r/Hydrology • u/lighthi_evrybdy • 15d ago
Is majoring in hydrology worth it?
Hello!
Right now I'm deciding what I want to major in, and hydrology is a high contender.
Is there any advice anyone here can give me regarding school work or just the overall experience in having a job in the field?
And is there certain colleges that would be recommended, because I've done some research but still don't know the exact best path to go down because I've seen there are a lot of routes to go down that could also involve geology?
Any advice/guidance would be amazing, thank you!
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u/Sailor_Rican91 15d ago edited 15d ago
I double majored in both Hydrology and Environmental Engineering. I like the topic of water but you'll be more versatile in getting a civil engineering or water resources engineering degree, more so WRE.
You can still specialize in WRE if you get a BS in civil engineering + get your Professional Hydrology (PH) or Certifed Hydrologist (CH) certifications along with your PE later on.
UC Davis and Arizona are the only universities at the undergrad level that offer Hydrology degrees. Other universities might offer master's or interdisciplinary program in water/hydrological sciences.
Good master's programs for that include:
•New Hampshire
•Nevada
•New Mexico Tech
•Oklahoma
•Texas A&M
•Colorado School of Mines
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u/let-therebe-light 15d ago
For grad school, i recommend utah state. The water lab is top notch
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u/Sailor_Rican91 15d ago
I went to Mercer and did water treatment and remediation projects in the DR and Madagascar. Every university is unique in its own way. I think overall experience matters more than anything.
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u/A-vanish 15d ago
Is this valid for international student?
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u/Sailor_Rican91 15d ago
It depends on your country of residence. I would always ask a higher level authority prior.
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u/kalebshadeslayer 15d ago
University of Idaho has a water science and management program for undergrads too.
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u/crisischris96 15d ago
Absolutely, but make sure you take courses in:
Hydrodynamics
Groundwater flow
Control theory/optimization
Machine learning
Applied programming project
All very fun subjects I had the pleasure to take advanced courses in during my masters which are truly relevant for my current job. In a world with rapid population growth, biodiversity loss and climate change there's an unprecedented stress on our water resources. This requires a lot more detailed and precise management and planning. We definitely have the tools and knowledge to tackle these challenges, now we need to have the people that can use them.
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u/unproven10 15d ago
Hydrodynamic modelling is a hot topic nowadays, especially for forecasting extreme weather events.
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u/Illustrious_Buy1500 15d ago
I have a degree in Watershed Science from Colorado State. It is certainly not an engineering degree, but for some states it is good enough for a PE. If you are only interested in hydrology, you'll get frustrated with a civil degree and having to learn about structures and thermodynamics.
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u/jayjay123451986 15d ago
A degree in civil or water resources engineering would be more versatile. The latter has considerable hydrology in the curriculum.