The Department of Geological Sciences is designed to foster high-caliber student research that will lead to publishable results. The master's degree is intended to prepare students for a job in industry or for entrance into a PhD program. The doctoral degree trains students for work as government research scientists, industry research scientists or academic scientists.
Research activities in the Department of Geological Sciences are far-reaching and often interdisciplinary. A major focus of the department is earth surface processes, including biogeochemistry, geochemistry, geomicrobiology, and sedimentology. Other research areas include climate change, energy and environmental processes, environmental geosciences, experimental geology, and petrology.
The Department of Geological Sciences has research center affiliations with the Center for Integrated Watershed Studies, Materials Science Program, and is in development of projects with Basin Analysis Research Center. Through these strong research collaborations and projects graduates of the Geological Sciences programs have gained employment as geologists in federal programs such as NASA, Sandia National Lab, and US Geological Survey; and in private energy, environmental and mining companies such as Conoco-Phillips, Resource Env. Management, Inc, and SECOR International.
The Master of Science degree is a two-year program in which the student concentrates on graduate level course work during the first year and on thesis research during the second year. The majority of students in the masters program have completed a bachelors degree in the geological sciences, but students with bachelors degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics or engineering are also encouraged to apply.
Our Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Geological Sciences is intended to prepare students for a job in industry or as a stepping stone to a Ph.D. degree either at Binghamton or another university. M.S. students typically take a year of coursework followed by a year of research that culminates in a publically-defended thesis. Students are encouraged to submit their thesis in the form of a publication-ready manuscript.
All applicants must submit the following:
- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores
And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
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