Graduate Programs
The Department of Geology offers programs leading to a graduate certificate, the Master of Arts or Master of Science in geology with an option in geohydrology, the Master of Arts in Teaching or Master of Science in Teaching (Science), and to the Earth, Environment, & Society Doctoral Program.
The M.A./M.S. program is designed to train geology students beyond the baccalaureate degree for professional employment or for advanced graduate work. The M.A.T./M.S.T. program is offered for teachers in secondary schools and community colleges.
Geology participates in the Earth, Environment, & Society Doctoral Program. Specialized studies in hydrogeology, geomicrobiology, environmental geology, engineering geology, geomechanics, glaciology, and applied stratigraphy, along with multidisciplinary environmental science courses and seminars, will partially fulfill the requirements for the Ph.D. See Earth, Environment and Society Ph.D. for information relative to the Ph.D. program in Earth, Environment, & Society.
Admission requirements
Master of Arts and Master of Science
To be admitted to the graduate degree program, the student must have a baccalaureate degree in geology or its equivalent, as determined by the departmental graduate committee. It is required that the General Graduate Record Examination be taken before admission.
Master of Arts in Teaching or Master of Science in Teaching
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers the M.A.T./M.S.T. degrees in Science/Geology. To be admitted to the M.A.T./M.S.T. program in Science/Geology, a student must hold a bachelor’s degree in geology, or in the physical or life sciences—including the equivalent of a minor in geology. Students must take the general Graduate Record Examination and submit scores before admission for advising purposes.
Graduate Certificates
All PSU Graduate Certificate programs require admission by the University, and an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in Physical Sciences or Civil Engineering from an accredited institution and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 in all undergraduate courses. Applicants with cumulative undergraduate GPAs between 2.50 and 2.74 may be considered for conditional admission only.