The Master of Science (MS) degree program in Earth & Planetary Sciences is adapted to the needs of students who plan an immediate career in industry, private consulting, a governmental agency, or teaching at the secondary level. Most MS degree candidates conduct independent research and prepare and submit a thesis. MS degrees may be conferred upon completion of either a thesis (normally within two years, but after not more than 3 years) or approved course work (normally within one year).
The thesis master's program may be used as an initial step toward the Ph.D. degree, in which a student gains knowledge and confidence in carrying out and completing a scientific project. As an alternative, qualified candidates who plan to proceed to a Ph.D. may bypass the master's degree, which is not a requirement for the doctorate. |
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MS students must take a minimum of 35 quarter units of graduate and upper division level courses (including the courses mentioned above), of which no more than 15 units may be upper division undergraduate courses. Required course work includes: courses 205--Introductory Graduate Seminar, 203--Introductory Teaching Seminar, 206--Great Papers in the Earth & Planetary sciences. Additionally, after consultation with their adviser, students choose from among courses 207--Tectonics, 208--Methods in Paleoclimatology, 209--Isotope Geochemistry, 210--Stellar/Planetary Formation and Evolution, and 220--Ground Water Modeling. Other course selections are tailored to individual academic backgrounds, professional experience and plans for research.
The coursework MS track is designed to allow students to increase their breadth, quantitative depth, or emphasis on a particular specialty; to provide the student with a stronger background toward competition for jobs or an enhancement of skills for current employment (e.g. K-14 teaching); and to allow students from other related disciplines to acquire advanced training in Earth & planetary sciences. At the beginning of the first quarter of study, students confer with their adviser(s) to develop a study plan of at least nine courses and a statement of objectives. This study plan is then approved by the Department. Coursework MS students are also required to fulfill one of the following capstone options: one quarter of independent study (course 297 or 298) resulting in an independent report, or a comprehensive exam based on their course work.
Graduate students are also required to enroll in and attend EART293, Graduate Research Seminar (1 unit) in winter quarter each year. During each seminar, two-three graduate students (generally in their 2nd, 4th, and occasionally 6th year) give oral presentations on current or anticipated research and are critiqued by their peers (for both content and presentation). The primary purpose of this seminar is to give students practice in presenting research results. Students should prepare carefully and practice for these seminars. UCSC Earth and Planetary Sciences graduate students have received a large number of awards for presentations at national and international meetings, and we think the Eart293 has helped contributed to this, plus it keeps us aware of what kinds of research projects are underway or planned.
Graduate students are also expected to enroll quarterly and attend the weekly EART292-01, Whole Earth Seminar (Tuesdays at 4 pm) and EART292-02, IGPP Seminar (generally Fridays at 3:30, but schedules vary). These seminars are coordinated by faculty and graduate students, bringing researchers from other institutions and organizations to give talks and interact informally with Earth and Planetary Sciences students, researchers, faculty and staff. These multi-disciplinary seminars are intended to keep faculty and students up-to-date on recent research developments in the sciences. In addition, most visitors are happy to meet with interested students - be sure to contact the seminar host if you are interested in meeting with a speaker, and tell the organizers if you know of excellent speakers we should bring to give a talk.
Students considering applying to do a research MS or coursework MS in Earth & Planetary Sciences at UCSC are encouraged to contact prospective faculty advisors in areas of mutual interest as early as possible.
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