The PhD degree program is designed to produce scholars capable of independent research that deepens humanity\u2019s understanding of science, as well as practitioners capable of applying their training to achieve sound and pragmatic solutions to real problems in the field. As a PhD student, you will become an expert and scholar in your field who is starting to generate an international reputation as an independent scientist who can devise and conduct creative research, mentor and teach, and contribute to the advancement of your field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s Graduate School lists the minimum eligibility requirements<\/a> including undergraduate GPA and English language proficiency. Please note that these are minimum requirements. Acceptance is on a competitive process based on the pool of applicants to the Geosciences Department.\u202fMeeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee your acceptance into our program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We do not have a required set of prior coursework for admission. However, you must be academically prepared to undertake your chosen course of study, and most students admitted to our PhD program have MS degrees in Geosciences or closely related disciplines. Their preparation includes broad training in geosciences including field training and one year each of college chemistry, physics, and calculus.\u202f A student who holds a master\u2019s degree from 51ÁÔÆæ must formally reapply for admission to the Graduate School before continuing studies toward the PhD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Please see the Application Procedures page<\/a> for further information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See 51ÁÔÆæ Graduate School doctoral requirements<\/a> including credits, residency, committee, and dissertation. More detailed explanations can be found in the Geosciences Graduate Student Handbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctoral students must earn 54 credits beyond the bachelor\u2019s degree, of which 24 credits may be taken from formal course work completed as part of the master\u2019s study. At least 18 graduate credits beyond the master\u2019s degree must be earned in formal coursework. See more details in the Academic section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Courses are selected in consultation with the student\u2019s advisor with approval from the Doctoral Committee. Students are strongly advised to take courses from each of their committee members prior to taking the doctoral preliminary examination. For full time students, coursework should be completed within 4 semesters after admission to the PhD program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Graduate School requires satisfaction of a residency requirement. This involves completing at least 8 graduate credits in 2 consecutive semesters or 6 graduate credits in 3 consecutive semesters (inclusive of summer sessions) while in full doctoral status at 51ÁÔÆæ. In addition, at least half of the graduate credits required for the PhD must be earned at 51ÁÔÆæ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A working knowledge of computer programming, statistics, numerical methods, or GIS appropriate to the student\u2019s field of study is required. Standards for this requirement will be established by the student\u2019s Doctoral Committee. Undergraduate courses taken to meet this requirement do not apply to the course requirements for the PhD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The student must have a major professor to advise and supervise the student\u2019s studies and research. Students are encouraged to contact potential research advisors prior to application and request a specific advisor(s) in their application Reasons Statement. Based on specialized research interests, the student is assigned an advisor at the time of initial enrollment. The student may request a change of advisor if another faculty member is available, willing, and able to assume that role. If this change involves a significant modification of the area of specialization or research, the student\u2019s record will be reexamined to determine whether the student\u2019s background is sufficient for the new specialty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The membership of the Doctoral Committee will be established in the student\u2019s first semester. The Committee must consist of the following: the doctoral student\u2019s advisor as chair (or co-advisors as co-chairs) and at least three additional graduate faculty members. One of these members may be graduate faculty external to 51ÁÔÆæ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The student is required to arrange a meeting with the Doctoral Committee at least once each year. An annual meeting is required regardless if the student is full or part time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advancement to dissertator status requires that students 1) submit and successfully defend a dissertation proposal and 2) pass a doctoral preliminary examination. The doctoral preliminary examination consists of a set of written exams from the Doctoral Committee and a follow-up oral examination. The structure of the written examination will be established by the student\u2019s Doctoral Committee, and the student must demonstrate knowledge in the fields of geology and related sciences as defined by the Doctoral Committee. As part of the oral examination, the student must successfully defend their dissertation proposal, which must be approved by the doctoral committee. The dissertation proposal should be in an NSF-style format and should provide an overview of and approach to the problem being addressed, a budget, and appropriate bibliographic references. For full-time students, these examinations must be passed prior to the start of the 5th<\/sup> semester and after the residency requirement is fulfilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Students are eligible to become a dissertator when they have: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Students must submit an online Application for Doctoral Dissertator Status, located in the online\u202fDoctoral Milestones System<\/a>, for this information to be verified and approved by the Graduate School and Geosciences Department. This application should be submitted before the semester begins in which dissertator status is sought. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that the Geosciences Department requires the proposal to be completed and defended prior to the student obtaining dissertator status.\u202f This is a departmental requirement beyond the minimum requirements of the Graduate School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each student is required to present the current status of their research at the Geosciences Student Research Symposium each spring.\u202f If students are unable to present at the Symposium, they may request to present as part of the Department Colloquia instead.\u202f This request should be made to the faculty member organizing Colloquia as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The candidate must present a written dissertation reporting the results of independent, original research carried out under the direction of the major professor. Prior to a defense, the dissertation must be reviewed by the entire Doctoral Committee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The student first will give a presentation of their research results in a public forum. The dissertation must then be orally defended in a closed session before the entire Doctoral Committee. The defense may include questions related to any of the dissertator\u2019s fields of study. If the dissertation is defended and the oral examination is passed to the satisfaction of a majority of the Doctoral Committee, the candidate is passed and recommended for the degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The typical timeline for completion of a PhD is 8 semesters for funded, full-time students. In all cases, all degree requirements must be completed within ten years from the date of initial enrollment in the doctoral program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information, please consult the Geosciences\u202fGraduate Student Handbook<\/a>\u202for contact the Graduate Advisor. <\/p>\n\n\n\nDoctoral Requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Courses and Credits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Residency Requirement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Quantitative Skill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Major Professor as Advisor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Doctoral Committee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dissertation Proposal and Preliminary Examination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dissertator Status<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Annual Presentation of Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dissertation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dissertation Defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Timeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n