A&S—Geology and Planetary Science
The department offers programs that lead to the MS or PhD in geology and planetary science and an MS in geographical information systems. The principal objective of the graduate programs is to provide a broad and strong foundation upon which students may base careers. The PhD program is designed to educate scientists for basic or applied research and teaching. Graduate research may involve specialization in geology, geochemistry, geophysics, planetary science, and environmental science. Contact Information
- Department Chair: Thomas Anderson
- Main Office: 200 Space Research and Coordination Center
- 412-624-8780
- Fax: 412-624-3914
- E-mail: geology@pitt.edu
- www.geology.pitt.edu, http://pro-ms.geology.pitt.edu
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Research and Facilities
Please visit www.geology.pitt.edu to find out more about research and analytical facilities available in the Department of Geology and Planetary
Science
Prospective graduate students must meet School of Arts and Sciences
requirements for entrance into graduate programs.
Financial assistance for graduate students is provided in the form of teaching and research appointments, fellowships, tuition scholarships, and loans.
Requirements for the Master’s Degree in Geology and Planetary Sciences
The minimum course requirement for the M.S. degree is thirty (30) credits beyond the baccalaureate. A minimum of eighteen (18) credits must be from formal courses. At least twelve (12) of these credits must be numbered 2000 or higher and must be taken within the Department of Geology and Planetary Science. An initial evaluation, designed to explore the student's basic knowledge of the geological sciences and related fields, is required of all M.S. degree candidates during their first term of residence. Each M.S. candidate prepares a thesis demonstrating successful completion of the research project as well as competency in the methods and techniques of scientific investigation in the field of her/his area of specialization. The thesis should serve as a source of publishable material, and all M.S. students must present research results at a meeting of a national or international scientific organization. Each M.S. student publicly defends her/his thesis before a Thesis Committee consisting of at least three faculty members from the Department of Geology and Planetary Science. Complete descriptions of the most recent degree requirements are available at www.geology.pitt.edu.
The Professional MS degree in Geographical Information Systems/Remote Sensing requires completion of 41 credits. A complete description of courses and requirements is available at www.geology.pitt.edu. A thesis is not required for this degree. Students in the program are not eligible for financial assistance from the department.
Requirements for the PhD
The minimum course requirement for the Ph.D. degree is seventy-two (72) credits. A minimum of thirty-six (36) credits must be from formal courses and at least eighteen (18) of the credits must be taken within the Department of Geology and Planetary Science. Up to twenty-four (24) credits may be accepted from a Master of Science degree or graduate study toward the Ph.D. from another institution. An initial evaluation, designed to explore the student's basic knowledge of the geological sciences and related fields, is required of all Ph.D. degree candidates during their first term of residence.
A graduate student seeking the Ph.D. degree must complete a Comprehensive Examination administered by the student’s major advisor and at least three other department faculty members in order to demonstrate sufficient mastery of the field of interest and the ability to conduct dissertation-level research. The Comprehensive Examination, generally taken within the first two years of residence, consists of both written and oral components. Following successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, each Ph.D. student must prepare a written dissertation proposal for presentation to the Dissertation Committee (consisting of at least four department members and one outside member) at a formal Dissertation Overview meeting. During this meeting, the Dissertation Committee will critique the research plan and proposed methodology and approve or reject the dissertation topic.
Each Ph.D. candidate must prepare a dissertation demonstrating successful completion of the research project as well as competency in the methods and techniques of scientific investigation in the field of her/his area of specialization. Each student must also submit at least one manuscript to a peer-review journal prior to graduation and present research results at both a departmental colloquium and at a meeting of a national or international scientific organization. The candidate must formally defend her/his submitted dissertation in a public meeting before the full Dissertation Committee. Complete descriptions of the most recent degree requirements are available at www.geology.pitt.edu.
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