The PhD program in Earth Sciences is open to individuals who have completed the MSc degree and who have outstanding academic credentials and a demonstrated ability to do original scholarly work.
A normal requirement is a background in geology or geological engineering, but other experience relevant to a candidate's research interests will be considered. Candidates will be evaluated on an individual basis. (See Graduate Studies Calendar - Admission Requirements)
Proof of competency in English is required(if applicable). A score of at least 570 minimum overall on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and 4.0 on the TWE [230 on the computerized version] is required. Other tests of English may be accepted. (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification , for other acceptable tests of English.) The PhD program in Earth Sciences is open to individuals who have completed the MSc degree and who have outstanding academic credentials and a demonstrated ability to do original scholarly work.
University regulations permit that under exceptional circumstances, outstanding students with a BSc degree, can be admitted directly into the PhD program (see Admission from the BSc Degree below) .
Students with an MSc degree will be required to complete a minimum of four one-term (0.5 unit weight) courses (or the equivalent), plus a thesis and pass a comprehensive examination.
Two of the four courses should be graduate-level courses in the Department of Earth Sciences. The other two may be in another Department, but should relate to a field chosen by the student and approved by the Committee as his Minor Specialty.
A grade of a least 70% must be obtained in all graduate level courses and 73% in any approved undergraduate level courses taken for credit towards the degree. If a lower grade is obtained, the course(s) must be repeated or other requirements met as specified by the Supervisory Committee.
In addition to completing the minimum of required courses, students are strongly encouraged to take additional courses outside of their specialty in order to broaden their perspective in science, mathematics, or engineering.
Grades from any designated extra courses will not be included in the calculation of the 70% minimum-average requirement.
If the student has taken additional courses during the MSc program, these can be credited to the PhD requirements upon recommendation by the Supervisory Committee.
Note: The student must have sufficient undergraduate credits in geology to satisfy his or her Supervisory Committee that he or she has attained an adequate background in geology to qualify for an earth sciences degree. Adequate geological background may be demonstrated by passing the GRE advanced geology test.
The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is two-fold:
- To assess the candidate's general competence in his discipline, subdiscipline, and area of specialization, at a level considered by the Examining Committee to be appropriate for the PhD degree.
- To assess the candidate's ability to complete his PhD program.
Questions may cover the entire spectrum of scientific knowledge which the candidate is expected to be familiar with and will probe his/her in-depth expertise in his/her area of specialization. In particular, the candidate will be expected to demonstrate a thorough grasp of the fundamental principles underlying his/her branch of science.
Admission from the BSc Degree to the Doctoral Program
Degree Requirements
In exceptional cases where a student demonstrates academic excellence including: research potential, scientific maturity and good writing skills, they may be allowed, at the discretion of the graduate committee, to proceed directly to the PhD degree from the BSc, without the completion of the MSc.
Further details of this program are available through the Earth Sciences Graduate Office (see Contact Information .)