Earth and Society Programs
Meeting society’s grand challenges and serving as responsible stewards of the planet’s resources
Colorado School of Mines’ programs in Earth and Society prepares students for successful careers in a wide range of fields, from our traditional fortes of resource extraction and the earth sciences to disciplines where science and engineering interact with society. Our groundbreaking education and research are making the world a better and more sustainable place.
Engineer a better world.
59 Degree Programs
Mines’ programs in earth and society, with sustained excellence in both teaching and research, prepares students at all levels for successful careers in industry, academia and beyond
15 Online Programs
The diversity of Mines’ offerings will only continue to grow – online courses, graduate certificates, thesis and non-thesis master’s degrees and doctoral programs.
$30M Research Funding
Faculty in the earth and society programs garner support from government, industry and other sources, attracting the best and brightest research talent.
faculty Spotlight
mines professors selected as 2023 asee hall of fame inductees
At the 130th ASEE Gala on October 10, it was announced that Dr. Jon Leydens and Dr. Juan Lucena have been selected as inductees for the ASEE Hall of Fame. This designation recognizes engineering and engineering technology education standouts whose work has made a significant impact on engineering education and modernized society. Congratulations to these 2023 Hall of Fame inductees!
To read more visit:
https://www.asee.org/about-us/ASEE-News/ASEE-Selects-2023-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees
From the Dean
If you know anything about Colorado School of Mines, it’s likely our long and storied history in resource extraction and the associated earth sciences. Founded in 1874 with academic departments in drafting, physics, metallurgy, chemistry and mining, the university expanded to include geology, petroleum engineering and geophysics in the 1920s.
We’ve maintained our core strengths over the decades—we’ve been ranked No. 1 for mineral and mining engineering in the QS World University Rankings for several years running and our graduates enjoy excellent outcomes soon after graduation.
But there’s more to Mines than an excellent return on investment—we take our responsibility as stewards of the Earth seriously. We strive to make mining safer and more energy efficient. Our humanitarian science and engineering program prepares students to serve communities around the world. Math and statistics faculty work with colleagues in geology and geophysics to develop methods that lessen the environmental impact of harvesting critical materials. Our unique Underground Construction and Tunneling program is building a better tomorrow.
That’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and we’re happy to tell you more.
Dr. Terri Hogue
Dean, Earth and Society Programs
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
News
- Jennifer Miskimins nominated as 2026 president of Society of Petroleum Engineers
- USGS, Mines break ground on new facility focused on energy and minerals research
- Field Session gives students hands-on opportunity to apply classroom concepts in the real world
- Petroleum engineering faculty cracking open enhanced geothermal energy
- Hennebach Program, MME Department honored for collaboration with Denver music group itchy-O
- Mines research team develops new model for gold deposition in low-sulfidation epithermal deposits
- Matthew Siegfried wins NSF CAREER Award for Antarctic ice stream research
Digging Deep
The Edgar Experimental Mine serves as an underground laboratory for future engineers, one of the many Mines facilities creating valuable experiences for those training to discover, develop and process the world’s natural resources.
Academic Departments
Interdisciplinary Programs
hydrologic science and engineering
space resources
underground construction and tunneling
Innovative Programs
Mines’ graduate program in humanitarian science and engineering integrates cutting-edge social science, engineering and applied science, preparing technical professionals to foster sustainable community development around the world.
Mines By The Numbers
Mineral and Mining Engineering Programs, QS World University Rankings
Petroleum Engineering Graduate Program, U.S. News & World Report
Best U.S. Engineering Colleges, Money Magazine
Best Value Colleges, Payscale
Top Universities Based on Alumni Ratings, Forbes
Best Earth Sciences Graduate Programs, U.S. News & World Report
Best Environmental Engineering Graduate Programs, U.S. News & World Report
Top Public Schools, U.S. News & World Report
Best Civil Engineering Graduate Programs, U.S. News & World Report
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, U.S. News & World Report
Earthshaking Discoveries
Geophysics Assistant Professor Ebru Bozdag is one of the five principal investigators of a $3.2 million research project over four years that will unite seismic data analysis and modeling with supercomputing power to answer some of the biggest questions about Earth’s seismic activity, interior, and dynamics.