Master of Science in Applied Geosciences
Course Requirements
Students are required to complete seven required foundation courses, four electives plus a Capstone project, regardless of their chosen area of concentration.- Geomechanics
- Geocomputations
- Geochemistry
- Introduction to Geophysics
- Engineering Geology
- Hydrology
- Hydrology (Ground Water)
- A Capstone Project
Electives
Students choose four of the following electives, within their areas of concentration.Engineering Geology
- Geology of Soils
- Data Analysis and Modeling
- Engineering Geology II
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Geotechnics
Hydrogeology
- Hydrogeology (Flow & Solute Transport)
- Acqueous Geochemistry
- Advanced Biogeochemistry
- Water and Waste Treatment
- Bioremediation
Environmental Geology
- Cartographic Modeling
- Digital Mapping
- Water and Waste Treatment
- Acqueous Geochemistry
- Environmental Geology
Field trips and site visits are incorporated within the curriculum. Additional field opportunities such as Red Lodge, where students learn the basics of field geology and ecology at the Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association field station, are open to Master of Science in Applied Geosciences students with advisor approval. Students in the Program also have access to other earth science research projects within the Department of Earth and Environmental Science.
The Capstone Project
Toward the end of the program, students undertake a Capstone Project, a semester-long professional exercise that demonstrates mastery of a particular area of applied geoscience. The subject of this project can be selected to complement or further develop a student’s work-related interests. The Capstone, which can be completed independently or as a member of a team, documents the student’s ability to:
- Identify a geotechnical, hydrologic, or environmental problem or issue that would be encountered in professional practice
- Design a protocol to address this question
- Acquire the data necessary to clarify, if not resolve, the question
- Critically assess the quality of the data acquired
- Engineering Geology
- Draw defensible conclusions from those data
- Communicate this process and conclu-sions to professional colleagues with clarity and precision
Admitted students may attend on either a part-time or full-time basis. Full-time students can complete the program in two years.