Bachelor of Science, Major in Earth Sciences with Emphasis in Paleontology

at Montana State University - Bozeman USA

In the Medical Laboratory Science option at Montana State, students are prepared for a career in clinical laboratory science by taking coursework in a range of medically-oriented fields including immunology, medical bacteriology, virology, parasitology, hematology, mycology and chemistry. Depending on the student’s needs, the Medical Laboratory Science program offers two plans for students to complete the program. Once training is complete, Medical Laboratory Science students will be qualified to take a national registry exam and become certified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.

Candidates in the graduate Entomology program at Montana State are able to broaden their knowledge within the field through formal coursework and independent research projects that span the breadth of research foci in the field. Taking advantage of Montana State’s location within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and within the western United States, entomological research at MSU includes some of the most important pests in the region, while beneficial insects studied in the department include various biological control agents and pollinators. Depending on a candidate’s interest, their individual program can be designed to suit their individual interests and career goals.

Students in the Film program at Montana State gain a hands-on education in motion picture production with a variety of studio and theory courses that expose future filmmakers to both the practical and historical aspects of the field. After applying to the Film program, students focus on scriptwriting, acting, documentary film and production for film and theatre, among other subjects – all while having ample opportunity to gain on-the-job experience through internships with major names in the film industry, submissions to major film festivals and more.

In the French & Francophone Studies program at Montana State, students are able to explore a full range of courses on French language, culture and literature. French & Francophone Studies students start with a grounding of the French language throughout their freshman and sophomore years before delving into advanced language labs and other in-depth research surrounding Francophone interests.

In the Mental Health Counseling option at Montana State, students gain the skills to address a variety of mental health issues through the lens of human development, counseling theory, learning theory, group dynamics and the etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior. Mental Health Counseling students engage in projects that enhance their personal and professional development as counselors and develop their knowledge and skills on how to identify and care for various client populations and their concerns. Each student in the Mental Health Counseling program undergoes 700 hours of supervised experience in appraisal, individual, group counseling, and consultation in clinic and community agencies prior to graduation.

In the Sustainable Food Systems program at Montana State, students focus on the interconnected relationships between production, food policy, food security and health in order to make informed decisions and solutions to complex problems in the food industry. Sustainable Food Systems students develop important skills through hands-on experience in service-based learning internships, organic farming, culinary fundamentals and management, training on research methods and carrying out research projects in surrounding communities.

In the Fish & Wildlife Ecology & Management program at Montana State, students are able conduct research on the ecology and management of diverse mammal, bird and fish species in one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America. Both Yellowstone National Park and the Gallatin Valley serve as outdoor laboratories for the program, with opportunities to conduct active professional research with programs such as the National Resources Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University, the Association for Conservation of the Tropics, Cape RADD and more.

The graduate Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program at Montana State is available as a two-year program or as a one-year "seamless" master's program in conjunction with the bachelor's in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. Students in the Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program are equipped with a suite of management skills they can apply to finding solutions in a variety of business or community settings. The industrial engineering programs at Montana State emphasizes social justice as a design approach that broadly serves society.

Students within the Geology program at Montana State learn to apply the principles of chemistry, physics and mathematics to the study of the Earth’s surface and interior. Coursework spans core topics in earth sciences and include subjects such as mineralogy, sedimentation and stratigraphy, structural geology, global tectonics and sedimentary petrology. In addition to this, Geology students also gain important skills in field methodology and take a capstone field geology course prior to graduation.

Students in the Chemistry (Professional) program at Montana State delve into a core of chemistry courses and technical electives to prepare for careers within the field, as well as medicine, patent law, science writing and more. Depending on their interests, students are also encouraged to engage with additional mathematics and/or physics courses as well. Additionally, all students in the Chemistry (Professional) program are assigned to an on-campus lab to conduct laboratory research as part of their degree, preparing them for either on-the-job laboratory work or higher education.