Master of Science in Geoscience
Requirements

Thirty-two (32) semester hours (credits) are required, but additional hours may be required to compensate for any deficiencies in the applicant's undergraduate record (see below).

Degree candidates employed in the field of education may use the six semester hours of free electives for graduate courses in the area of professional education.

I. Required Core Courses (10 semester hours)

GEOS 525, Environmental Geoscience, 3
GEOS 560, Advanced Marine Geology, 3
GEOS 578, Igneous and Metamorphic Geology, 4

II. Geoscience Electives (9-18 semester hours)

Choose any combination of courses below. All courses in Geoscience (GEOS) at 500 level or above (except GEOS 502 Dynamic Earth)

PHMS 581, Coastal Geomorphology, 4
PHMS 598, Special Problems in the Marine Sciences, 1-4
Maximum of two of the following 400 level courses:

GEOS 450, Principles of Soil Science, 3
GEOS 452, Geohydrology, 3
GEOS 454, Environmental Geochemistry , 3
GEOS 470, Geographic Information Systems , 3
ENVR 410, Environmental Law, 3
ENVR 455, Fundamentals of Remote Sensing of Environment, 3

III. Approved Electives (0-6 semester hours)

Graduate level classes in the sciences, mathematics, or other approved courses.
(all courses in this category subject to approval by graduate coordinator)

IV. Research: One of the two options below (4-7 semester hours)

A. Thesis Option
GEOS 594, Research in Geoscience Literature,1
GEOS 698, Master's Thesis, 6

Thesis Process: All graduate students who choose the thesis option will be required to do the following:
(1) submit a written thesis proposal approved by the thesis committee,
(2) pass an oral defense of the final thesis project,
(3) submit a written thesis approved by the thesis committee.

B. Non-Thesis Research Option
GEOS 590, Research Seminar, 3
GEOS 594, Research in Geoscience Literature, 1

Written Comprehensive Examination: All graduate students who choose the non-thesis option will be required to take the written Comprehensive Examination in Geoscience.

Total Credits: 32

Special Prerequistes for students with Bachelor's degree outside of Geoscience:

1. Basic Math & Science Requirements (if necessary):
   CHEM 120 and 121, General Chemistry I and II, 4-8
   PHYS 193 and 194, College Physics I and II, 4-8
   MATH 116, Calculus A, 4
   
2. Introductory Geology Requirement (if necessary):
   GEOS 502, The Dynamic Earth, 4
   
   
3. Geoscience Major Undergraduate Courses (required):
   GEOS 434, Stratigraphy, 4
   GEOS 443, Mineralogy, 4
   GEOS 444, Petrology, 4
   GEOS 472, Structural Geology, 3

   TO APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT
   http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/prospective/app.shtml