Students looking for a change of major can dig deeper into the mining engineering field.

It’s a major that Rick Honaker, professor and department chair in the Department of Mining Engineering, said is never boring.

Honaker said mining engineering creates a dynamic work environment, because people are able to go from an office to a test site to a corporate event.

Thirty percent of mining engineering students are from out of state, and Honaker said the quality of UK’s faculty and location of the school help to draw students from many areas.

“I have to be personally proud of our faculty and it’s abilities,” Honaker said.

Because of the school’s prestige, it has almost a 100 percent job placement and a variety of internship opportunities in places across the state. Co-ops are also available for students who want long term experience before they graduate.

Students can also receive specialized scholarships.

“A number of our graduates have multiple summer institutes,” Honaker said. “We’ve had such great success placing out students.”

The department graduated 40 students last year, a huge percentage of the 200 who graduated nationally. UK is one of 13 accredited schools for mining engineering.

Honaker said upper level classes include hands on labs that involve testing rock samples, surveying and computer based mine design.

Basic engineering classes are required to enter the program.

Honaker said demand is high for positions in mining engineer, and that it’s perfect “if you want a challenge.”