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Earth Sciences (Graduate)

The Earth Sciences graduate program at Montana State University offers students the opportunity to further their academic research within the fields of physical geography, human geography, and geology in the northern Rocky Mountain field laboratory, which includes the Greater Yellowstone geo-ecosystem.

Earth Sciences Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Candidates within the Earth Sciences graduate program are encouraged to dive into independent thesis research across a variety of specializations within the fields of geography and geology. Faculty and advisor expertise spans many subfields of the discipline, including:

• Settlement geography
• Bioclimatology
• GIS
• Planning
• Snow science
• Volcanology
• Paleobiology
• Dinosaur taphonomy
• Stratigraphy
• Geomorphology Recent M.S. and Ph.D. students have produced groundbreaking research and have expanded our knowledge of issues from GIS-based assessment of landslide hazards to exotic species assessment in Grand Teton National Park.

Research Opportunities

As of 2020, Montana State University has become the newest member of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, a unique consortium of eight other universities and agencies dedicated to increasing scientific understanding about the supervolcano at the center of the nations first natural park. Montana State students make Montana, including nearby Yellowstone National Park, their classroom, laboratory, and playground. The university is also an expert in cold science, with faculty in earth sciences, civil engineering, and other fields collaborating to uncover the mysteries of extreme environments from the Montana backcountry to Antarctica.

Rankings and Classification

The prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education ranks Montana State University among the Top 5 public, 4-year universities for Very High Research Activity with a STEM-dominant research doctoral program.

Fund Your Education

The Graduate School at Montana State is dedicated to helping students secure funding during their time at MSU. Some resources the Department of Earth Sciences and the Graduate School offer include:

• Graduate awards connected to the Department of Earth Sciences
• Internal Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
• External Fellowship and Funding Opportunities

Facilities

Earth Sciences graduate students have access to the following laboratories and affiliated facilities:

• Earth Surface Processes Lab
• Geomicrobiology Lab
• Geological Analogs & Information Archive (GAIA)
• Paleoecology Lab
• Paleontology Lab
• Snow & Avalanche Lab
• Image & Chemical Analysis Lab (ICAL)
• Museum of the Rockies
• Spatial Sciences Center (formerly known as GIAC)
• Subzero Science & Engineering Research Facility

Careers after Graduation

Graduate alumni in Earth Sciences embark on a wide range of careers within 10 years of their graduation. Nearly 42% are working in academia, 24% in government, and about 20.4% for for-profit. Top industry employers include Montana State University and USDA. Across all career paths, the estimated salary of alumni within 10 years of graduation ranges from $50,000 to $150,000 with an average of $90,000.

Admissions Requirements

Each program within the Graduate School at Montana State has its own particular requirements for admission, and the Earth Sciences program is no different. To ensure that you start your application on the right foot, please review the admissions requirements for the Earth Sciences program. Note that no GRE is required.