MS in Geological Sciences
For specific information on policies for graduate students, degree requirements and more please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook.
The Master of Science degree is a two-year program in which the student concentrates on graduate level course work during the first year and on thesis research during the second year. The majority of students in the masters program have completed a bachelors degree in the geological sciences, but students with bachelors degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics or engineering are also encouraged to apply.
PHD in Geological Sciences
For specific information on policies for graduate students, degree requirements and more please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is a four- to five-year program in which the student concentrates on graduate-level course work during the first two years, passes a comprehensive examination during the second year, and then concentrates on dissertation research for the remainder of the program. The degree is awarded primarily on the basis of a dissertation describing original research in some area of the geological sciences. The majority of students in the PhD program have completed a masters degree, but in some cases students with a bachelors degree may apply directly to the PhD program.
4+1 Degree: BS+MS in Geological Sciences
Successful completion of the accelerated MS 4+1 degree program depends on identifying a primary advisor and research project early, commonly during your junior year or before. Preliminary studies and research should commence as soon as possible. After deciding upon a topic, the student, in consultation with the primary advisor, informs the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies of their intent to enter the MS 4+1 program during their junior year. The University is notified, and the student’s status is changed allowing them to register for two 500-level courses during their final year as an undergraduate. These two courses will be counted for their undergraduate and graduate degrees. The student must also officially apply to the MS 4+1 program through the during their senior year.
All MS 4+1 students must complete the Graduate School’s residence requirement which is defined as successful completion of 18 credit hours of ºûµûÖ±²¥ graduate online or onsite coursework. This is not to be confused with New York State residency. Thesis Research (599), S/U credits, and the 2 courses taken during the senior year cannot be applied towards the residency requirement. In addition to the Graduate School's residence requirement, there are specific requirements for MS 4+1 students in the Department of Earth Sciences. These include the Course Requirement and the Thesis Requirement.
Summary of MS 4+1 Degree Requirements:
- 8 credits of graded 500-level coursework during the final year as an undergraduate student
- 18 credits of graded coursework as a graduate student (4 courses plus 2 credits of GEOL 597, or another seminar)
- 6 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599 - primary advisor)
- MS Thesis proposal
- MS Thesis
- MS Thesis defense and oral examination
Typical Timeline for MS 4+1 Degree Completion:
- Junior year
- Select a primary advisor and research project
- Inform the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies of your intent to enter the MS 4+1 program
- Senior year
- 2 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 8 credits
- Officially apply to the MS 4+1 through the Graduate School application website
- Completion of MS thesis proposal and submission to primary advisor and thesis committee
- 1st graduate semester
- 2 or 3 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 8 or 12 credits
- If only 2 courses were taken, then 2 credits of Independent Research (GEOL 597 - Graduate Director) and 2 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599 - Primary advisor) are required
- 2nd graduate semester
- 1 or 2 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 4 or 8 credits, depending on what was taken the 1st semester
- 4 or 6 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599 - primary advisor), depending on what was taken the 1st semester
- 0 or 2 credits of Independent Research (GEOL 597 - Graduate Director), depending on what was taken the 1st semester
- Completion and Submission of MS Thesis
- Public defense and oral exam of MS Thesis
Requirements:
- Course Requirement
Course Requirement:
The department requires that all MS 4+1 students complete a minimum of 30 course credits. This includes at least 6 formal 4-credit graduate courses (5XX) for a total of 24 credits. These are commonly courses offered within the Department; however, relevant courses offered from other departments or independent research (GEOL 597) can be counted in consultation with the primary advisor. An average of B (3.0) or better must be maintained, and only grades C- or higher can be counted in these six courses. The MS 4+1 student will complete two 500-level courses during their final year as an undergraduate student, and then four more 500-level courses during their graduate student year. An additional 6 credits of Thesis (GEOL 599) are required. The MS 4+1 student must also take an additional 2 credits of graded coursework during their graduate student year to meet the 18-credit limit of the Graduate School’s residence requirement. This is typically done by taking 2 credits of Independent Research (GEOL 597) with the Graduate Director (see below).
All MS 4+1 students are expected to attend the Wednesday seminar series hosted weekly by the Department throughout their time in the program. Regular attendance provides the student with an opportunity to gain a broader perspective of the Earth Sciences, see how effective presentations are given, build community and collegiality, and learn how to ask probing scientific questions, amongst other skills. MS 4+1 students will register for 2 credits of Independent Research (GEOL 597) with the Graduate Director during their graduate student year. The student will be required to present their research, typically during their first semester. This is an opportunity to present your research plan and any preliminary results that have been collected. It also provides an opportunity for faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students to give you feedback on your research.
- Thesis Requirement
Thesis Requirement:
MS 4+1 students are required to complete a thesis involving independent research in their chosen area of specialization. Associated with this is the requirement to register for no less than 6 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599). The thesis requirement includes a thesis proposal, a submitted thesis, and a final public defense and oral examination. The MS thesis is intended to demonstrate the capacity for independent work of high quality.
