The Master of Science Degrees are designed to give students a solid background in geology, skills that can be applied in geology-related industry or teaching, experience in research, and in most cases, experience in teaching.
The standard masters degree requires completion of a thesis and is designed for students who will pursue geological careers in research or industry, or who plan to continue graduate study toward a PhD. Most oil companies, for example, prefer to hire students who have completed a thesis, because of the valuable experience that students gain by doing thesis research. This option is designed to be completed in about two years, though students who enter the program with a sparse background in geology may need additional time.
Milestones for Standard Master of Science option
| Milestone | Normal Progress | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Select research advisor | End of 1st semester | End of 2nd semester |
| Complete background coursework | End of 3rd semester | End of 4th semester |
| Thesis Colloquium | 4th semester | 6th semester |
| Thesis Completion | 4th semester | 6th semester |
Most full semester courses count as 4 hours for grad students. 4 hours of credit is roughly equivalent to 10 hours of work per week.
Another, less common, option is our Applied Geology Masters degree, which does not require a thesis.