UNH Graduate School - Earth Sciences

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Application Deadlines

Fall:
January 15th for financial assistance
July 1st
(April 1st recommended)

Spring:
December 1st

Summer:
Not open for admissions

Application Requirements

Test Scores: GRE

Special Instructions: None

New England Regional:
M.S. Oceanography:
Vermont
Hydrology: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont

Earth Sciences

James Hall
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862 - 1718
Email:
Web Address: http://www.unh.edu/esci/

Degree Offered (MS):

The Department of Earth Sciences offers the master of science in Earth sciences with options in geology, oceanography, ocean mapping, and a specialization in geochemical systems. The department also offers the master of science degree in hydrology. Graduate students in the department may conduct research through the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.

In the geology option, emphasis may be placed on petrology, mineralogy, structural geology, tectonics, geophysics, sedimentation, glacial geology, paleoclimates, glaciology, hydrogeology, stratigraphy, paleontology, low- or high-temperature geochemistry, and isotope geochemistry.
Concentration in the oceanography option may be placed on chemical, geological, or physical oceanography. Although the broad scope of oceanography will be presented, the program emphasizes estuarine, coastal, continental margin processes and environments, and midocean ridges.

The ocean mapping option is intended for students with an interest in hydrography and hydrographic survey technology.

The geochemical systems specialization is intended for students with an interest in all aspects of geochemistry: bedrock, sediment, water, ice, and air with particular emphasis on interpreting and modeling the interaction of these media, biogeochemistry, air quality, and climate change.

The hydrology degree is intended for students with an interest in fluvial processes, global-scale hydrology, groundwater hydrology, hydroclimatology, surface-water hydrology, water quality, and quantitative hydrology.

Note: The Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Science is offered as part of the interdisciplinary and inter-college Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) program. All earth sciences emphases available in the Department of Earth Sciences Masters Program (see above) are also available in the NRESS Ph.D. program. Please see the program information under the NRESS program for further details.

Admission Requirements

An applicant to the M.S. program is expected to have completed one year of calculus and at least four semesters of college chemistry, physics, and/or biology; and to have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in geology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, or the biological sciences. Applicants must submit current scores (within five years) from the general test of the GRE. Students lacking some background in a particular area may be admitted provided they are prepared to complete courses, without graduate credit, in which they may be deficient. The program of study a student wishes to follow and the student’s undergraduate major determine the level of preparation necessary. The preparation of each student is determined before the beginning of the first semester in residence in order to plan the course of study. Each entering student is assigned an academic adviser to assist in planning a program of study.

Degree Requirements

Students in the M.S. programs are required to complete the core curriculum for their respective areas. Students in the thesis option must satisfactorily complete 30 credits, which include the credits accumulated in the core curriculum. Students in this option must complete a master’s thesis (6 credits) and give an oral presentation of the results.
Students in the nonthesis option must satisfactorily complete 34 credits, which includes the core curriculum, a 2-credit directed research project, and a written and oral presentation of that research.

Geology
The core curriculum for the option in geology normally includes at least three courses from 825, Igneous Petrology; 826, Metamorphic Petrology; 832, Regional Geology and Advanced Structure; 834, Applied Geophysics; 841, Geochemistry; 845, Isotope Geochemistry; 854, Sedimentology; 859, Geological Oceanography; and 862, Glacial Geology. Students are also required to take 997, Seminar in Earth Sciences (1 cr. first year), and 998, Proposal Development (1 cr. first year).

Oceanography
The core curriculum for the option in oceanography normally includes 852, Chemical Oceanography, 3 or 4 cr.; 858, Introductory Physical Oceanography; 859, Geological Oceanography; 997, Seminar in Earth Sciences (1 cr. first year); and 998, Proposal Development (1 cr. first year).

Ocean Mapping
The core curriculum for the option in ocean mapping normally includes 858, Introductory Physical Oceanography; 859, Geological Oceanography; OE 810, Ocean Measurements Laboratory; 870, Introductory Hydrography; 871, Geodesy and Positioning for Ocean Mapping; 972, Hydrographic Field Course; 997, Seminar in Earth Sciences (1 cr. first year); and 998, Proposal Development (1 cr. first year).

Geochemical Systems
The core curriculum for the specialization in geochemical systems normally includes three courses from 841, Geochemistry; 846, Analytical Geochemistry; 847, Aqueous Geochemistry; 852, Chemical Oceanography; 864, Data Analysis in Earth System Science; EOS 813, Biogeochemical Dynamics; ESCI/EOS 815, Global Atmospheric Chemistry; ESCI/EOS 816, Atmospheric Aerosol and Precipitation Chemistry; 997, Seminar in Earth Sciences (1 cr. first year); and 998, Proposal Development (1 cr. first year).

Hydrology
The core curriculum for the major in hydrology normally includes 805, Principles of Hydrology; 810, Groundwater Hydrology; 997, Seminar in Earth Sciences (1 cr. first year); and 998, Proposal Development (1 cr. first year).

In each of the options listed above, additional electives are to be selected from 800- and 900-level courses in the department and/or from courses numbered 700 and above in related disciplines outside of the department. More detailed information is available from the department.