Hydrogeology, MS

Program Description

The Master of Science in Hydrogeology is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on groundwater geology and subsurface remediation and draws on the expertise of faculty in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. The curriculum is structured to impart a strong background in field experimentation complemented by laboratory studies and computer modeling.

Students may pursue a variety of research projects in hydrogeology and related areas such as environmental geochemistry, geophysics, geochronology, carbon and energy storage, and multiphase flow modeling. A non-thesis option is available for students who meet requirements specified in the department handbook and who are approved by department faculty.

Summary of Degree Requirements

All MS Hydrogeology students must register for GEOL 8610 - Geology Seminar  during the fall and spring semesters. If needed, prerequisite and/or corequisite courses may be specified to resolve deficiencies in a student’s educational background. Prerequisite and corequisite courses do not count toward the minimum number of credit hours required for the MS degree.

Thesis Option

The MS thesis option requires a minimum of 24 hours of graduate credit coursework and a minimum of six hours of GEOL 8910 - Master’s Thesis Research . Of the course credits, one must be a modeling course ( GEOL (EES) 8080 - Groundwater Modeling  is recommended), a field course ( GEOL 8750 - Hydrogeology Summer Field Camp  is recommended), and a minimum of three other 8000-level geology courses. A final oral examination of the MS thesis is required. 

Non-Thesis Option

The MS non-thesis option requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit coursework, none of which may be master’s thesis research, and students must pass a final oral exam. A minimum of 21 graduate credit hours must be at the 8000-level for non-thesis MS students. Students in the non-thesis option must complete a research project supervised by a faculty member, and present the project during their final oral exam.