Mining today is interdisciplinary and provides numerous career paths. Just like the University of Arizona's mining curriculum.
As the world's population grows and technology advances, tomorrow’s professionals must be ready to mine those mineral resources in an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable way. This requires a diverse range of skills and disciplines across areas such as communications, environmental science, anthropology, law, computing, and data science, in addition to traditional science and engineering disciplines.
There’s a place for everyone in mining, and you can find yours here.
By cross-pollinating mining and mineral knowledge with other critical fields, we’re helping students find their own unique paths into the world of mining and minerals, and work across disciplinary boundaries once they do.
A New Kind of Education
The next generation of professionals must be ready to break boundaries, work across disciplines, and solve real-world problems, which will require a new approach. That’s why the School of Mining & Mineral Resources is reimagining mining and mineral resources education, beginning with its untraditional and inclusive model.
A focus on solving real-world problems, rather than on a single discipline
The university already offers every undergraduate major degree needed for mining and minerals, so the School does not duplicate this. Instead, we complement those offerings by providing an opportunity for people with diverse interests and career aspirations to learn about mining, and for mining students to learn about other critical fields. Complementary education programs can take the form of minor degrees, certificates, general education courses, and seminars – or even something as simple as a mining case study or dataset inserted into a business or data science course.
Adapted for lifelong learning and diverse audiences
Creating a sustainable minerals future requires sparking interest in mining and minerals at an early age; educating people outside traditional mining disciplines and the mining industry; and offering upskilling, reskilling, and cross-training opportunities for mining professionals. Our education offerings span audiences ranging from 3rd graders to native communities, legislators, and tailings engineers – just to name a few.
Flexible students and faculty
Our model gives students an opportunity to learn – and faculty and even professionals an opportunity to teach – from wherever they are, without leaving their posts. We believe we can improve participation in mining education by making it more open and accessible.
A commitment to stay connected, and keep pace with change
We take a needs-based approach to determining what curriculum to develop. Our curricular innovation process engages industry experts to identify and prioritize emerging needs and opportunities, as well as develop cutting-edge content. It also helps us take new programs to market efficiently.
This way, we can ensure our offerings are timely, relevant, and best-of-breed.
Our flagship academic program: Undergraduate Minor in Sustainable Mineral Resources
A Minor for any Major!
Designed to pair with any major, we teach core mining and minerals concepts to students from any background while also allowing them to explore specific themes, like analytics and automation or society and policy, through electives. Coursework is designed to develop sought-after skills like communications and problem solving, and to develop an appreciation for diverse perspectives as well as other cultures.
Here, students majoring in everything from Geology to Environmental & Social Sciences to Business and beyond will be able to gain practical experience so they can secure mining jobs after graduation.
Helping Students Chart Their Course
Navigating all the available resources can be challenging, so the School helps each student find their own unique path into securing our world's future through mining – regardless of their background. This helps broaden the aperture of who can study mining, bringing in new perspectives and backgrounds to create a more inclusive field.
From internships and job opportunities to research projects and conferences, we can help any student access the countless opportunities to learn about this field and make the most of their time at the University.