Primary Advisor and Thesis Committee:
After deciding upon a topic, the student, in consultation with the primary advisor, prepares a thesis proposal during the second semester of their senior year. The student must also select two additional faculty members from the Department to serve on the thesis committee.
MS Thesis Proposal:
The MS thesis proposal should be about 5-10 double spaced pages long including relevant figures. While there is no specific format, it should include the following:
- Statement of the objectives/research goals
- Description of the relevance and significance
- General background on methods, previous work, etc.
- Timetable of the intended work plan
- Reference list
Upon completion of the thesis proposal and approval from the primary advisor the student will share the proposal with their two additional committee members. The student and primary advisor will inform the Graduate Director of its completion and who the members of the thesis committee are for documentation purposes.
It is encouraged that the MS thesis proposal be submitted to the committee by the end of the senior year so that they have ample time to provide feedback before the main phase of research begins (typically during the summer). If the proposal is not completed and approved by the end of the summer term the Graduate Director must be informed and a plan should be put into place for its timely submission.
MS Thesis:
While the formatting of the thesis must follow the guidelines provided by the graduate school, the structure of the document is to be agreed upon by the MS student and primary advisor. For example, the thesis can be structured as it would be for a manuscript submission to a peer-reviewed journal, or as a more traditional thesis. The defense draft of the thesis, complete in all respects, should be as near to the final draft format as possible with respect to figures, tables, references, abstract, table of contents, pagination, grammar, etc. prior to sharing with the committee. Early drafts should be reviewed by the primary advisor, and other committee members as needed, to improve as much as possible the style and content. In order for a student to defend an MS thesis, all members of the thesis committee must agree that the thesis is ready for defense. Obviously, that means that they need a chance to read it. The committee members should be given at least two weeks to read the thesis before a thesis defense can be scheduled.
MS Thesis Defense:
The MS thesis defense and oral examination can be scheduled only after all committee members have read the thesis and approved that it is ready for defense. The thesis defense is a public presentation, and as such must be advertised to the faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the Department at least 1week prior to the defense date. Anyone from outside the Department who is interested in the research is also welcomed to attend.
The primary advisor with consent of the thesis committee will arrange a time and place for the oral examination and distribute announcements to faculty and students through the department at least one week in advance of the defense. The student is allowed 20 to 40 minutes to present the results of the investigation. This is followed by questions from the general audience. After all questions have been addressed the examination will continue with just the thesis committee. Once the committee is satisfied, the student will be asked to step out of the room and a vote will be taken. The primary advisor communicates the results of the vote to the student and the Director of Graduate Studies indicating one of the following:
- PASS with no revisions
- PASS with minor revisions (the committee may allow the primary advisor to determine if all revisions have been met)
- PASS with major regions (the committee may want to see the revised thesis)
- FAIL with no recommendation for revision
MS Thesis Submission:
Final copies of the thesis are submitted to the Graduate School in electronic form and to the department as a bound paper copy. on the preparation of an electronic file, procedures for submission, and deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Also be sure to consult the Graduate School website for important information relating to University requirements for graduation, including submission of the Graduate Application for Degree (GAFD). Students must provide a bound copy of the thesis to the department and may also wish to provide the thesis advisor with a bound final copy of the thesis.
NOTE: STUDENTS ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING REQUIRED THESIS COPIES AND PAPERWORK TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICE, AND FOR MEETING ALL OTHER GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES.
Final Disposition of Research Materials:
MS students are required to leave a suitably labeled set of representative specimens from any collections made during the thesis research, together with physical or digital copies of maps and other relevant materials, for permanent reference in the department. Materials acquired through departmental or grant support must be left with the primary advisor unless other arrangements are made.
4+1 Degree: BA/BS+MBA Program
Students also have the opportunity to complete both the bachelor's degree in geological sciences and a master's of business administration (MBA) in five years. Students should see their undergraduate Earth Sciences advisor early in their academic career for questions regarding the curriculum for the undergraduate degree and the School of Management Graduate Advising Office for questions regarding the MBA program. Undergraduate credits: 126. Double count credits: 26. Graduate credits: 57.
After Graduation
Beyond educating our students through research and coursework, we believe helping them find internships and full-time employment are a critical part of our responsibility. We achieve this through:
- Invitations to private companies and government entities to campus to engage and recruit our students directly.
- Mentoring our students on the job market.
- Sending our students to regional, national, and international conferences where they build their professional development and participate in student job fairs.
Our recent alumni have found employment in:
- Environmental consulting
- Public sector, both state and federal
- Academia
- Energy industry, material science
Our students will be well prepared to sit for the Fundamentals of Earth Sciences Examination as part of professional licensure.