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Field Trips

Field trips (also referred to as fieldwork) are a significant component of the GPS academic programs. Our students take faculty-led trips to such nearby locations as Death Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains and to more distant places, such as Hawaii and Asia; these expeditions give students first hand experiences with—and understanding of—geological phenomena most people never encounter outside of a laboratory or classroom.

Classes with Field Trips

  • Ge 11a/Ge 101 - Introduction to Earth and Planetary Sciences/Introduction to Geology and Geochemistry
  • Ge 121a - Advanced Field and Structural Geology
  • Ge 136a - Regional Field Geology of the Southwestern United States
  • Ge151 - Fundamentals of Planetary Surfaces
  • FS/Ge 16 - First-Year Undergrad Seminar: Earthquakes (Joint Field Trip)
  • FS/ESE/Ge 18- First-year Undergrad Seminar: The Microbial World - The Unseen in Plain Sight (Joint Field Trip)
  • Ge 11b - Introduction to Earth & Planetary Sciences: Earth and the Biosphere
  • Ge104 - Introduction to Geobiology
  • Ge 121b - Advanced Field and Structural Geology
  • Ge 136b - Regional Field Geology of the Southwestern United States
  • Ge 1 - Earth and Environment
  • Ge 111b - Applied Geophysics Seminar and Field Course
  • Ge120a - Introduction to Field Geology
  • Ge 121c - Advanced Field & Structural Geology
  • Ge122c - Field Geology Seminar
  • Ge 136c - Regional Field Geology of the Southwestern United States
  • Ge/ESE/EE157c - Remote Sensing for Environmental and Geological Applications
  • Ge 120 b - Summer Field Camp

Emergency Contact Forms


Field Information


The GPS Division recognizes that there are safety risks that are inherent in doing fieldwork in remote areas. Make sure to read the information provided below.

Field Safety Documents

Safety Information


Field Vehicle Information

GPS maintains a fleet of six specially equipped vehicles for the exclusive use of its faculty, students, and staff for educational, research, and professional activities.

To request access to a vehicle or see when a vehicles are available, visit the Field Vehicle Availability page.

The division's procedures and policies for using these vehicles are detailed in the Institute's Motor Vehicle Use Policy and the GPS Procedures for Use of Division Fleet Vehicles.