Master of Science in Geology
This research-and-thesis-based Master's degree attracts students who are interested in natural resources (including water and fuel sources) and the very structure of the earth. The degree offers flexibility in the design of the student's plan of study, created with guidance from an engaged research committee.
Purpose Statement
The Geology Program offers a thesis-based, multidisciplinary MS degree in Geology with the objective of educating students for success in the private sector, government employment, or further pursuit of graduate studies. During the two-year program, students use geological, geobiological, geophysical, geochemical, and numerical-modeling techniques to examine geological problems and develop explanations for the processes that produced them. Students learn to study what is known about a subject and then identify what is not yet understood. Based upon observations, they develop testable hypotheses about a poorly understood geological process, design a study to test these, and then carry this study out, learning new analytical techniques along the way. They then write this work into a thesis and present and defend their work in a public session. In many cases, the thesis is then turned into a published journal article.
Campus Information
Flagstaff
Intakes
- May
- Aug
Application Processing Time in Days: 30
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
Career exploration
- Know what transferable skills are, provide examples of transferable skills, and identify strategies to build these skills.
- Feel confident that you are able to identify your strengths, interests, and values, and begin to connect these to potential careers.
- Feel confident in utilizing career and personality assessments to assess fit with careers and work environments.
Resume and cover letter reviewsAccordion Open
- Identify and apply principles of high-quality resume design and formatting to your own resume.
- Feel confident crafting bullet points (accomplishment statements) using strong verbs, quantifiable actions, and results.
- Feel empowered to begin crafting a compelling Summary of Qualifications targeted towards desired jobs that reflect your skills, experience, and what makes you unique.
Internship exploration and resourcesAccordion Open
Identify strengths, interests, and values, and begin to connect these to potential internships.
- Feel confident identifying reputable online internship search sites and using them to find internships.
- Identify the application materials you need to apply for internships.
Job search strategiesAccordion Open
- Feel confident about finding and using resources to match your strengths, interests, and values to various jobs.
- Identify and locate reputable online job search sites.
- Learn to use online tools, such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, to investigate organizational culture.
Mock interviewsAccordion Open
- Use the STAR Method to identify your responses to behavioral interview questions and practice these responses.
- Identify nervous habits and replace them with professional, confident body language.
- Recognize appropriate and professional interview attire.
PSW Opportunity
Post-Study Work visa or permit, allowing international students on F-1 visas to work in the US after completing their studies, typically through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Eligibility:
To be eligible for OPT, students must have been enrolled full-time in a US educational institution for at least one academic year and be seeking work related to their major.
Duration:
Students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT, either before they finish their studies (pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion).
STEM OPT:
Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields can apply for an extended OPT period of up to 24 months.
Contact our PSA counselor for more information
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale for their bachelor’s degree to be considered for regular admission. Admitted students are expected to have undergraduate educational experiences, including general education studies, that are similar to those required for a baccalaureate at Northern Arizona University. Students holding a cumulative GPA below a 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with a recommendation and rationale from the admitting academic program.
Undergraduate transcripts from all undergraduate and/or graduate work completed in the U.S. must be uploaded to evaluate your application. Ensure all pages of your transcript are included and can be easily read. Your official transcripts, sent from the issuing institution directly to Northern Arizona University, will be required upon admittance to your graduate program for GPA and degree conferral verification. NAU students do not need to submit official transcripts for NAU coursework.
NAU students may access unofficial transcripts via LOUIE. NAU alumni must have an NAU Google account to access their LOUIE files.
- TOEFL iBT 80
- DuoLingo 105
- IELTS 6.5
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Masters/PG Degree
- Duration: 01 Year
-
Total Tuition Fee:
33534 USD
Average Cost of Living: 14000 USD /year
Application Fee: 40 USD
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