Department of Earth Sciences

PO Box 173480
226 Traphagen Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717-3480
Tel: 406-994-3331, Fax: 406 994 6923
Email: earth@montana.edu
Home Page: https://www.montana.edu/earthsciences/

Graduate Coordinator: jean.dixon@montana.edu

The Department of Earth Sciences offers advanced study leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Our graduate program spans the interdisciplinary fields of Geology, Geography, and Paleobiology. Faculty have diverse expertise including the study of Human-Environment interactions, Earth Composition and Processes, Snow Science, Paleontology, Paleoecology, Geographic Information Systems, Geobiology, and Planning. We stress independent thesis research with supporting courses.

 

Admission

Students seeking admission to the Earth Sciences graduate program must hold a BS, BA, or MSc degree and demonstrate scholarship in areas closely related to an Earth Sciences related field. When applying, prospective students must identify the faculty member(s) whose research interests most closely align with their skills, academic background, and research/career interests. Initial review occurs by individual faculty advisors and final acceptance by the Department Head and Department Graduate Committee. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the prospective faculty advisor(s) prior to applying. For detailed information and the most up to date guidelines on applying for admission, refer to the Graduate Program Webpage.

Financial Assistance

The department has a limited number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Students are encouraged to reach out to prospective advisors to learn about additional funding available as Graduate Research Assistantships or scholarships. Graduate students in Earth Sciences have been successful obtaining fellowships through the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) among others. Many students have won University-wide and regional awards for thesis research.

Degree Offered