WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY

Master of Science in Geology

The Master of Science in Geology is designed to prepare the student for professional work in geology and for further graduate study.

Admission Requirements
Undergraduate major in geology. Consideration of other preparation will be handled on an individual basis.

Program Requirements

1. Thirty semester hours (excluding deficiencies) of graduate credit in Geosciences and related areas (in other sciences and mathematics), with at least twenty-one hours in Geosciences. Up to nine hours in related areas may be chosen with consent of the graduate advisor. Areas of specalization in the Geosciences Department include Sedimentary Geology-Paleontology, Structural Geology, Petrology-Minerology, Environmental and Surficial Geology, Hydrogeology, Geophysics, and Stable Isotope Geochemistry.

2. All students are expected to attend Departmental seminars and are required to give one presentation in residence. Students may enroll for credit in GEOS 600 for seminar.

3. A copy of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score must be supplied to the department before the end of the first semester in residence.

4. Satisfactory completion of GEOS 700, Master's Thesis (6 hrs.)

5. Successful completion of an approved rock-oriented field course if not completed in the student's undergraduate program.

6. Pass an oral thesis defense examination. In the case of failure, one retake is possible.