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GS-MS - Geological Sciences (MS)
Overview
Program Overview
The purpose of the master's program in Geological Sciences is to continue a student's training in one of a broad range of earth science disciplines and to prepare students for either a professional career or doctoral studies.
On April 16, 2015, the Senate of the Academic Council approved the Master of Science in Geological Sciences. Students who matriculated into the Master of Science in Geological and Environmental Sciences have the option of changing the name of their degree to Geological Sciences. Degree requirements remain the same.
Director of Graduate Studies
Free Form Requisites
Coterminal Master of Science Degree in Geological Sciences
The coterminal B.S./M.S. program offers students the opportunity to pursue graduate research and an M.S. degree concurrently with or subsequent to their B.S. studies. The M.S. degree can serve as an entrance to a professional degree in subdisciplines within the Earth sciences such as engineering geology and environmental geology, or to graduate course work and research as an intermediate step in pursuit of the Ph.D. Regardless of professional goals, coterminal B.S./M.S. students are treated as members of the graduate community and are expected to meet all of the standards set for regular M.S. students.
Admission
Applicants must have earned no fewer than 120 units toward graduation, and must submit their application no later than the quarter prior to the expected completion of their undergraduate degree, normally the Winter Quarter prior to Spring Quarter graduation. The online application includes a statement of purpose, a current Stanford transcript, two letters of recommendation from members of the Stanford faculty, at least one of whom must be in the GS department, and a list of courses in which they intend to enroll to fulfill the M.S. degree requirements. Specific research interests should be noted in the statement of purpose and discussed with a member of the GS faculty prior to submission of the application. Coterminal students must complete a thesis describing research results.
In keeping with University policy, applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores from a test taken within the last 18 months. Individuals who have completed a B.S. or two-year M.S. program in the U.S. or other English-speaking countries are not required to submit TOEFL scores.
Program requirements for both the B.S. and M.S. degrees
Complete 180 units required for the B.S. degree and then complete three full-time quarters
OR
Complete a total of fifteen quarters during which the requirements of the two degrees are fulfilled concurrently.
45 units at the 100-level or above are required for the M.S. degree. At least half of the courses used to satisfy the 45-unit requirement must be designated as being primarily for graduate students, normally at the 200-level or above. Coterminal students are expected to meet all of the standards set for regular M.S. students.
University Coterminal Requirements
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.
After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.
In this master’s program, courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The University requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Program Policies
External Credit Policies
An incoming student with a relevant master of science coursework may apply for a departmental petition to transfer graduate level courses as approved by their faculty advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Transfer credits cannot be used to fulfill the first year requirement.
Advising Expectations
The Department of Geological Sciences is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. The department strives to ensure everyone in the department has a fulfilling experience by creating an inclusive culture. The School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences shares this commitment as reflected in the Stanford Earth Policy on Respectful and Inclusive Behavior. With respect to the advising relationship, this entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.
Inclusivity and Diversity
The Department of Geological Sciences strives to ensure that graduate students feel safe, secure, and supported during their graduate experience. It does not tolerate any form of harassment targeting race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, physical appearance, age and/or religion. Any experience of discrimination, harassment, or inequity in the department will not be tolerated and met with appropriate consequences in accordance to Stanford University’s Harassment and Discrimination policy. Students can seek support from the Associate Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, Jef Caers, or the Assistant Director of Student Services, Lauren Mendoza-Tabinas.
Mental Health
Members of the Geological Sciences department recognize that challenges to mental health are real and can come from both inside and outside the academic setting. We support and encourage each other to seek resources towards mental health and well-being. If any event during the graduate experience places a student under undue stress that inhibits their performing to their potential, the department encourages the student to seek support from the Director of Graduate Studies (Wendy Mao), Assistant Director of Student Services (Lauren Mendoza-Tabinas) or University services (Counseling and Psychological Services).
Academic Accommodations
The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) is the campus office designated to work with Stanford students with disabilities. To comply with Stanford’s academic accommodations process, faculty should not attempt to arrange accommodations by themselves with the student. Students with questions about accommodations should contact OAE to initiate a disability-related request for accommodations. When a student presents an OAE Accommodation Letter, that letter should be followed or the faculty member should work with the student and OAE to implement and/or modify the recommended accommodations. Students are expected to initiate accommodations requests in a timely manner and to provide prompt notification of changes to approved accommodations. Faculty are responsible for maintaining student confidentiality and treating all disability-related information as confidential.
Establishing Advisor-Advisee Expectations
Both advisor and advisee are expected to take responsibility in actively discussing the nature of the graduate experience. For first year students, the results of the discussion regarding the nature of the graduate experience and the expectations of each party is summarized in a document that is signed by both advisor and advisee. The relationship and expectations evolve as the student progresses through their graduate experience. Regularly scheduled advisor-advisee interactions are an important component of this relationship. Advisors are expected to check in with their students every quarter to discuss how the expectations are met and if any expectations need updating. Students are encouraged to revisit these conversations when the advisor-advisee relationship is not meeting their needs and/or expectations are not met. Additionally, a written review is held in Spring Quarter that covers the student’s academic progress with their advisor(s) and committee members.
Graduate students are expected to proactively seek academic and professional guidance and take responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program. In addition to the primary advisor, students are highly encouraged to seek advice from other faculty in the department, as well as other faculty and researchers (Stanford or external) who align with their research interest. For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the "Graduate Advising" section of this bulletin. When needed, students can seek support and assistance from the Assistant Director of Student Services (Lauren Mendoza-Tabinas).
Guidelines for advisor-advisee interactions
The advisor-advisee relationship is mutual. Graduate students and faculty can expect mutual respect, high professional standards, and the sharing of ideas and research. Advisors should strive continuously to improve their mentoring abilities. Group dynamics can be complex; advisors should strive to be equitable in the treatment of students, including the distribution of opportunities in group, classroom, field, and laboratory settings. Further information regarding guidelines and best practices on advising and mentoring is available from the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and School-wide documents like the Minimum Graduate Advising Guidelines Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences: School-wide Suggestions. Graduate students are expected to exercise high professional standards in their academic work, research, and mentoring partnerships and to be proactive in seeking advice and keeping the advisor informed about academic and research progress. Students and advisors are expected to both take responsibility for meeting timelines, policies, and milestones that impact degree progress. We expect respect and equity in our department at all levels from one-on-one interactions to department-wide events.
Students in need of assistance should contact the Assistant Director of Student Services, Lauren Mendoza-Tabinas, or the Assistant Dean of Student Services, Alyssa Ferree, to be informed about a clearly articulated path of contacts for their questions, concerns, and challenges around advising that they may experience. Students may also contact any school representatives listed below to discuss issues regarding advisor-advisee interactions:
Other faculty members of your advisory committee
Wendy Mao, Director of Graduate Studies in Geological Sciences
Kevin Boyce, Department Chair of Geological Sciences
Robyn Dunbar, Associate Dean for Educational Affairs
Sue Crutcher, Associate Dean for Human Resources and Faculty Affairs
Graduate Student Advisory Council representatives in Geological Sciences
Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
The purpose of the master's program in Geological Sciences is to continue a student's training in one of a broad range of Earth or planetary science disciplines and to prepare students for either a professional career or doctoral studies.
The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship, high attainment in a particular field of knowledge, and the ability to conduct independent research. To this end, the objectives of the doctoral program are to enable students to develop the skills needed to conduct original investigations in a particular discipline or set of disciplines in the Earth and planetary sciences, to interpret the results, and to present the data and conclusions in a publishable manner.