Alexandria, VA – Enrollments and degrees in the geosciences in the United States dipped during the 2010-2011 academic year as detailed in the latest Geoscience Currents published by the American Geosciences Institute. After peaking the year before, enrollments slipped back to 2008-2009 levels with undergraduate geoscience enrollments dropping about 8 percent and graduate enrollments falling approximately 3 percent. Degrees similarly declined, with Bachelor's degrees dropping 9 percent, Master's dropping 6 percent, and Doctorates dropping 4 percent. Data was collected as part of the preparation of the 2012 Directory of Geoscience Departments.
A copy of Geoscience Currents 56 can be found online and downloaded from http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/currents.html.
Geoscience Currents are quick snapshots of data released by AGI on the status of the geoscience workforce. The Currents also represent data collaborations with other societies, employers, and professionals. Topics for these reports are inspired by inquiries from geoscience community leaders. Interested in participating in AGI's Geoscience Currents? Go online to http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/currents.html, and register to receive free email updates of all new Geoscience Currents.
The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of 50 geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.