GEOSC:MS - Master of Science in Geosciences
Download as PDF
Admissions Requirements for the Master of Science (MS) in Geosciences
To be admitted into the Master’s Program in Geosciences, a student must meet the University’s graduate admission requirements and have:
(1) Have a “B” average in upper level work
(2) International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.5 overall on the IELTS is required.
(3) Submit three letters of recommendation, a one-page statement of research interests, and a copy of all transcripts to University Graduate Admissions on or before February 1 for the Fall admissions and August 1 for the Spring admissions.
(4) Receive approval of the departmental Graduate Program Committee.
Admissions Requirements for the Combined Bachelor of Science (BS) in Geosciences to MS in Geosciences Accelerated Degree Pathway
To be considered for admission to the combined bachelor’s/master’s degree pathway, students must have completed at least 75 credit hours including all lower division requirements, typically have at least 30 credit hours remaining in the program and meet the admissions criteria for the graduate degree program to which they are applying. Students need only apply once to the combined degree pathway; the application is submitted to Graduate Admissions typically before the student starts the last 30 credits of the bachelor’s degree program. Students must apply prior to the semester in which graduate credits will be counted towards the undergraduate degree program.
Admissions Requirements
(1) Current enrollment in the Bachelor of Science program in Geosciences at FIU.
(2)Completed at least 75 credits of coursework (including UCC), and typically has 30 credits remaining.
(3) Completion of all lower division required courses for the bachelors degree.
(4) Minimum GPA of 3.25.
(5) Three letters of recommendation.
(6) Approval by the Earth and Environment Graduate Committee.
This degree program offers opportunities for research in the same areas as for the Geosciences Major of the Ph.D. in Earth Systems Science (above). It emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to solving geoscientific problems, stressing the importance of field observations complemented by laboratory analysis and numerical modeling. The application and admission procedures are also the same. Teaching assistantships are not available for the M.S. in Geosciences.
The Master of Science degree is conferred upon successful completion of the requirements of either the Thesis Option or Non-Thesis Option of the degree program. Refer to the Track, Specialization, Concentration, Area of Emphasis, or Other Curricular Offering Requirements section below.
Courses in the field of specialization and electives are chosen by the student in close consultation with a faculty advisor. These courses are selected to fit the student’s particular professional goals and to ensure sufficient depth and breadth of geological knowledge.
Electives for the non-thesis option may include at most 3 credits of Supervised Research course leading to a research paper
Doctoral candidates in the Geosciences Major who have filed the D-2 and D-3 forms and accepted by the University Graduate School can receive a Master of Science in Geosciences en route to the PhD after completion of 36 credits of graduate coursework with “non-thesis option” appearing in the transcript.
Other Curricular Offering: Combined BS in Geosciences to MS in Geosciences Accelerated Degree Pathway
The combined BS/MS degree pathway in Geosciences allows qualified students to earn both the BS in Geosciences and a non-thesis MS in Geosciences in a shorter amount of time than typically required for earning degrees sequentially. The accelerated pathway is designed for highly qualified undergraduate students in the Department of Earth and Environment.
A student admitted to the combined degree pathway will be considered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor’s degree program. Only 5000-level or higher courses, and no more than the number of credits specified by the program catalog, may be applied toward both degrees.
Shared credit is limited to formal coursework, exclusive of independent study. Students may not enroll in graduate level classes until provisionally admitted to the graduate program. Students must apply for the award of their bachelor's degree the semester the degree requirements will be completed.
The bachelor's degree and master's degree cannot be awarded in the same term. No undergraduate credit may count toward the graduate degree.
General Requirements
(1) Meet the requirements of both the BS and non-thesis MS degree in Geosciences.
(2) Overlap of programs: Up to 4 courses (12 credits) may be used in satisfying both the BS and MS degree requirements, which must be at the 5000-level or higher.