Advanced Field Geology

To attend all three sections, there are course prerequisites of Field Methods, Mineralogy, Petrology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Structural Geology, and Intro to Hydrogeology or an equivalent level of expertise and instructor permission.  Prerequisites for individual sections depend upon the section you plan to attend. 

All sections are graded for majors; P/NP optional for all other students. There is an additional course fee (listed below) per section, above and beyond usual UO tuition and fees. External students (see additional requirements below) approved to attend field camp will need to pay an additional non-refundable $100 “earnest money” fee to hold their space in the camp.  Partial scholarships are available for all UO students. The field camp application will open in late January 2026, and the link will be posted below. 

Section 1: ERTH 406/606 Physical Volcanology

Dates: June 22 – July 4, 2026

Instructor: Thomas Giachetti

Credits: 4        CRN: 

Course Fees: $900 + standard UO tuition and fees

Accommodation: Group campground at Newberry Volcano/UO dorms (if needed)

Description: This two-week course is based out of Newberry Volcano, Oregon. Using methods and techniques pertaining to physical volcanology, we will determine the volume and intensity of the last eruption of Newberry Volcano (Big Obsidian Flow, 640 CE), and learn about silicic eruptions and tephra transport. We will also try to decipher how this eruption unfolded. We will map out the thickness and main sedimentological characteristics of the explosive deposit during eight days in the field. We will collect samples and use sieves and balances to measure some characteristics of the deposits directly in the field. Back in the lab at the University of Oregon, we will further analyze characterize our samples using instruments to measure grain size, shape, porosity, and componentry.

Dillon MontanaERTH 406/606 Section 2: Classic Mapping

Dates: TBD

Instructor: Sammy Castonguay

Credits: 4        CRN:

Course Fees: $900 + standard UO tuition and fees

Accommodation: 

Description: 

 

ERTH 406/606 Section 3: Field Hydrology

Dates: August 28 – September 11, 2026

Instructor: Qusheng Jin

Credits: 4     CRN:

Course Fees: $500 + standard UO tuition and fees

Accommodation: This will be a local Field Camp, specific to the Willamette Valley – housing may be available if requested.

Description: In this immersive, hands-on course, you’ll explore the hydrology and soils of Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley. Field sites include public and private well fields, local organic farms, Fern Ridge Reservoir, the Willamette River, and the McKenzie River — all around the Eugene-Springfield area. Students will:

  • Profile and characterize soils in diverse environments
  • Set up and use weather stations and stream gages
  • Test wells and evaluate aquifers
  • Analyze groundwater chemistry and assess arsenic contamination

Whether you’re heading into environmental consulting, water resources, or just love getting your boots dirty, this course builds real-world skills that will set you apart in your career.

  • This course provides 4 of the 12 required credits for summer field camp, making it an important step for Environmental Geoscience track students in the Earth Sciences major, and it also serves as an upper-division elective for other environmental science related majors. 

Application Process

*Link will be provided end of January 2026, with the deadline typically towards the end of March, 2026.

All applicants

  • You should have a copy of your transcript(s) on hand to provide relevant course prerequisite information.
  • You will need the date of your last tetanus immunization or booster.  
  • There is no fee to apply and if you have all your materials on hand, it should only take about 10 minutes to complete. 
  • There will be course fees (as listed above) in addition to regular student tuition and university fees. 
  • If there are spaces available after the application deadline the link to apply will remain open on this page.  

External students (not enrolled at the University of Oregon) additional requirements:

  • Will be required to provide the name of a geoscience professor (on the field camp application) who they will ask to write their letter of recommendation and upload a document (.pdf or .jpg) outlining their prerequisite coursework or equivalents.
  • Approved external students will be required to pay an additional non-refundable $100 “earnest money” fee to hold their place in each section they plan to attend.
  • Completed applications from external students will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

See links below for more information.

Field camp student expenses
Field study scholarship opportunities
Equipment List
UO Field Camp FAQ
Camp Safety and Anti-Harassment policies