Geoscience, Ph.D.
Students in Saint Louis University's Ph.D. geoscience programs apply physics and chemistry to study Earth processes from the surface to the core. These studies prepare SLU graduates for diverse careers in government, industry, consulting and academia.
Program Highlights
- Concentrations are offered in geophysics and environmental geosciences.
- The University's geoscience facilities include a network of seismograph stations surrounding the New Madrid fault zone.
- Excellent computing facilities including:
- An environmental geochemistry lab with instrumentation to analyze the chemistries of waters, soils and sediments
- A remote-sensing lab
- A digital-image analysis lab
Curriculum Overview
SLU's Doctor of Philosophy in Geosciences requires a minimum of 48 credits of coursework and exactly 12 credits of dissertation research. Up to 24 credits of coursework leading to a master’s degree may count toward the credit requirement.
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
Active research areas in geophysics include earthquake seismology and tectonics.
Active environmental geoscience research at SLU includes land-use effects on water quality, contaminant transport hydrogeochemistry, surface water-groundwater interactions, river/reservoir sustainability, wetland biogeochemistry, fluvial geomorphology coastal geomorphology and processes.
Careers
SLU's geoscience Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in academic research, teaching, government or industrial research environments.
Admission Requirements
Successful applicants possess sufficient GPA and English proficiency scores (for international students) and research interests compatible with ongoing research in the department.
Geophysics Concentration
Prerequisites include structural geology, college physics, mechanics and mathematics through differential equations.
Environmental Geosciences Concentration
Prerequisites include an undergraduate degree in a STEM discipline with at least one semester each of calculus, physics, biology, chemistry, and geoscience; a second semester of calculus or one semester of statistics.
Application Requirements
- Application form
- Three letters of recommendation
- Transcript(s)
- Professional goal statement
- Résumé
GRE scores are optional.
Requirements for International Students
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Financial documents are required to complete an application for admission and be reviewed for admission and merit scholarships.
- Proof of financial support that must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:
- Courses taken and/or lectures attended
- Practical laboratory work
- The maximum and minimum grades attainable
- The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations
- Any honors or degrees received.
WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
Application and Assistantship Application Deadlines
Students typically begin the program in the fall semester. Students who want to be considered for an assistantship must submit their applications by Jan. 2. Late applications and applications for the spring semester will be considered if positions are available.
Review Process
Faculty committee members examine qualified applicants’ materials and make recommendations.
Tuition
Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
---|---|
Graduate Tuition | $1,370 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships, Assistantships and Financial Aid
For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, apply by the program admission deadlines listed. Fellowships and assistantships provide a stipend and may include health insurance and a tuition scholarship for the duration of the award.
- Graduates will be able to assess relevant literature or scholarly contributions in the earth and atmospheric sciences.
- Graduates will be able to apply the major practices, theories or research methodologies in the earth and atmospheric sciences.
- Graduates will be able to apply knowledge from the earth and atmospheric sciences to address problems in broader contexts.
- Graduates will be able to articulate arguments or explanations to both a disciplinary or professional audience and to a general audience in oral forms.
- Graduates will be able to articulate arguments or explanations to both a disciplinary or professional audience and to a general audience in written forms.
- Graduates will be able to evidence scholarly or professional integrity in earth and atmospheric sciences.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required Courses | ||
EAS 5500 | Scientific Communication | 3 |
EAS 5900 | Geoscience Journal Club | 1 |
Concentration Elective Courses | 32 | |
Select 32 credits of the following concentrations: | ||
Dissertation Research | 12 | |
EAS 6990 | Dissertation Research (taken over multiple semesters) | |
Total Credits | 48 |
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Geophysics Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Concentration Requirements | ||
EAS 5060 | Physics of Solid Earth | 3 |
EAS 6320 | Advanced Seismology II | 3 |
EAS 6310 | Advanced Seismology I | 3 |
Concentration Choice #1 | ||
EAS 5170 | Divergent & Convergent Margins | 3 |
or EAS 5180 | Trans Margins & Plate Interior | |
Concentration Choice #2 | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
EAS 5040 | Potential Theory | |
EAS 5400 | Continuum Mechanics in Wave Propagation | |
EAS 5510 & EAS 5520 | Seismic Exploration Methods and Seismic Exploration Lab | |
Concentration Elective Courses | ||
Select 14 credits of the following: | 14 | |
EAS 5040 | Potential Theory | |
EAS 5120 | Time Series Analysis in Geophysics | |
EAS 5180 | Trans Margins & Plate Interior | |
EAS 5190 | Seminar in Geoscience | |
EAS 5390 | Seminar in Seismology | |
EAS 5400 | Continuum Mechanics in Wave Propagation | |
EAS 5450 | Advanced Petrology | |
EAS 5460 | Geodynamics | |
EAS 5720 | Seismological Instrumentation | |
EAS 6100 | Advanced Topics in Solid Earth Geophysics | |
EAS 6981 | Independent Study | |
Total Credits | 32 |
Environmental Geosciences Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Concentration Elective Courses | ||
Select 32 credits of elective course work in consultation with advisor. Example courses include: | 32 | |
BST 5400 | Applied Data Management | |
CVNG 5330 | Open-Channel Flow | |
CVNG 5370 | River Engineering | |
CVNG 5930 | Special Topics | |
GIS 5010 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | |
EAS 5190 | Seminar in Geoscience | |
EAS 5280 | Environmental Geochemistry | |
EAS 5410 | Hydrology | |
EAS 6981 | Independent Study | |
Total Credits | 32 |
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Geophysics Concentration
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
EAS 5510 | Seismic Exploration Methods | 2 |
EAS 5520 | Seismic Exploration Lab | 1 |
EAS 5060 | Physics of Solid Earth | 3 |
EAS 6900 | Geoscience Journal Club | 0 |
EAS 5460 | Geodynamics | 3 |
Credits | 9 | |
Spring | ||
EAS 5170 | Divergent & Convergent Margins | 3 |
EAS 5500 | Scientific Communication | 3 |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 6 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
EAS 5040 | Potential Theory | 3 |
Seminar in Geoscience | 2 | |
Journal Club | 1 | |
Credits | 6 | |
Spring | ||
Continuum Mechanics | 3 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Elective | 2 | |
Credits | 5 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
Time Series Analysis | 3 | |
Advanced Seismology I | 3 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 6 | |
Spring | ||
Advanced Seismology II | 3 | |
Journal Club | 1 | |
Credits | 4 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | ||
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Five | ||
Fall | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Total Credits | 48 |
Environmental Geosciences Concentration
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
EAS 5410 | Hydrology | 3 |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Elective (Electives are chosen with advisor to tailor to student needs) | 6 | |
Credits | 9 | |
Spring | ||
EAS 6930 | Special Topics | 3 |
EAS 5500 | Scientific Communication | 3 |
Journal Club | 0 | |
GIS 5010 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
Credits | 9 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 3 | |
Credits | 3 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
EAS 5280 | Environmental Geochemistry | 3 |
Seminar in Geoscience | 2 | |
Journal Club | 1 | |
Credits | 6 | |
Spring | ||
Elective | 3 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Elective | 2 | |
Credits | 5 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
Elective | 3 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 3 | |
Spring | ||
Journal Club | 1 | |
Elective | 2 | |
Credits | 3 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
Dissertation Research | 2 | |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Five | ||
Fall | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
Dissertation Research | 1 | |
Journal Club | 0 | |
Credits | 1 | |
Total Credits | 48 |
For more information about our program, please contact:
Linda Warren, Ph.D.
Graduate program coordinator, geoscience
linda.warren@slu.edu