Hydrogeology Field Course

  • Students in the hydrogeology field course.

    Applied Training

    The majority of the field work is conducted in southwest Michigan.

  • Students in protective gear receiving OSHA training.

    HAZWOPER

    All students receive 40-hour OSHA training.

  • Students watching stock drilling.

    Explore

    Geological investigations are critical to the understanding of the earth.

  • Students doing experiments in the field.

    The world is our lab!

    WMU geologists are outstanding in the field.

The Hydrogeology Field Course offered by the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Western Michigan University is one of very few hydro-technical programs in the United States. The program, developed in 1987, is directed by Tom Howe and Dr. Matt Reeves. This applied course has trained hundreds of students from around the nation and abroad. The Hydrogeology Field Course teaches the following skills: aquifer testing, environmental surface geophysics, groundwater sampling and monitoring, HAZWOPER training, remediation and well drilling and installation. The majority of the geophysical testing, field work and training for this course is conducted at the Asylum Lake research and training site, which was developed to provide advanced field work and hands-on experience.

Course dates

Note: Due to increasing demand, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences will be offering the Hydrogeology Field Course twice during the summer of 2018:

  • Session I: May 7 to June 15
  • Session II: July 9 to Aug. 17

2018 Application instructions

Registration for both sessions will begin on Jan. 9, 2018 and remain open until April 15, 2018. Those persons wishing to apply earlier than Jan. 9 may do so, but applications will not begin to be reviewed and processed until that date. The HFC usually fills up within two weeks. The earlier you complete your registration, the better chance you will have of securing a spot in the course. Enrollment is limited to qualified applicants with preference to those whom apply first and/or apply for multiple weeks. Places will be filled in the order in which registration fees and completed applications are received. All registration materials must be received no later than April 15, 2018.

Note: International students are required to enroll in consecutive module blocks, e.g., Modules 1 through 3, Modules 1 through 6.

In addition to our hydrogeology field course, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences is also now offering a Certificate Program in Applied Hydrogeology.

Hydrogeology Field Course scholarship

Scholarship Deadline: March 31, 2018

The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences is offering scholarship funds to bolster participation in the hydrogeology field course. Made possible through generous funding from the Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences is pleased to offer financial assistance to qualified students applying for all six weeks of the 2018 HFC. Please review the scholarship instructions for information pertaining to deadlines, eligibility criteria, and application materials.

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