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Geological Engineering, BS

As a geological engineering major, you’ll find the best way to use the earth’s resources to solve technical problems while protecting the environment. As a GLE student, you’ll also learn how to solve a variety of practical problems associated with rock and soils using principles of sustainable engineering.

Design your academic journey

The major

Your primary field of study, which defines your core technical curriculum and the degree you earn.
All program details

Sample Degree/Major Plan

Fall semester (16 credits)
  • MATH 221 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 1 5
  • CHEM 109 – Advanced General Chemistry 5
  • GEOSCI 100 OR 106 3
  • Engr Comm 1 3
Spring semester (15 credits)
  • MATH 222 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 2 4
  • E M A 201 – Statics 3
  • GEOSCI 204 – Geologic Evolution Of The Earth 4
  • G L E 171 – Introduction To Geological Engineering 1
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Fall semester (18 credits)
  • MATH 234 – Calculus–functions Of Several Variables 4
  • E M A 202 – Dynamics 3
  • GEOSCI/​G L E 360 – Principles Of Mineralogy 3
  • GEOSCI 202 – Introduction To Geologic Structures 4
  • CIV ENGR/​G L E 291 – Problem Solving Using Computer Tools 4
Spring semester (17 credits)
  • CIV ENGR 310 – Fluid Mechanics 3
  • E M A 303 – Mechanics Of Materials 3
  • PHYSICS 202 OR 208 5
  • GEOSCI/​G L E 370 – Elementary Petrology 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Fall semester (15 credits)
  • STAT 324 OR 311 3
  • Technical Elective 3
  • CIV ENGR/​G L E 330 – Soil Mechanics 3
  • G L E/​GEOSCI 431 – Sedimentary & Stratigraphy Lab 1
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
  • INTEREGR 275 – Technical Presentations 2
Spring semester (14-17 credits)
  • Technical Elective 3
  • Professional Issues 1-4
  • G L E/​CIV ENGR/​GEOSCI/​M S & E 474 – Rock Mechanics 3
  • GEOSCI/​G L E 455 – Structural Geology 4
  • INTEREGR 397 – Engineering Communication 3
Fall semester (14 credits)
  • Ethnic Studies 3
  • G L E/​GEOSCI 594 – Introduction To Applied Geophysics 3
  • G L E/​GEOSCI 595 – Field Methods In Applied And Engineering Geophysics 1
  • G L E/​GEOSCI 627 – Hydrogeology 4
  • Technical Elective (design) 3
Spring semester (16 credits)
  • G L E 479 – Geological Engineering Design 4
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
  • I SY E 313 – Engineering Economic Analysis 3
  • Technical Elective 3
  • Technical Elective (design) 3
An accelerated engineering master’s program is a great choice if you’d like to earn your master’s degree by adding as little as a single year of study at UW-Madison.
View all accelerated programs

Investing in your future

Value and costs

Based on an average of 12-18 credits per semester for the 2025-26 academic year from bursars office tuition rates workbook.
Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance at UW-Madison.  For more information on the cost of attendance, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.
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Wisconsin resident

$7,840

Minnesota icon

Minnesota reciprocity

$10,726

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Non-resident

$24,597

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Non-resident international

$25,097

Scholarships

Our scholarships aren’t just about financial support; they’re about investing in your potential and helping you focus on what matters most: your education and your future as a leader in engineering.
Engineering scholarships
4.4M
scholarships awarded
1,200
undergrad recipients
1,550
scholarships awarded, made possible by the generous support of donors

Outcomes

Here’s what life after graduation could look like for you.
$69,000
FIRST-YEAR MEDIAN SALARY

Key employers

  • Geosyntec Consultants, Inc
  • JT Engineering
  • Kimley-Horn
  • TRC
  • WSP

Common job titles

  • Civil Engineer
  • Construction Materials Testing Engineer
  • Geotechnical Engineer
  • Project Engineer
  • Site Engineer

Your path to admission

Freshman

Starting college for the first time?

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Transfer student

Coming from another college or university?

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Cross-campus student

Already at UW–Madison?

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Reentry student

Took time off?

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Your built-in network

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As an undergrad, you can help pioneer new knowledge or technologies on your own or as a researcher in a professor’s lab. It’s a great opportunity to apply what you’re learning in class, explore a field or topic that interests you, and gain insight into what it’s like to be a graduate student.

Undergraduate research
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.

Explore, get involved, try new things and soak up everything our campus and the surrounding environs have to offer.

Student life

The College of Engineering offers services specifically for engineering students, in addition to the services offered campus-wide.

Student services
Four students pose and smile with Dr. Ebony McGee in the IEDE Student Center
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.
Our eight renowned academic departments form the heart and personality of our college.
Civil & Environmental Engineering

Life as a Badger engineer

See what it’s actually like to live, learn and grow here through the stories of the people who know us best.
“Being a Badger engineering student has been challenging but rewarding. Resources like the Undergraduate Learning Center have been invaluable for exam preparation and coursework support. Additionally, being part of engineering organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and my STAR Scholarship Program has provided a strong community that supports both my academic and personal growth.”
Wynton Wright BSCE ‘27
Wynton Wright

Why should you choose UW-Madison for engineering? Find out what it’s like to major in geological engineering.

Student doing thermal conductivity testing.

Geological engineering spotlight: Sydney Klinzing reflects on undergrad research and student life

A native of Monona, Wisconsin, Sydney Klinzing became familiar with UW-Madison at a young age. Campus events including the UW-Madison…

Read the Full Story
13
undergraduate ranking among public universities in civil engineering
The 2026 ECIC UW-Madison team.

Why technical skills aren’t enough, and what UW-Madison is doing to prepare tomorrow’s construction managers to succeed in an increasingly interpersonal profession

Haoran Wei at a table with a laptop

With NSF CAREER award, Haoran Wei is developing a low-cost ‘first-step’ method identifying contaminated drinking water

A W crest banner flutters in the wind on Bascom Hill at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during autumn on Oct. 18, 2019

Engineering Moonshots brings campus leaders together around six ambitious challenges

ABET accreditation

The B.S. in Geological Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Geological and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives for the Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering

We recognize that our graduates will choose to use the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their undergraduate years to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals, and we encourage this diversity of paths. Whatever path our graduates may choose, we expect them to be meeting the following objectives at least three to five years after graduation:

  1. apply geological engineering principles, analyses, and synthesis to design and implement projects in the natural and built environment;
  2. incorporate economic, environmental, political, ethical, social, safety, and global considerations to generate sustainable solutions in the natural and built environment;
  3. exhibit strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills;
  4. serve others through professional responsibility and participation in professional and public activities and good citizenship; and
  5. demonstrate a continuing commitment to and interest in their own and others’ education.

Note: Undergraduate Student Outcomes, number of degrees conferred, and enrollment data are made publicly available at the Geological Engineering Undergraduate Program website. (In this Guide, the program’s Student Outcomes are available through the “Learning Outcomes” tab.)

Learning Outcomes

  1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Degrees:

  • Conferred, 2024-2025
    Bachelor of Science, Geological Engineering: 7
  • Enrolled, Fall 2025
    Bachelor of Science, Geological Engineering: 22

Still exploring?

We have 13 engineering undergrad majors—so you can find the field that’s the best fit for you (even if you decide to switch later).

Compare majors

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Questions?

Email questions to our College of Engineering team at FutureEngineers@engr.wisc.edu and someone will get back to you soon.