Program Overview

Master of Science in Geosciences

The Master of Science in Geosciences provides an advanced degree that prepares students to work in private industry or government agencies, teach in community colleges or high schools, or continue postgraduate studies leading to a doctoral degree at another university. The graduate program also gives professional geoscientists an opportunity to update and upgrade their job skills.

Overview of the Program

The School of the Environment's faculty has expertise in geology, meteorology, oceanography, and paleoclimate – fields critical to understanding many environmental problems, such as air and water contamination, active faulting, coastal erosion, and global warming. There are no formal concentrations within the M.S. program, but most students choose to emphasize research that is aligned with the faculty area of expertise. We encourage students to work on interdisciplinary projects, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area. We also encourage students to develop linkages with other departments in the university, and with agencies and firms in the local region.

Admission to the Program

To be considered for admission to the master's program as a classified graduate student, applicants must:

• Satisfy the University admission requirements.
• Have a bachelor's degree in one of the geosciences (geology, meteorology, or oceanography) or a related discipline.
• Have a 3.0 GPA in their earned undergraduate degree or last 60 semester (90 quarter) units completed.
• Provide letters of recommendation from at least two people familiar with the applicant's previous academic work and/or professional accomplishments.
• Submit a statement of purpose. The statement should address the following questions:
  • What are your main research interests and why?
  • Which faculty member(s) are you interested in working with directly?
  • Describe your financial need
  • Describe your interest in teaching and/or your interest as working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

Financial Support

The School of the Environment is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse group of graduate students with the potential to develop into excellent scientists. We offer limited financial support in the following ways:

• The John A. and Anna Monteverdi Fellowship: Provides one year of significant support to graduate students in the School of the Environment who are specializing in atmospheric science, oceanography, or climate science and who demonstrate outstanding academic merit and financial need.
• The Professor Emerita Karen Grove and Jay Ach Fellowship Teaching fellowship: Provides two years of significant support to graduate students who demonstrate exceptional promise of achievement in the M.S. program in Geosciences.
• The Department Teaching Fellowship: Designed to support students with a strong interest in strengthening their teaching and communication skills in addition to their scientific research.

Program Requirements

Required Courses (17 units)

• ERTH 700: Graduate Seminar in Geosciences (2 units)
• ERTH 701: Research Methods in Geosciences (3 units)
• ERTH 702: Quantitative Methods in Geosciences (3 units)
• ERTH 897: Research Project (6 units)
• ERTH 898: Master's Thesis (3 units)

Elective Courses (13 units)

Upper division or graduate elective courses on advisement. At least 6 units must be courses numbered 700 or higher, and 6 units must be courses offered in the Earth & Climate Sciences Department.

Advancement to Candidacy

To be advanced to candidacy, each student must:

• Satisfy level one of the written English proficiency requirement.
• Satisfy all course deficiencies stipulated upon entrance into the master's program.
• Choose a faculty advisor and complete a research proposal that has been approved by the student's thesis committee.
• File an Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) form.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Geosciences:

1. Students can access information about previous research that is relevant to their own study, and they can organize that information and incorporate it into their writing (thesis proposal and thesis manuscript).
2. Students can formulate a research question and develop a detailed plan to address their research question.
3. Students can work independently to collect appropriate data and evaluate its quality.
4. Students can use quantitative methods to analyze research data.
5. Students can write clear, well-organized explanations of their research goals, methods, results, and implications.
6. Students can obtain entrance into a doctoral program or find employment in their field of interest.

Thesis Defense

All students must present an oral thesis defense to the Earth & Climate Sciences faculty and students.