The Hydrogeology concentration is particularly significant in the rapidly growing field of green infrastructure—managing storm water run-off through the use of plants, soil and other natural systems. Students in this concentration study surface water and groundwater. Your final project focus may vary from floods to well hydraulics, but you will develop a thorough understanding of how water moves over and through earth materials, and there is the opportunity to learn how to model complex geohydraulic systems.
Upon completion of the Hydrogeology concentration, many graduates find employment opportunities with hydrologic, environmental or geotechnical consulting firms, while others work in government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), State Departments of Environmental Protection and local water departments.
Student research
Your project design is a culmination of your classroom, research and field experiences in the MSAG program. Take a look at abstracts by MSAG alumni with a concentration in Hydrogeology to understand the breadth of design project topics and formats.
At the end of your studies in the Master of Science in Applied Geosciences (MSAG) program, you create a research poster to showcase your project design. The selection of posters listed below is representative of the range of research projects undertaken by recent students in the Hydrogeology concentration.
- Sustainable Groundwater Management Using Water Markets (PDF) by Aaron McGarvey ’18
- The Effects of Flooding on Sediment Load and Composition in the Rio Icacos, Puerto Rico (PDF) by Sarah Haber ’19
- A Deterministic Approach to Flood Modeling in Northern Ghana using GIS and Web Development (PDF) by Leonard Shaw ’19
- Pennypack Creek Stream Assessment Study: Sandyford Run Subwatershed (PDF) by Christina Catanese ’10
- Proposed Remediation of Acidic Groundwater and Dissolved Metals at Former National Lead Industries Site (PDF) by Laura Fotiou ’13
Hydrogeology concentration course options
- Aqueous Geochemistry
- Fate and Transport of Pollutants
- Environmental Groundwater Hydrology
- Geochemical Modeling
- Geomechanics: Fluids
- Wetlands
- Bioremediation
Please note that these courses are currently approved for this concentration. However, you may request to add different courses, and new courses may also become available.
