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The Graduate School is committed to advancing academic excellence in graduate and postdoctoral education and training. We have several departments that can assist you with questions regarding professional development activities, administrative processes, and graduate student success initiatives.
Office Hours: 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday through Friday
Campus Location: MS 4.01.52
Phone:210-458-4331
Fax: 210-458-4332
Email: graduate.school@utsa.edu
Questions regarding admissions and recruiting.
Geosciences (M.S.)
Basic Degree Information/Description
The Master of Science (M.S.) degree program in Geoscience offers students the opportunity for advanced study and research in the field of Geology. For degree information, please see the degree website listed below. Qualified students are encouraged to apply for teaching and/or research assistantships and fellowships. Requests should be addressed to the Chair of the Department of Earth and Planetary Science when application is made for admission to UTSA. An application form for teaching assistantships is available at the degree website. The Master of Science degree program in Geoscience offers opportunities for advanced study and research designed to prepare students for roles in industry, government, research institutes, or educational institutions.
Why pursue an M.S. in Geoscience at UTSA?
The department pursues research and teaching in the key areas of hydrogeology (water resources, aqueous geochemistry), geobiology (paleontology and geomicrobiology), geoinformatics (geospatial analysis, GIS, remote sensing), and land dynamics (geomorphology, environmental geology, sedimentology).
Degree Requirements:
- The Master of Science degree in Geoscience requires the successful completion of a minimum of 30 semester credit hours.
- For a complete list of degree requirements please see the Graduate Catalog.
Admission Prerequisites:
| Required Degree | Bachelor's degree in Geology (equivalent to UTSA's) or a bachelor's degree in chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, life sciences, or engineering with sufficient coursework in the geosciences. Applicant's evaluations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. |
| Other Degree Requirements | Background or remedial courses may be required to remove deficiencies. |
Application Requirements:
| General University Requirements | Must meet university wide requirements. |
| Application | A completed a Graduate School application. |
| Transcripts | Official transcripts from all institutions attended. All international transcripts must be recorded in English or officially translated to English. |
| Resume or Curriculum Vitae | Not Required. |
| Letters of Recommendation | Two Letters of Recommendation are required from person's familiar with the applicant's academic record. |
| Statement of Purpose | Personal Statement of Research or Career Interest. |
| Test Scores | Not Required. |
| Evaluation of Foreign Credentials |
All applicants including non-U.S. citizens (International), U.S. Citizens, and permanent residents who have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions are required to submit official transcripts along with an evaluation of the transcripts from Foreign Credentials Service of America.
|
| International Applicants | Must meet international graduate student admission requirements
|
| Other | None. |
Career Options Available for an M.S. in Geoscience Graduate
- Career opportunities are within both the public and private realm.
- Former students work at environmental and engineering consulting firms (e.g., Hurd Enterprises, San Antonio, TX; Parsons Engineering, Denver, CO), petroleum exploration companies (e.g., Noble Energy, Houston), and Southwest Research Institute.
- Some students pursue doctoral degrees.
Recently completed thesis projects include:
- Penelope Wagner: Intercomparisons of sea ice thickness and concentration from visual observation, EM measurements, and video imagery
- Benjamin Boyer: The conodont color alteration index using igneous and metamorphic pressure and temperature conditions, Marble Canyon, Sierra Diablo Mountains, west Texas
- Jonas Harrell: Carboniferous stratigraphy of the Sierra Diablo, Culbertson county, Texas
- Marla Roberts: Time series resistivity analysis of unsaturated karst
- Leigh Symank: Variable density modeling of the hydrogeologic evolution of the convergence zone between freshwater and saline basinal groundwater, Wilcox group, Central Texas, Gulf of Mexico coastal plain, USA
Contact Information
Graduate Advisor of Record: Judy Haschenburger, Ph.D.
Email: judy.haschenburger@utsa.edu
Telephone: (210) 458-4553
Degree Website: https://www.utsa.edu/sciences/earth-planetary-sciences/graduate.html
Degree Catalog Link: Graduate Catalog
Funding Opportunities: Departmental Scholarships
Course Scheduling and Offerings:
- This program is housed on UTSA’s Main Campus.
- Between 4 PM and 9 PM.