The Department of Geology which was established in 1963 is one of the pioneering geological educational institutions in India, imparting teaching and advanced research on earth system sciences. The department was built on the foundation of the Division of Mineral Survey and Research which was affiliated to the Travancore University which was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharaja of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balaramavarma who was the first chancellor of the University. The University motto is emblazoned on its logo "Karmani Vyagyate Prajna – Knowledge Realizing itself is action”. In 1957, the Kerala University Act 14, was brought into force and the University of Travancore was renamed as University of Kerala. Shri. C.P.Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan of the state was the first Vice Chancellor.  The university has 42 departments of teaching and research under 16 faculties. The administrative offices and a few teaching departments are located at the Senate House Campus in the City, while most of the other teaching and research departments are located at the Kariavattom Campus which is 12 km north of the city centre.

The founder Head of the department was Prof. K.K Menon who was until then holding the charge of Head of division of Mineral Survey and Research in Trivandrum. The works of this division, especially of Prof. C.V Poulose, is still considered as one of the ground-breaking contributions to the Kerala geology. The former faculty of the department include Prof.s KP Thrivikramji, PK Rajendran Nair, R Krishnanath, PT Roy Chacko, V Narayanan Nair, Krishnan Nair, Raju Philip

Over the years it developed expertise and infrastructure concomitant with the emergent trends on learning and teaching process of geological science. Contributions of the department in areas like structural geology, GIS, hydrogeology, sedimentology, petrology are reckoned modestly in the Indian geological scene. Recently a Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System with massive support from DST- FIST, UGC program has been developed. Further, the department is receiving funds from agencies like UGC-SAP (Phase I), KSCSTE-SARD, and NRDMS to strengthen the petrological, optical, GIS and chemical laboratories.

Our students have been selected for employment in many National scientific organizations/ private companies as soon as they finish their course and most of the alumni are now serving as high and middle level professionals.