StudyQA — Master: Geological Sciences — University of California

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The Department of Earth Sciences offers the M.S. and Ph.D. in Geological Sciences. Graduate education in the Geological Sciences is available in a range of fields such as paleoenvironmental change, modern climate change, evolutionary paleobiology, invertebrate paleontology, active tectonics, earthquake processes and geophysics, biogeochemical cycling, deep crustal and mantle processes, organic geochemistry, mineral deposits, numerical stratigraphy and fire ecology.

All students must enroll each quarter in the Graduate Seminar in Geosciences (GEO 250). Students must attend the weekly Hewett Club lecture series. Students must complete a minimum of 36 units of course work in the major and related subjects and obtain advance approval of a coherent plan of study from the graduate advisor. A maximum of 12 upper-division units beyond the requirements for the bachelor’s degree may be applied to the 36-unit requirement.Students must complete a minimum of 12 units of graduate courses, which must include at least four graduate-level instructional courses taught by four different faculty members as approved by the graduate advisor. Subject to the approval of the graduate advisor, a limited number of upper-division courses in the major and related sciences, if not required for the bachelor’s degree and not taken previously, may be accepted for graduate credit.

Thesis and Final Oral Examination Before the end of the third quarter of study and before embarking on research, the student must submit a written thesis proposal to the graduate progress committee. After approval of the proposal, the student must submit a thesis based on original work for approval by a thesis committee. A maximum of 12 units of thesis research may be counted toward the 36-unit minimum. Students present an open research seminar as a final oral examination, which is advertised to all the students and faculty in the Earth Sciences Department.

Normative Time to Degree 7 quarters

Global Climate and Environmental Change (GCEC) The GCEC MS track is a field and laboratory based multidisciplinary program focused on the evidence for and controls of past and present climate change. Candidates must complete the following:

Course Work Students must complete a minimum of 36 quarter units of graduate and upper-division undergraduate courses, and research credit from 1 and 2 (below). Other upper-division undergraduate and graduate classes outside may be substituted with consent of the Graduate Advisor. 24 of 36 credits must be graduate level. 1) Required Core courses: GEO 224 upon entry into the program, GEO 260 and BIOL 212/ENTM 212/GEO 212. 2) At least two additional disciplinary courses: GEO 221, GEO 226, GEO 239, GEO 249, GEO 251, GEO 255, GEO 264, GEO 265, GEO 268, GEO 301, OR ENSC 200, ENSC 218, ENSC 224, ENSC 225, ENSC 232.

Thesis Work Before the end of the third quarter students must nominate a faculty advisor and identify a thesis topic. Before embarking on research the student must submit a thesis proposal based on original work for approval by a thesis committee. A maximum of 8 units of research credit can be counted toward the 36 unit minimum. Students present an open research seminar as a final oral examination.

Requirements

The nonrefundable $100.00 application fee ($125.00 for M.B.A./M.P.Ac./M.Fin./Flex M.B.A. applicants only) must be paid by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or Discover) prior to submission of your application.
Applicants are required to submit an official copy of transcripts and degree certificates (in original language accompanied by certified English translations) from each academic institution attended after secondary school. These records should be sent directly from the Registrars Office of the academic institutions you have attended to the academic department to which you are applying. If this service is not available, applicants may also request official copies and send them in the institutions' original sealed and certified institution envelopes. Official records are original documents issued by the institution which bear the actual signature of the registrar in ink and the original wet ink stamp/seal of the issuing institution. The institution envelope must also bear that institution's appropriate authenticity indicator (original wet ink stamp and/or signature, etc.) from the appropriate department at that institution to consider the provided certified transcripts and degree certificates provided by the institution as official. Notarized documents are not acceptable. Credential evaluations by WES (World Education Services) or similar credential evaluation services are also not acceptable.
Statement of Purpose/Personal History Statement
Graduate programs require three (3) letters of recommendation. Applicants will be able to enter their recommenders' information directly into their electronic application. Recommenders will be notified electronically and provided instructions on how to submit a letter online. All letters of recommendation must be received electronically so they are attached to the applicants file for review.
The GRE general test is required of all applicants with the exceptions noted below. Some programs also require applicants submit scores from the Subject Test of the GRE. Consult the program to which you are applying for its requirements. Although current scores are preferred, some graduate programs will accept scores from tests taken within the last five years.
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not earned an advanced degree at an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This exam is administered by the Educational Testing Service and offered in nearly every country abroad. This exam must be taken within two years of the time you intend to enroll at UCR. The minimum acceptable scores are: 550 for the written exam; 213 for the computer-based exam, and 80 for the internet-based exam (iBT). We strongly advise you to be aware of the deadline for the program to which you are applying. Dates and information for TOEFL may be obtained by contacting the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at the address below, by calling 1-877-863-3546, or by consulting the TOEFL Web site. Fellowship applicants should take the exam in time to meet the program deadline. Keep in mind that it may take up to two weeks for test scores to reach us from ETS.
Beginning with the Fall 2011 application cycle, UCR will accept scores from the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System IELTS) which is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. The exam must be taken within two years of the time you intend to enroll at UCR. The minimum acceptable scores are: overall band score of 7 with no individual section score less than 6. Please request an official Test Report Form (TRF) of your IELTS.

Applicants will need to have completed coursework in chemistry, physics, math, biochemistry and biology, and engineering. Students without an undergraduate engineering degree should have excellent training in mathematics and the physical sciences.

Specific recommendations for students without an undergraduate engineering degree are: