COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Science (M.S.) program in Geology is structured to provide students with both strong foundational training and advanced research experience in the Earth sciences. The degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours and emphasizes a combination of coursework, seminars, and independent thesis research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Incoming students may be expected to complete additional foundational geology courses such as Mineralogy, Petrology, Structural Geology, or Stratigraphy if they have not previously taken equivalent coursework, ensuring that all students enter advanced study with a consistent academic background. A required introductory course, Communicating Geology (GEO 502), focuses on research development, proposal writing, and scientific communication and must be completed early in the program with a passing grade.In addition to coursework, students must complete graduate seminar requirements, typically including two seminar enrollments during their program of study. These seminars strengthen professional communication skills and may be partially substituted with approved presentations at academic conferences, provided they meet departmental standards. Students are also required to complete six credit hours of thesis research (GEO 599), which is graded on a pass/fail basis and reflects the student’s progress in conducting original research. At least 24 credit hours must be earned from graduate-level coursework, primarily at the 500 and 600 levels, with a minimum of 18 hours completed within the Department of Geological Sciences. Up to three hours of non-thesis research may be applied toward coursework requirements, while additional credits may be taken outside the department with advisor approval.Overall, the program is designed to ensure academic depth, research competence, and professional development through close faculty mentorship. Students are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and must adhere to strict academic standards set by the Graduate School. By integrating coursework, seminars, and thesis research, the M.S. degree prepares graduates for careers in geology-related industries, government agencies, environmental consulting, or continued doctoral study in Earth sciences.