Master of Science (M.S.) in Geology

The Geology Program of the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences offers M. S. degrees in Geology, and acts as a home department for the interdepartmental M.S. degree in Environmental Sciences. The faculty work with students enrolled in each of these programs to assure that their Programs of Study will have appropriate breadth in the Earth sciences while permitting suitable specialization. Students in any of the M.S. degree programs are encouraged to take relevant course work outside of the Department and to take additional elective courses beyond the minimum specified in this document. Candidates for the M.S. degree in Geology and for some degrees in Earth Science complete a thesis based on the candidate?s original research. Candidates for M.S. degrees with a non-thesis option must prepare a scholarly paper (a ?creative component?) based on the candidate?s interpretation of observations or ideas in the geologic literature. A thesis or creative component may also include requirements established by the Graduate College, and must be written in a form that, with only minimal modification, can be submitted for publication in a scientific journal, book, field guide, or other appropriate portion of the professional literature. The candidate must defend the thesis or creative component before the Program of Study Committee and other faculty members who desire to attend. The date, time, and place of the defense must be publicly announced. Copies of the thesis or creative component must be given to committee members at least two weeks in advance, and the candidate must place a review copy of the thesis or creative component in the departmental office at least one week before the defense. The major professor presides at the defense and gives all interested faculty members the opportunity to question the candidate. After a thesis defense, the Program of Study Committee determines whether the thesis represents the results of original research, is a worthy contribution to the field, and has been adequately defended. Affirmation of these three conditions constitutes acceptance of the candidate?s thesis. In a similar way, the Program of Study Committee determines whether a creative component is the candidate?s individual accomplishment, is a worthy contribution to the field, and has been adequately defended. A creative component is acceptable if it meets those criteria All candidates for M.S. degrees in the Geology Program must participate in giving and attending departmental seminars Course Requirements: M.S. in Geology The Department requires for the M.S. degree in Geology a minimum of thirty (30) credits of graduate-level courses distributed as follows: I. Fourteen (14) credits in formal Geology courses numbered 500 or above, not to include credits earned in Geology 590. II. Ten (10) credits of elective courses in Geology or in other disciplines relevant to the student?s field of interest. III. 6 credits of research [Geology 699]. A student may take more than 6 credits of research, but may not apply more than 6 credits of research toward the 30 credit total required for graduation.