Dr. Jack Groppo
Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Mining Engineering
john.groppo@uky.eduMining engineers find, develop, and recover the resources needed to support the daily needs of society from the minerals required to support our daily health to the materials used for roads, buildings, computers, cell phones among most other items used daily. The mining engineering discipline requires a broad range of basic engineering skills along with the ability to apply specialized technical knowledge in the areas of geotechnical engineering, explosives engineering, ventilation, mine power systems, automation and control, environmental engineering and extractive metallurgy.
If it can’t be grown, it must be mined and safe, effective and responsible mining relies on intelligent, skillful practitioners who can operate highly sophisticated mining devices. The Mining Engineering program at the University of Kentucky is one of only thirteen accredited programs in the United States. The faculty members are well known and highly respected in their specialized area throughout academia and the industry. Thus, students receive the highest quality education and training from instructors with practical knowledge of the discipline. Hands-on instruction is provided in state-of-the-art laboratories that house modern equipment used in each of the specialty areas of mining engineering.
Industries Looking for You
Everything I learn about mining engineering makes it even more cool to me. You do a little bit each field of engineering—chemical, electrical, civil—all in one major."
Mining Engineering Junior
Fall 2023 first-time freshmen: Automatic admission to the College of Engineering will be based on meeting the below requirements. However, if you cannot take or choose not to submit ACT or SAT scores with your admission application, a holistic review will be used to determine your admission to the engineering program.
Students may directly enroll as pre-engineering students; however, there are minimum admission requirements. Minimum freshman entry requirements are an ACT Math score of 25 or higher (or an SAT Math score of 590 or higher) and a 3.0 or higher unweighted high school GPA. Additionally, students must also meet the minimum Kentucky statewide academic readiness requirements for reading and writing. If you do not meet the initial admission requirements, please contact visit@engr.uky.edu for information about alternative routes to admission to the College of Engineering.
Admission requirements for transfer students can be accessed here.
The smartest, most talented engineers around the world are devoting themselves to tackling immense global challenges. As a First-Year Engineering (FYE) student, you get to join them!
In 2008, the National Academy of Engineering identified 14 “Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century”—opportunities to greatly increase humanity’s sustainability, health, security and joy of living. Themes include making solar energy economical, enhancing virtual reality, reverse-engineering the brain, securing cyberspace, providing access to clean water and more.
These ambitious goals demand engineers roll up their sleeves and get to work, which is why we put them front and center during your first year as an engineering student. We have designed the FYE program to inspire you. We want you to discover your passion. We want you to explore where you might make your unique contribution. We want you to get your hands dirty and make stuff that might, one day, lead to a breakthrough.
Why wait until you’re taking upper-level classes to figure out what interests you? Through real engineering classes taught by top faculty and exposure to engineering’s greatest challenges, the FYE program gets you into the game from day one.
The following curriculum meets the requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering, provided the student satisfies the graduation requirements of the College of Engineering.
2022-23 Major Sheet 2021-22 Major Sheet 2020-21 Major Sheet 2018-19 Major Sheet 2017-18 Major Sheet 2016-17 Major Sheet 2015-16 Major Sheet 2014-15 Major Sheet 2013-14 Major Sheet 2012-13 Major Sheet 2011-12 Major Sheet 2010-11 Major Sheet 2009-10 Major Sheet 2008-09 Major Sheet
Student organizations are an outgrowth of student interest and serve the needs of a variety of students. Many provide programs that supplement the classroom experience and extend into areas of service for the community. All provide learning and leadership training for participating students. Student organizations that are typically of interest to Mining Engineering students include: the Norwood Student Chapter of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME), the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE), Women in Mining, and the Mu Nu Gamma Honor Society. Significant participation also occurs regionally and nationally with the professional societies through attendance and active participation at professional meetings that are held across the United States.
The mining engineering program offers numerous opportunities to obtain hands-on experience through summer internships and co-operative education programs with mining companies that have operations throughout the U.S. These experiences often lead to full-time engineering professional positions upon graduation. For those interested in research, the program offers numerous undergraduate research opportunities in each of the specialized areas of mining engineering. Self-funding of all undergraduate education expenses is achievable by combining the funds earned from internship, co-op and research positions with the numerous scholarships that are available from the department and national societies and associations.
The Engineering Career and Co-op Center is a valuable resource for assisting you with developing job, co-op and internship search skills; participating in education-abroad programs; participating in research endeavors and career network development so you can secure a rewarding career in your chosen field of study.
Thanks to special agreements through the Academic Common Market, residents from the following states may enroll in the University of Kentucky Mining Engineering program and qualify for in-state tuition rates:
These agreements are subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information on the Academic Common Market, click here.
The Department of Mining Engineering offers scholarships beginning the student's sophomore year in the mining engineering program. Please contact Lesley Brenner (lesley.brenner@uky.edu and 859-257-2596) for information regarding Mining Engineering scholarships.
Retirements and growth in the mineral sector over the next 5 – 10 years are expected to create many openings for talented mining engineering graduates at annual salaries in the range of $60,000 to $72,000, which are among the highest of any B.S. graduate. As a result of the number of expected retirements, advancing up the career ladder is sure to be faster than most other professions. Opportunities in the mining engineering profession will always be available due to the need to provide resources for the nation and the world in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner.
Mining and geological engineers design mines to safely and efficiently remove minerals for use in manufacturing and utilities.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics | Click the link for more info.
Median Salary
$97,090
per year in 2021
Number of Jobs
7,500
in 2021
10 Year Job Outlook
100
new jobs (average)
Many mining and geological engineers work where mining operations are located, such as mineral mines or sand-and-gravel quarries, in remote areas or near cities and towns. Others work in offices or onsite for oil and gas extraction firms or engineering services firms.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Dr. Jack Groppo
Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Mining Engineering
john.groppo@uky.eduCollege of Engineering
Department of Mining Engineering
230 Mining and Mineral Resources Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0107
(859) 257-8026
