There is no better place to gain that knowledge and the skills to use it than at Marietta College.

Marietta offers three in-depth programs that will enhance a variety of science-based and non-science-based majors. Students can choose to pursue a Certificate in Energy Systems, a Minor in Energy Systems Studies, and a Minor in Energy Systems Engineering.

These programs explore all sources of energy — from traditional, such as fossil fuels and nuclear, to renewable — through lecture, research and lab work. Students also learn energy systems in terms of environmental impact and social value.

Having a secondary focus on the environmental, social and economic aspects of energy systems and energy utilization provides a strong background to any major and make your unique skills more marketable to employers and graduate programs. Pursuing one of these exciting programs also fulfills Marietta College’s challenging General Education secondary concentration requirement.

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At Marietta, we believe your college experience should be an ADVENTURE.

Spend a semester studying abroad in Australia. Travel with classmates and faculty members to Utah for a one-of-a-kind dinosaur dig. Earn a paid internship with Exxon Mobil Corp. Participate in the annual PioBiz competition and win up to $10,000 to start your own environmental-friendly business.

You can also conduct research on water quality as part of the Investigative Studies Program, or become a McDonough Scholar and lead a drive to collect baby food and clothes for families in need. Maybe campaign for student body president and show off your management skills, while also making lifelong friends as a member of a fraternity or sorority or with one of the many clubs we have on campus. Do you see where we are going? Marietta College will help you create an impeccable résumé that will help you kickstart your career.