For students interested in studying fossils and the history of the earth, colleges and universities in the United States offer four different types of paleontology programs: biological science programs with a focus on paleontology, geological science programs with a focus on paleontology, environmental and plant biology programs with a focus on paleontology, and anthropology programs with a focus on paleontology. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and other parts of the world, the only options for obtaining a paleontology degree are earth science or geology programs. Paleontology is typically offered as a track or minor focus within another field of study rather than as a degree major in and of itself anywhere in the world. These hybrid paleoscience programs, which are available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, teach students how to unearth, analyze, and categorize buried relics and records from previous eras using various sciences.
Students in undergraduate and graduate paleontology programs learn about fossils preserved in the bodies or habitats of various vertebrate and invertebrate animal species. Students investigate the habits of ancient aquatic and marine life, as well as how those animals may have interacted with their ecosystems through the use of found relics. Mammals and insects, both extinct and ancient, are also studied.
Paleontology programs in geological science and earth science departments look at the different types of fossil records that can be found in sediment and rocks. Students learn about the various types of soil that existed in previous eras, as well as how climate change impacted the soil. Courses on hydrology, environmental changes, and the evolution of carbonates account for the majority of academic hours.
Environmental and plant biology departments offer paleontology programs that focus on paleobotany, which is the study of ancient plants, plant fossils, and ancient mold and fungi. Students learn about planet structure and reproduction, as well as the evolution of different plant species. The impact of coal deposits, climate change, and terrestrial changes on vegetation is also investigated. Paleontology programs based on anthropology, also known as paleoanthropology, prepare students to study ancient primates and human evolution.
Regardless of major, all students on a paleontological track learn the fundamentals of paleontology research, including how to make outlines of buried fossils using imaging devices such as laser scanners, digital microscopes, and fluorescent microscopes. Students also learn how to edit the photos that these instruments produce. Paleontology students spend a significant amount of time in laboratories learning how to prepare fossils using casting equipment, molds, and extraction methods. Advanced students, such as those pursuing a graduate degree, may also take part in research projects that take them to the actual site of a paleontological excavation to collaborate with professional paleontologists.