College of Arts and Sciences

Departmental E-mail: geograd [at] indiana [dot] edu

Departmental URL: geology.indiana.edu

(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)

Curriculum

Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

Degrees Offered

Master of Science in Geological Sciences, Master of Science in Geological Sciences-Atmospheric Sciences; Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences, and in Geological Sciences-Atmospheric Sciences.

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Admission Requirements

An undergraduate degree in the physical or natural sciences. It is expected that students will have an undergraduate background that includes course work in allied sciences/mathematics, equivalent to one year of chemistry and physics or biology, mathematics through differential and integral calculus, plus at least 6 credit hours of higher-level courses. Where appropriate, a substantive foundation course in field geology or comparable independent field experience is also expected. Students with degrees in engineering or other related fields are also encouraged to apply. The general Graduate Record Examination is required.

Master of Science Degree

Course Requirements

Geological Sciences: A minimum of 30 credit hours. At least 22 of the 30 hours must be graduate-level courses or one of the 400-level courses listed below from the Department of Geological Sciences that are approved for graduate credit. Twelve of the 22 hours must be from the Department of Geological Sciences and must include at least 9 hours at the 500 level or above. A subset of 300 and above undergraduate courses in allied sciences is acceptable. Electives include but are not limited to: Mathematics, M301, M312, M343, M344, M365, M415; Physics, P331, P332, P340, P400. Additional courses from other science departments can be substituted with written permission from the Director of Graduate Studies. A minimum of 3 credits of G810 (Research) is required.

Geological Sciences-Atmospheric Sciences: Requirements are identical with one exception. At least 9 of the 12 required credits from Geological Sciences must be from the list of courses below defined as related to the Atmospheric Sciences track.

Dual Master's in Geological Sciences (M.S.) and in Environmental Sciences (M.S.E.S.)

Students must apply to and be accepted by both the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and by the Department of Geological Sciences. A total of 51 credit hours is required with a minimum of 21 credit hours in each of the degree programs. For specific program requirements, see the Director of Graduate Studies of Geological Sciences and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Graduate Programs Bulletin

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Course Requirements

Geological Sciences: A total of 90 credit hours, including dissertation and 35 credit hours of course work approved for graduate credit. A minimum of 12 credit hours must be graduate courses taken from the Department of Geological Sciences. The subset of allied science courses listed in the M.S. degree requirement applies to the Ph.D. Up to 30 credit hours of graduate classes may be transferred from other institutions. 

Geological Sciences-Atmospheric Sciences: Requirements are identical with one exception. At least 9 of the 12 required credits from Geological Sciences must be from the list of courses below defined as related to the Atmospheric Sciences track.

Courses Approved for Geological Sciences-Atmospheric Sciences Track

G534 Dynamic Meteorology, G540 Physical Meteorology, Climate and Paleoclimate, G537 Synoptic Meteorology and Climatology, G538 Air Pollution Meteorology, G564 Dynamic Meteorology: Boundary-Layer Meteorology, G570 Micrometeorology, G576 Climate Change Science, G582 Computational Methods in Geology. These courses are currently listed under the Department of Geography but are in the process of being transferred to Geological Sciences.

Minor

An outside minor within a related field (including chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, statistics, computational science, environmental sciences) or an internal minor within the Department of Geological Sciences comprising a minimum of 6 credit hours of course work approved by their advisory committee in an area of geological sciences (e.g. geochemistry, geophysics, paleontology, atmospheric sciences) distinct from their major area. Courses taken for the minor may count toward the requirement of 35 credit hours of graduate course work.

Ph.D. Minor in Geological Sciences

Students from other programs who wish to obtain a minor in geological sciences must complete at least 6 credit hours of graduate coursework in geological sciences, with an average of B (3.0) or above, determined in consultation with their minor advisor.

Early Review

Written study plan that is reviewed and followed by an oral exam.

Qualifying Examination

Written and oral examination of research proposal.

Final Examination

Oral defense of the dissertation.