Earth & Quaternary Sciences MSGeology masters program

We have recently revised the M.S. Program to include exciting interdisciplinary courses and research options while continuing to provide students with a strong background in geology and the geosciences.  The new Program emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in the field and in the lab, and focuses on applied, interdisciplinary research in Earth and Quaternary Sciences in the areas of environmental geology, geochemistry, geoarchaeology, biogeochemistry, oceanography, geomorphology, climatology, paleoclimatology, paleoecology, paleoceanography, dendrochronology, and geobiology.  Faculty members also have expertise and teach courses in the more traditional areas of stratigraphy, petrology, geohydrology, volcanology, economic geology, remote sensing/GIS, and physical geography.

The new M.S. Program is designed to provide students with the strong background needed to pursue careers with government and private geoscience agencies or to continue graduate studies at the Ph.D. level.  All of our Masters Degree graduates have either obtained career-oriented jobs immediately upon graduation or have been accepted into graduate programs to pursue a Ph.D. in the geosciences.  Our new M.S. Program will continue to build on this record of success.

The M.S. is offered as a thesis and non-thesis option.  The non-thesis option is designed as a professional degree for students wishing to enhance professional career opportunities.  The academic programs for both options require a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credits. 

The following links provide a brief overview of the admission requirements for the M.S. degree:

College of Graduate & Professional Studies 

Graduate Program Application Requirements

Graduate Program Application Forms

Graduate Catalog

Graduate Assistantships

EES Departmental Requirements

CURRICULUM (starting Fall 2009)

M.S. Thesis Option

Core Courses

ENVI 571 or ENVI 552  Quaternary Paleoecology or Quaternary Environments  3 hrs

ENVI 588  Geoscience Research Methods  3 hrs

GEOL 690  Advanced Topics in Earth and Quaternary Sciences  3 hrs

GEOL 699  Thesis 6 hrs

Electives

Directed electives from the geosciences or from allied  scientific disciplines that focus on topics in environmental sciences, geochemistry, geoarchaeology, geosciences, paleoecology, paleoclimatology, geobiology, and  evolution (to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor)  18 hrs

M.S. Non-Thesis Option (applied/professional degree)

Core Courses

ENVI 571 or ENVI 552   Quaternary Paleoecology or Quaternary Environments  3 hrs

ENVI 588  Geoscience Research Methods  3 hrs

GEOL 690  Advanced Topics in Earth and Quaternary Sciences  3 hrs

GEOL 697  Research Seminar in Geology  3 hrs

Electives

Directed electives from the geosciences or from allied scientific disciplines that focus on topics in environmental sciences, geochemistry, geoarchaeology, geosciences,  paleoecology, paleoclimatology, geobiology, and evolution (to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor)  21 hrs

Culminating Experience

Present research results at a departmental seminar or regional/national conference or successfully passing the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) exam

LIST OF GEOSCIENCE COURSES

ENVI 501        Geographic Information Systems: Applications

ENVI 502        The Processing of Spatial Data for Geoscientists

ENVI 504         Automated Cartography

ENVI 505         Fundamentals of Remote Sensing

ENVI 506         Remote Sensing: Image Development and Interpretation

ENVI 507         Remote Sensing: Digital Analysis of Spectral Data

ENVI 508         Remote Sensing: Digital Analysis

ENVI 512         Advanced Cartography

ENVI 536         Environmental Archaeology

ENVI 545         Archaeological Methods

ENVI 546         Midwest Archaeology

ENVI 547         Current Issues in Archaeology

ENVI 550         Environmental Modeling and Mapping

ENVI 552         Quaternary Environments

ENVI 553         Climatology

ENVI 554         Introduction to Hydrology

ENVI 555         Groundwater Hydrology

ENVI 556         Lakes and Wetlands

ENVI 557         Environmental Geology

ENVI 558         Medical Geology

ENVI 563         Soil Genesis and Classification

ENVI 565         Fundamentals of Tree-Ring Research

ENVI 570         Paleontology and Geobiology

ENVI 571         Quaternary Paleoecology

ENVI 575         Stratigraphy and Sedimentation

ENVI 579         Global Biogeochemical Cycles

ENVI 581         Geochemistry

ENVI 582         Volcanic Processes and Hazards

ENVI 583         Mineral Resources

ENVI 584         Energy Resources

ENVI 586         Geophysics

ENVI 488         Geoscience Research Methods

ENVI 589         Field Geology

ENVI 590         Field Geography of the United States

ENVI 591         Archaeological Field School

GEOL 601        Astronomy and Meteorology for Teachers

GEOL 607        Environmental Geochemistry

GEOL 657        Advanced Geomorphology

GEOL 661        Advanced Research in Geology

GEOL 664        Regional Topics

GEOL 666        Early Life on Earth

GEOL 668        Quantitative Methods Seminar

GEOL 682        Paleoceanography

GEOL 683        Coastal Environments

GEOL 685        Sandstone Petrology

GEOL 690        Advanced Topics in Earth and Quaternary Sciences

GEOL 697        Research Seminar in Geology

GEOL 699        Master’s Thesis

GEOG 615       Advanced Climatology

GEOG 616       Soils

GEOG 665       Remote Sensing/GIS: Computer –Assisted Techniques

GEOG 667       Remote Sensing: Research Seminar in Geographical Applications

ANTH 601       Geoarchaeology Seminar