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Not quite true. It’s true that the UCs have more research going on, but they offer at least as much hands on experience as the CSUs. </p>
<p>Here at UCLA, students in the intro sequence (mineralogy and then a quarter each of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic petrology) are exposed to basic tools, equipment, and identification and analysis methods from the very beginning through labs. Upper-level courses often incorporate field trips to geologically interesting places (there’s many in the area), and some classes are specifically designed to teach specialized skills (e.g. geologic mapping). The department offers several field geology courses that are centered on developing fieldwork techniques. </p>
<p>PM me if you want to know more about the program at UCLA. Note that UCLA also has an extraordinarily strong geography program, and geology students benefit a great deal from being able to take classes in physical geography, GIS, remote sensing, environmental impact analysis, etc. </p>