Master of Science in Geology

Admissions | Courses │ Financial Support

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

The degrees are conferred through the Indiana University system, and entering students must meet the minimum admission requirements of the Graduate School of Indiana University and departmental requirements.

Program Requirements

Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Both options require at least 18 credit hours of non-research course work in geology and at least 3 credit hours in courses approved for graduate credit from allied sciences, mathematics, or the environmental program of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Up to 6 credit hours of 400-level courses approved for graduate credit may be counted toward the degree with the approval of the graduate advisor. The thesis option requires the completion of 30 credit hours, 6 of which are taken as GEOL-G810 Research (the thesis). The non-thesis option requires the completion of 36 credit hours, 3 of which consist of a research project taken as GEOL-G700 Geologic Problems. The departmental graduate committee must approve elective credits outside of the Department of Earth Sciences for both options.

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 six years of beginning the study program.  Students must maintain a B (3.0) average or higher, and no grade below C is acceptable.