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Master of Science

Master of Science Degrees

The Earth and Environmental Science department at New Mexico Tech offers a number of Masters level graduate degrees as detailed below

Master of Science in Geology

The master’s candidate must demonstrate competence in mathematics, chemistry, and physics comparable to the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. The Master of Science degree in Geology may be earned under either of the following plans:

With Thesis: The student’s course of study must be approved by the advisory committee and must fulfill the general requirements for the master’s degree with thesis and must include ERTH 480 or the equivalent, if not previously satisfied, two credits of GEOL 592, at least six credit hours of GEOL 591, and at least four credit hours of GEOL 593, unless the degree is completed in a shorter time. Credits earned in GEOL 592 and 593 may not be applied towards the 30 credits required for the M.S. degree.
Without Thesis: The student’s course of study must be approved by the advisory committee and must fulfill the general requirements for the master’s degree without thesis and must include ERTH 480 or the equivalent, if not previously satisfied, two credits of GEOL 592, at least three credit hours of GEOL 590, and at least four credit hours of GEOL 593, unless the degree is completed in a shorter time. Credits earned in GEOL 592 and 593 may not be applied towards the 30 credits required for the M.S. degree.

Master of Science in Geochemistry

The Master of Science degree in Geochemistry may be earned either with thesis or without thesis in accordance with the general requirements of the Graduate Program
The master’s candidate must demonstrate competence in chemistry, geology, mathematics, and physics comparable to the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in either chemistry, one of the engineering sciences, or one of the geological sciences.
A program of study for the master’s degree must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and must satisfy the general requirements for the degree, including GEOP 590 (at least three credit hours) or GEOC 591 (at least six credit hours). Students must complete two credit hours of GEOC 592, at least four credit hours of GEOC 593 (unless the degree is completed in a shorter time), 12 credit hours in geochemistry, and six credit hours in upper‐division or graduate chemistry courses. As part of the degree requirements, students must have completed CHEM 331; GEOC 507, GEOC 544, ERTH 200 (mineralogy); or their equivalents.

Master of Science in Geophysics (Solid Earth)

The Master of Science degree in Geophysics (Solid Earth) may be earned under either of the plans outlined below:

With Thesis: The student’s course of study must be approved by the advisory committee and must fulfill the general requirements for the master’s degree with thesis and must include (unless taken in undergraduate work): ERTH 325 and 448, or their equivalents; upper‐division geology, six credit hours; competence in mathematics corresponding to nine credit hours beyond calculus; at least six credit hours of GEOP 591, two credit hours of GEOP 592, at least four credit hours of GEOP 593, unless the degree is completed in a shorter time, and twelve additional credit hours in graduate geophysics (up to six credit hours of this requirement may be replaced with non‐geophysics graduate courses with the advisor’s approval).
Without Thesis: Courses approved by the student’s advisory committee must fulfill the general requirements for the master’s degree without thesis and must include (unless taken in undergraduate work): ERTH 325 and 448, or their equivalents; upper‐division geology, six credit hours; competence in mathematics corresponding to nine credit hours beyond calculus; at least three credit hours of GEOP 590, two credit hours of GEOP 592, at least four credit hours of GEOP 593, unless the degree is completed in a shorter time, and twelve additional credit hours of graduate courses in geophysics (up to six credit hours of this requirement may be replaced with non‐geophysics graduate courses with the advisor’s approval)

Master of Science in Hydrology

The Master of Science degree in Hydrology requires completion of a thesis according to the general requirements of the Graduate Program. The student’s course of study must be approved by the advisory committee and must fulfill the general requirement for the master’s degree and must include:

ERTH 440, HYD 507, 508, 510
Six credits from graduate-level hydrology courses listed in the course catalog
HYD 591 (at least six credit hours)
HYD 592 (two credit hours)
HYD 593 (four credit hours)
ERTH 202 or equivalent
MATH 283, 382, 584 or equivalent
At least three additional graduate‐level course credits approved by the advisory committee

Examples of courses other than hydrology which are appropriate for graduate programs in hydrology include, but are not limited to: BIOL 343, 446; CHEM 331, 332, 333, 334; ERTH 405, 409, 444, 445, 448, 460; GEOL 503, 509, 547, 553; GEOP 505, 529; MATH 332, 382, 384, 410, 411, 415, 435, 436, 438, 483, 486, 488, 511, 512, 533, 586, 587; PETR 445, 523, 544, 546, 564; PHYS 421, 526.

Additional details, including course descriptions, are in the College Catalog.

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