Departments & Programs
Department of Earth Sciences
Graduate Programs
Master of Science in Geology
The Department of Earth Sciences graduate program leads to a Master of Science degree from Indiana University. The program is administered by a departmental graduate advisory committee, composed of the graduate advisor and two or more members of the graduate faculty.
Admission Requirements
Prospective students should have a bachelor’s degree in geology, including a summer field course, and a minimum of a B (3.0) grade point average. One year of chemistry and mathematics through college algebra and trigonometry are required. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in another area of science are also encouraged to apply; the departmental graduate advisory committee will prescribe a plan of study to remove deficiencies. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is not required but scores may be submitted. Each student must submit three letters of recommendation.
Financial Aid
Admitted students may be appointed as research assistants or as teaching assistants in introductory geology courses. Several such assistantships are available each year. Assistantships include remission of tuition and fees.
Degree Requirements
Both thesis and non-thesis MSc degree options are available. The thesis option requires 30 credit hours of total course work. Of the 30 credit hours, 21 to 24 are comprised of non-research course work and 6 to 9 are comprised of G810 Research credits. 1 credit of colloquium is required. At least 6, but no more than 9 credits of G810 Research credits shall be counted toward the 30 total credit hours for the MSc thesis option, although more may be taken. Of the non-research course work, 15 to 21 credit hours shall be completed within the department. At least 3 credit hours, and up to 6, of non-research course work approved at the graduate level must be taken outside of the department from allied disciplines with the approval of the graduate advisor. Up to 6 credit hours of 400-level courses approved for graduate credit may be counted toward the 15 to 24 credit hours of non-research course work with the approval of the graduate advisor. Up to 6 credit hours of G700 credits may be counted toward the non-research course work requirements. The non-thesis option requires a total of 36 credit hours, none of which are to be taken as G810 Research. Of the 36 credit hours, 24 to 33 are to be completed within the department. 3 to 6 of the in-department course work credit hours must be completed as G700 Geologic Problems. At least 3, and up to 12, credit hours of non-research courses approved at the graduate level must be taken outside of the department from allied disciplines with the approval of the graduate advisor. The departmental graduate committee must approve elective credits outside the Department of Earth Sciences for both the thesis and non-thesis options.
MSc Degree Option |
In Department Credit Hours |
Outside of Department Credit Hours |
G810 Research Credit Hours |
G700 Geologic Problems Credit Hours |
Total Credit Hours |
Thesis |
15-21 |
3-6 |
6-9 |
0-6 |
30 |
Non-Thesis |
24-33 |
3-12 |
0 |
3-6 |
36 |
Admitted students will be assigned a three-person advisory committee at the beginning of the first year of graduate study. The committee will prescribe a study program based on the interests of the student and the principal graduate advisor. Students must complete all degree requirements within five years of beginning the study program. Students must maintain a B (3.0) average or higher, and no grade below C is acceptable.
Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Geology
Program Structure and Admission
The B.S./M.S. program blends the undergraduate BS program with the MS program in Geology, leading to a joint award of B.S. and M.S. degrees upon completion of the M.S. thesis. The departmental graduate advisory committee administers the B.S./M.S. program in cooperation with the undergraduate advisor.
Prospective students should have advanced standing in the undergraduate program. Students will apply to the Earth Sciences graduate program in early spring of the junior year under consultation of the undergraduate advisor. Students should submit three letters of recommendation. Application requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 and will be considered by the departmental graduate committee.
Upon acceptance into the program, the student will prepare an M.S. research and course plan in consultation with a B.S./M.S. academic advisor, or will elect to complete a non-thesis (coursework) M.S. degree. Research reading and data collection begins in the summer prior to the senior year of undergraduate study, and will be completed in the following summer. The fifth year of study is devoted to graduate course work and completion of the M.S. thesis research, or M.S. non-thesis coursework.
Degree Requirements
The proposed curriculum includes the core undergraduate courses that are currently required for the B.S. in Geology, and all the graduate courses that are currently required for the M.S. in Geology. The total credit hours for this integrated degree program will be 138 credit hours for a thesis M.S., and 147 credit hours for a non-thesis M.S. For reference, the B.S. Geology degree requires 120 hours, and the M.S. Geology degree requires 30 hours for a thesis M.S., and 36 hours for a non-thesis M.S. The integrated program utilizes overlap credits, reducing the number of required credit hours by 12 hours for students pursuing a thesis M.S., and by 9 hours for students pursuing a non-thesis (coursework) M.S.
- For thesis M.S.: GEOL-G700 Geologic Problems (3 cr.), is taken in the Summer after the senior year, to develop a research project for the M.S. degree.
- For non-thesis M.S.: GEOL-G690 Advanced Geology Seminar (3 cr.), is taken with a faculty member in the Earth Sciences department to explore a research focus.
- Two 400-level or higher GEOL-G courses (6 cr.) satisfy both the B.S. Geology major course requirements, and 6 credits of the M.S. Geology graduate coursework requirements.
- For a thesis M.S., two 500-level or higher GEOL-G courses (6 cr.) satisfy both the B.S. Geology major concentration requirements, and M.S. Geology graduate coursework requirements.
- For a non-thesis M.S., one 500-level or higher GEOL-G course (3 cr.) satisfies both the B.S. Geology major concentration requirements, and M.S. Geology graduate coursework requirements.
Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Earth Sciences
The Ph.D. program prepares students for academic positions or research and leadership positions in local, state, national, or private environmental organizations. The goal of the program is to prepare future researchers and leaders who assess complex environmental systems and assist in providing sound options and solutions for optimizing human-environment interactions.
Admission Requirements
Prospective students should have a B.S. or M.S. degree in the physical, biological, or health sciences, and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is expected. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is required. Individuals for whom English is a second language must demonstrate proficiency in English. Scores from the TOEFL exam should be submitted with the application for admission. Each student must submit three letters of recommendation.
Degree Requirements
Upon admittance to the program, students are assigned a preliminary advisory committee from among program faculty. Students identify an appropriate sub-discipline after their first year, and the preliminary advisory committee is reconstituted into a research committee (5 members) to suit the research goals of the student. The research committee includes at least three faculty members from the department of Earth Sciences and the minor advisor (who must be outside the department of Earth Sciences). In order to maintain proper balance in the expertise represented in the research committee, the graduate advisor can petition the Graduate Affairs committee to replace one Earth Sciences faculty with an external member. If not an IU-affiliated faculty, that external member must be approved by the University Graduate School. The research advisory committee ensures successful progress in later coursework, coordinates oral qualifying exams, and advises students in their progress to degree completion as appropriate. Students will complete four or five core graduate courses in applied earth science topical areas, based on their prior academic background. After completing the core courses, students identify a specialization area and enroll in at least 18 credit hours of additional courses in support of that specialization, with consultation of the research advisory committee. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the diverse academic background of admitted students, all students are required to take the common core class, "Applied Earth Sciences: The Human Dimension". The advisory committee may recommend one more fundamental earth sciences course to address deficiencies. All Ph.D. students must also complete a minor which is composed of 12 to 15 credit hours of coursework in a related area. The minor is chosen in consultation with the research committee. Students must complete all degree requirements within six years of beginning the study program, and must maintain a B (3.0) average.
