Application, Costs & Requirements

Applications of Interest to Attend are available for our summer 2026 Hydro Field Camp.

Field Camp Application

If you are interested in attending our field camp, please complete the online application form so we can gather your contact and interest details for when the full schedule becomes available. The application submission date will be used to determine admission if applications exceed available space.

After completing the application, you will get an email with additional information within 2 business days. If you do not, please contact Scott at brames@clemson.edu.

If you are a non-Clemson student and you intend to take this course for credit, you will need to apply to Clemson as a transient student before you can officially register for the course.

Application of Interest to Attend

Estimated Costs

All undergraduate students pay in-state tuition!

Below is a list of approximate costs. Food costs are not included -- students from last year estimated $300-$500, depending on appetite and preferences on cuisine.

Tuition, Fees, Equipment, Lodging, and Cave Tour Information
Tuition
   (6 hrs undergrad - $631/hr) $3786
   (6 hrs grad (non-grad assist.) - $631/hr) $3786
   (6 hrs grad assistant) ~$1050
Fees $200 lab fee  (grads only)
Equipment (bought by you) ~$100
Lodging
   (Clemson Summer Housing, 40 nights) ~$950
   (Mammoth Cave, KY; Knoxville, TN) covered by a deposit
Cave tour tickets (optional) $25-$60

More details about Lodging and meal plans can be found at: Clemson Housing & Dining

Non-Clemson Students

Students who are not currently enrolled at Clemson are welcome to attend the field camp. You should check with your home university if you intend to transfer the 6 hours of course credit from Clemson to your university. Most universities will accept the Clemson course as the field camp requirement for an undergraduate degree in Geology. Contact Scott Brame if you need additional information to satisfy your university about the transfer of credits.

To apply for our field camp, you must fill out the Application Interest Form.

Please be aware that completing the online Application does not enroll you in the course. After submitting the application, you will receive instructions on how to apply for transient student status (only needed for non-Clemson students), which is not available until sometime in the Spring 2025 semester. We will keep you informed when we know.

Preparing for Hydro Field Camp

You should have at least completed the sophomore year in a geology or similar bachelor's degree program. We strongly recommend, but do not require, that you take a class in hydrogeology before coming to field camp. You will get more out of the field camp experience if you already know the basics.

Students enrolled for graduate credit must have an undergraduate degree and must have taken an undergraduate class in hydrogeology.

Recommended Equipment

The following is a list of equipment that you will need, or is recommended, for the field camp. Some items are available locally. Other items can be ordered. Ben Meadows and Forestry Suppliers carry the items, as do a variety of other companies. The product codes for some of the suggested items are listed.

The items listed below (through the calculator) are needed on the first day of class.

Field Equipment

  • Field notebook: You will need a bound book with lines and graph paper. The bookstore has some, also Forestry Supplier, 49352
  • Compass: You will need a compass that has a sighting mirror and an inclinometer. Here are several that will work.
    • Suunto MC-2, Ben Meadows 101884
    • Silva Ranger, Type 15, Ben Meadows 101924
    • Brunton, Eclipse Model 8099, Forestry Supply 37400. A Brunton pocket transit will also work well, but they are considerably more expensive than the compasses listed above.
  • Clipboard: Conventional clipboard will be satisfactory. A clipboard with a cover is preferred, and one that will store extra sheets (Forestry Supplier 53190) is even better.
  • C-thru ruler and protractor: This is both a ruler with parallel lines and a protractor. It is handy for drawing maps. Get a few of them; they are useful and cheap.
  • Engineer scale: Available at Bookstore or Clemson Variety and Frame Forestry Supplier, 45972
  • Graph paper: 5 or 10 squares per inch
  • Calculator: something to do simple calculations in the field

Useful Equipment

  • Hand lens: Available at the Bookstore, the one you have from mineralogy would be fine.
  • Colored pencils: useful if you already own them
  • Rock hammer: useful if you already own one
  • Acid bottle: useful if you already own one

Personal Equipment

We will be outside in a variety of conditions, and you should have the appropriate clothing and equipment to take care of your personal comfort. Shorts and a T-shirt will be fine for most days, but long pants are recommended for some situations. It is probably best to avoid wearing sandals because they can be uncomfortable in tall grass and uneven terrain. These things will be useful during some of the activities

  • Comfortable shoes, boots with ankle support, even better
  • Rubber boots, waders, or some type of footwear you can get wet and muddy (I use old athletic shoes)
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Rain gear
  • Field backpack
  • Water bottles
  • Hat

Lunch

You should be prepared to eat lunch in the field every day. Some days we will be in the department and it will be possible to buy something to eat. However, it will often be inconvenient to buy lunch when we are in the field near Clemson, so you should plan to bring something to eat, or you may get hungry by dinner time.