PhD Geology at University of Missouri-Columbia

Programme overview

Doctoral candidates must pass a qualifying exam during their first year in residence to assess their general background so a meaningful program of study can be constructed. The usual doctoral program involves courses within and outside the department, and researching the dissertation topic prior to taking the comprehensive examination by the end of the second year. The results of the dissertation research are presented to the faculty and graduate students when the student has completed the project.

Faculty: College of Arts and Science | Department: Geology | Location: Columbia, MO, United States

What you will study

Residence: The equivalent of 3 full years of graduate work (72 hours) is required. One year's credit (up to 24 credit hours for graduate-level, lecture-based courses) is normally granted for the Master's degree.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Fall deadline: none set, but January 31st for guaranteed consideration for departmental financial aid for the following Fall-Spring academic year. Additional admission requirements and criteria: The equivalent of the MU Master of Science degree in geology or in another related science is normally required of each student prior to admission to the Ph.D. program. Students with outstanding first year graduate records, however, may bypass the Master's degree upon petition to the faculty. Minimum G.P.A. of 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale) for last 2 years undergraduate work and at least a 3.20 G.P.A. in Master's-level classroom work in geology (this includes 7000-level courses) taken as a graduate student. International students for whom English is a foreign language must submit a minimum TOEFL score 550 (paper-based) or 80 (Internet-based) or minimum IELTS of 6.5 (average) to be considered for admission.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate programmes apply through the Graduate School online application for admission, which requires a qualifying bachelor degree and at least a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of baccalaureate coursework; School of Law, School of Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Occupational Therapy Doctorate have their own application processes.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.missouri.edu/admissions/

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