Geology Ph.D.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers the Ph.D. degree in a range of specialties, listed below. Interdisciplinary research takes place with other groups, including the Darrin Fresh Water Institute and the Departments of Biology, Physics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Math and Computer Science, and Materials Science and Engineering.  Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must fulfill the requirements of the Office of Graduate Education. Evidence of success in graduate-level study and research must be shown. There is no language requirement. A dissertation based on original research is required. Ongoing research is described on the department webpage. Applicants are encouraged to discuss current research topics with individual faculty members.

• Aqueous Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry

• Astrobiology

• Carbon Cycling

• Carbon in Deep Earth

• Climate Assessment

• Earth System History and Paleoclimatology

• Ecosystem Studies

• Environmental Informatics and Geophysical Remote Sensing

• Geoinformatics

• Geomicrobiology

• Geophysical Simulation

• Inorganic and Igneous Experimental Geochemistry

• Isotopic and Organic Geochemistry

• Lithosphere Dynamics and Tectonophysics

• Metamorphic Petrology and Geochemistry

• Paleoceanography and Micropaleontology

• Seismology and Solid Earth Geophysics

Outcomes of the Graduate Program

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to demonstrate that they are:

• capable of independent research. Evidence - results of the comprehensive exam (written exam, research proposal, and oral exam) and research performance (e.g., labwork, field work, computer modelling, data interpretation).
• able to organize and write a manuscript suitable for submission to a journal for publication. Evidence – senior-authored publications; senior-authored manuscripts completed (or nearly completed) for journal submission; dissertation chapters.