Master of Science in Geology and Geophysics

Fast-Track Master of Science in Geophysics

PhD in Geology and Geophysics

Academic Program and Research Opportunities

 Research is an essential component of the Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in Geology and Geophysics. Research experience provides you with the opportunity to significantly expand your knowledge and skill base in a variety of learning environments (lab, field, computer applications) and compliments well your graduate course work. By managing all phases of your project -from the collection and interpretation of data,using cutting edge technologies, to the presentation of your findings at scientific meetings, and publishing in national and international scientific journals over the course of your degree program you will mature into an independent thinking scientist - a clear advantage for success in any career you choose to pursue.

The Geology & Geophysics program is housed in the V.H. McNutt Hall on the campus of the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Construction was finished, and McNutt Hall was opened in the fall of 1988. The cost of the 145,000 square foot facility was nearly $20 million, and includes some of the best laboratories in ore microscopy, petroleum geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and paleontologyin the country. Because the Geology and Geophysics program is among the smaller programs at Missouri S&T, the professor to student ratio is very high, thereby increasing the individual attention our students receive.

As a graduate student in the Geology and Geophysics program you will conduct research with one or more faculty on a wide range of potential topics all over the globe and sometimes beyond! Our interests lie in these four thrust areas: a) low temperature and environmental geochemistry; b) geophysics/tectonics/remote sensing; c) sedimentology/paleontology/petroleum exploration; and d) mineralogy/petrology/economic geology.

Your research efforts will be supported by state-of-the-art facilities (see highlights below). In addition, the presence of the Environmental and Emerging Contaminants Research Center,Graduate Center forMaterials Research, the Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center, and the Mining, Geological, Petroleum, Ceramics, and Metallurgical Engineering programs, considerably expand our capabilities through cooperative projects and the sharing of equipment.

We encourage students with a strong interest in advancing their education to apply for admission to our graduate program - this includes students with undergraduate degrees in Mathematics, Engineering, and scientific fields other than the geological sciences (e.g., Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). We willwork with you to design the best possible graduate program for your career goals.

Facilities -" Highlights

• Inductively coupled Plasma/Mass Spectrometer (ICP/MS) with auto-sampler
• ICP/Optical Emission (OES), ultrasonic nebulizer, and auto-sampler
• Newwave-Merchantek 213 nm laser ablation system
• Sun dual processor server with 8 GB of RAM, Sun workstation with dual processors and 6 TB of hard disk space
• 3-D Seismic Interpretation, Remote Sensing, and GIS Labs

-¢         Well-equipped Paleontology, Sedimentation-Stratigraphy, Structural Geology, Petrology, and Mineralogy Labs

Financial Support

The Geology and Geophysics program is supported by the Josephine Husbands Radcliffe Trust, which provides two-year and three-year support for MS. and PhD students, respectively. This award is competitive and its renewal is based on each student's satisfactory progress toward his/her degree. In addition, graduate students are funded on research grants by individual faculty. Several of our students have received grants from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists (AASP), Geological Society of America (GSA), Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), and the National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists.

Professional Societies

• The C. L. Dake Geological Society

• American Association of Petroleum Geologists Student Chapter

• The Society of Exploration Geophysicists Student Chapter

• The MSM Spelunkers Club

Admissions Requirements

To expedite the processing of your application, you should forward to the Admissions Office, 102 Parker Hall the following information (or send the information online):

1) Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) including the advanced. A total score of 1100 for the quantitative and analytical portions of the GRE is a requirement.

2) A transcript of your grades (and a description of courses currently being taken) at all previously attended colleges and universities. An undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or better is generally required for graduate study in Geology & Geophysics at Missouri S&T although we will consider applicants with lower grades for "special graduate student" status.

3) Three letters of recommendation.

4) The test scores of the Test of English for a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if English is not your native language. A grade of 550 or higher is an admission requirement. A recent requirement of the Missouri University of Science and Technology is the Test of Spoken English (TSE). The acceptable scores on this are: Comprehensibility- greater than 200 out of 300; Pronunciation- greater than two out of three. This is for applicants who desire to become teaching assistants, however, it is not a requirement for admission.