Graduate Degree - Environmental Geosciences - Master of Science

Program:
Environmental Geosciences - Master of Science
Program Code:
3928 Environmental Geosciences
Program Level:
Graduate
Award Type:
Master of Science
Start Term:
FS94
College:
College of Natural Science
Relevant Excerpt(s) from Academic Programs:
Department:
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Relevant Excerpt(s) from Academic Programs:


Excerpt from the official Academic Programs Catalog:

Listed below are the approved requirements for the program from the official Academic Programs Catalog.
Students must consult their advisors to learn which specific requirements apply to their degree programs.
Requirements as represented in Degree Navigator are not available for this program.

College of Natural Science

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Graduate Study
Environmental Geosciences - Master of Science

The Master of Science degree program in environmental geosciences is available under either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). 

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Natural Science, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

When applying for admission to the program, an applicant must specify either Plan A or Plan B.

Academic record, letters of recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores are considered in admission decisions.

For regular admission to the master's degree program in environmental geosciences under Plan A, the student must have:

  1. A bachelor's degree in a physical or biological science or in engineering from a recognized educational institution.
  2. Completed the courses in physics, chemistry, and mathematics that are required for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in geological sciences at Michigan State University, or equivalent courses.
  3. At least 12 credits in geological sciences courses.
  4. A grade–point average of at least 3.00.
  5. Satisfactory scores on the GRE General Test.

Provisional admission may be granted to an applicant who has not completed the course work referenced in items 2. and 3. above.  Deficiencies must be removed by completing collateral courses. 

For regular admission to the master's degree program in environmental geosciences under Plan B, the student must have:

  1. Completed a Master of Science degree in the geosciences for which a thesis was required.
  2. A grade–point average of at least 3.00.
  3. Satisfactory scores on the GRE General Test.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Environmental Geosciences

A total of 30 credits is required for the degree under either Plan A or Plan B.  The student's program of study must be approved by the student's guidance committee.  The student must meet the requirements specified below:

Requirements for Both Plan A and Plan B

               
1. Tier I requirements (10 to 12 credits):  
  a. General Component.  The following course (1 credit):  
    GLG 423 Environmental Geosciences 1
  b. Soil Component.  One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):  
    CSS 455 Pollutants in the Soil Environment 3
    CSS 825 Clay Mineralogy and Soils Genesis 4
    CSS 855 Interfacial Environmental Chemistry 4
  c. Chemical Component.  One of the following courses (3 credits):  
    GLG 421 Environmental Geochemistry 3
    GLG 821 Aqueous Geochemistry 3
    GLG 823 Isotope Geochemistry 3
  d. Hydrogeology Component.   One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):  
    CE 421 Engineering Hydrology 3
    CE 821 Groundwater Hydraulics 3
    GLG 411 Hydrogeology 4
2. Tier II requirement.  One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):  
  GEO 408 Soil Geomorphology Field Study 4
  GLG 412 Glacial and Quaternary Geology 3
  GLG 422 Organic Geochemistry 3
  GLG 471 Applied Geophysics 4
  GLG 481 Reservoirs and Aquifers 4
  GLG 822 Analytical Applications for Biogeochemical Research 3
  GLG 863 Mineral–Water Interactions 4
  With the approval of the guidance committee, a student may substitute a course listed in the Tier I requirements for one of the courses listed above.  

A student who completed any course listed in the Tier I requirements or in the Tier II requirement prior to enrollment in the program must substitute another course approved by the student's guidance committee.

A  given course may be used to satisfy either the Tier I requirements or the Tier II requirement, but not both of those requirements.

Additional Requirements for Plan A

  1. Tier III requirement:
    Seven to 13 credits in courses approved by the student's guidance committee.
  2. Tier IV requirement:
    Four to 7 credits in GLG 899 Master's Thesis Research.  The research area may focus on any topic that may have applications to solving problems related to the environment.  The student must include in the thesis proposal a paragraph that addresses the environmental applications of the thesis topic selected.

Additional Requirements for Plan B

  1. Tier III requirement:
    Thirteen to 16 credits in courses approved by the student's guidance committee.
  2. Tier IV requirement:
    One credit of GLG 898  Special Problems in Environmental Geosciences.  The student must complete a research paper or project while enrolled in Geological Sciences 898.  The topic of the paper or project must be mutually agreed upon by the student and the student's academic advisor.