Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in the field of Earth Science

PhD Degree in the field of Earth Science

Upon completing the PhD degree in the field of Earth Science, students will be able to:

1. Understand the structure and composition of the Earth and Planets, their evolution, and how the Earth changes over time.
2. Use appropriate computational or analytical techniques in the conduct of research investigations.
3. Demonstrate significant skills in scientific communication, written and oral.
4. Demonstrate peer-reviewed literature, and to write and publish a substantial contribution.

PhD Degree in field of Earth Science

For general university requirements, please see Doctoral Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. All incoming students should have a strong background in physics, chemistry, and mathematics and should have, or should acquire, a broad grounding in fundamental earth science. department encourages applications from well-qualified students with degrees in other sciences, mathematics, or engineering. MS and PhD Degrees in earth science are similar, but PhD demands a significantly higher level of knowledge, research skills, and scholarly independence. Most students need at least two years beyond bachelor’s degree to complete MS or four years beyond bachelor’s degree to complete PhD.

Candidates determine, with their major professor and thesis committee, a course of study following Guidelines for Advanced Degrees in Department of Earth Science handbook, distributed to all incoming students. Students pursuing MS and PhD degrees in field of Earth Science must:

• Complete 20 semester hours of coursework at 500-level or above (or other approved courses), not including research hours
• Pass a written preliminary exam
• Maintain a grade point average of 3.00 (B) or better
• Prepare a written thesis comprised of peer-reviewed publication(s) that represent an original contribution to science
• Defend research and conclusions of thesis in an oral examination

Students with a bachelor’s degree and department approval may work directly toward PhD, in which case course of study is equivalent to that required for both degrees; performance on examinations and thesis, however, should be at level required for PhD. Because graduate programs require full-time study and close interaction with faculty and fellow students, department discourages students from holding full-time (or nearly full-time) jobs outside university. Outside employment must be approved by chair.

The English Language Proficiency Requirement may be waived for an international student who received a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of communication. Contact the admitting program for more information.

The following language proficiency tests are accepted by Rice graduate programs and will be used to assess English language proficiency. Please note the below scores are the minimum requirement, though some program requirements will be higher.

• The TOEFL IBT Home. A minimum score of 90 is required
• IELTS Indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.
• Duolingo. A minimum score of 115 is required.

1. Find your graduate program(s) of interest and submit an interest form. Click here for a listing of schools and departments.
2. Research the cost of study and available financial support. Qualified doctoral students often receive tuition waivers and a generous stipend.
3. Look at our facts and stats on admissions, enrollment and degrees awarded.
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