phd proposal on geophysics

Guidelines for writing the MS/PhD Research Proposal

The Proposal is a written document that justifies the need for, defines the scope of, and describes the potential implications of the research that you will be undertaking to earn an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. The Proposal Review Committee will review the document and conduct the proposal defense to ensure that:

• The research you plan on conducting is sufficiently relevant, significant, and novel to merit a degree;
• The scope of the work can be reasonably accomplished in an appropriate length of time;
• You have the background knowledge, skills, and resources needed to successfully execute the work.

The Proposal is normally 3,000-5,000 (M.S.) or 5,000-10,000 (Ph.D.) words of text (excluding figures, tables, appendices, and references), and should be well written, concise, and precise. The text should be 1.5-spaced or double-spaced with 1" margins, and pages should be numbered (line numbering is suggested). The figures and tables may be embedded into the body of the text or follow the references. Tables are to be properly labeled and accompanied by appropriate footnotes/headings/captions as necessary to interpret the information presented. Figures are to be accompanied by captions that briefly describe and define key elements. Material in figures or tables taken from other sources should be properly attributed. References are to be cited fully, following the reference format typically used in leading journal(s) in the student's field. After the proposal has been approved by the advisor, it should be submitted electronically (docx or pdf) to all members of the Proposal Review Committee, normally two weeks before the oral proposal defense; the student may expect feedback from members of the committee before the oral presentation.

You may choose to follow the outline below in writing your proposal.

• Cover page: List the title, author, submission date, and the Proposal Review Committee members and advisor.
• Research Question/Objective:
• Clearly state the question or objective that the proposed research aims to address.
• Ensure that the question/objective is specific, focused, and aligned with the project’s scope.
• Briefly state why the outcome(s) of your research will be of interest to the wider science community.
• Background and Significance:
• Provide a concise review of existing knowledge and research relevant to the proposed project.
• Highlight the gaps or limitations in the current understanding of the topic (i.e. establish the "state of art").
• Emphasize the significance and potential impact of your research in advancing knowledge or solving a problem.
• Methodology and Experimental Design:
• Describe the experimental design, methodologies, or approaches that will be used.
• Explain the data collection methods, tools, and techniques to be employed.
• Outline any statistical analyses or models that will be applied to analyze the data.
• Justify why the methods/data are appropriate for addressing the problem you’ve identified.
• Expected Results and Outcomes:
• Clearly articulate the expected results and outcomes of the research and how they will be validated.
• Highlight the potential implications, contributions, or applications of the anticipated findings.
• Discuss any potential challenges or limitations and how they will be addressed.
• For each anticipated publication, identify what data, methodological advancements, or analyses will be used, and will be the main scientific contribution expected.
• Timeline and Resources:
• Provide a realistic timeline outlining the key milestones and activities of the research project.
• Detail the resources (e.g. equipment, materials, specialized facilities) required to conduct the research.

If you have questions about what material needs to be included in the Proposal, please consult with your advisor and other members of the Proposal Review Committee. Matters related to interpretation of Graduate School policy or any disputes that arise should be referred to the Director of Graduate Studies for resolution.

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• Geophysics Ph.D. Program

Once entered into the Geophysics Ph.D. Program, degree requirements explained below include course requirements, the Comprehensive Examination, and the dissertation defense.

Course Requirements

The geophysics Ph.D. course requirements, residency requirements, and the requirements for the Comprehensive Examination are formulated within the regulations of the  Graduate School . Students are referred to the document,  Graduate School Checklist for Graduation and Other Helpful Information , and the  University Catalog  for general information on requirements for the Ph.D. degree. In case of a conflict between those documents and the requirements stated here, the rules of the Graduate School apply.

A  core of graduate courses , included in the minimum of 30 semester hours required for all Ph.D.'s, is specified for students completing the Ph.D. in geophysics. This core coursework is designed to assure competency in appropriate subject matter at the Ph.D. level. The number of required courses is limited, so that the student is free to design an overall academic program that meets his or her needs in terms of specialized scholarly interests.

The required courses for the Geophysics Ph.D. include the following:

• A three-semester sequence of geophysics courses:  Earth and Planetary Physics I, II, and III  (course numbers 6610, 6620, and 6630, cross-listed in the Geology, Physics, and Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Departments). These three courses do not have to be taken in any particular order. A student may petition the  Geophysics Program Committee  to substitute another course for one of these three core courses, but not for more than one.
• One semester of graduate-level applied mathematics selected from the list of  Approved Math Courses  on the Academics page. The student may petition the  Geophysics Program Committee  to substitute a comparable mathematics course for one of these courses. It is recommended, though not required, that students fulfill this requirement either before, or at the same time as, they take their first of the  three core Earth and Planetary Physics  courses.
• The student is also expected to take irregularly scheduled seminars on topics in solid earth geophysics, notably  ASTR/GEOL/PHYS 6650.  
• The student must take additional courses of his or her own choosing. The CU Graduate School requires a total of at least 30 semester credit hours. It is expected that the student, in consultation with his or her thesis advisor, will choose courses that are compatible with the student's research interests.  Possible additional courses  could include, but are not restricted to those listed on the  Academics  page. 

Comprehensive Examination

A research project, preferably involving original research, must be written up as a paper (comparable to publishable quality) and provided to the committee members 2 weeks before the oral examination, where the student will briefly present the paper and answer any questions the committee has. Such a research project may be in the student's proposed thesis area but could also be in an unrelated area of geophysics. There should be at least 2 faculty from the geophysics program on the exam committee (which, per Graduate School rules, must have 5 faculty members), the composition of which should be approved by the chair of the geophysics program. Preferably the chair of the committee will  not  be the student's research advisor. The oral exam can include basic questions of geophysics to test the student's understanding of fundamental concepts. It is recommended that geophysics students complete their comps exam before the end of their 5th semester.

The proposed exam tests both geophysics knowledge as well as research skills. 

By the time of the Comprehensive Examination, the student  has applied for and been admitted  to the Geophysics Program. Geophysics should be listed as the department on both the candidacy form and the examination report. 

Dissertation Defense

The public defense of the dissertation is conducted in the  usual way  by a committee of 5 or more faculty, as approved by the  geophysics program chair . The chair of the defense committee is normally the student's research advisor. Because the geophysics faculty is broadly interdisciplinary, the requirement that not all of the committee members for the defense be from one department is usually automatically satisfied.

If the student has a grievance that falls within the framework of the Program, every effort should be made to settle the difficulty by the discussion between the student and the faculty member or members directly involved. If such discussion fails to yield a resolution of the problem, the aggrieved student shall prepare a written statement describing the situation and present it to the Committee. The Committee shall meet with the student and the faculty members involved and shall render its decision on the appropriate resolution of the problem. If the student remains dissatisfied with the Committee's decision, he or she may file a formal complaint with the Dean of the Graduate School, who will involve the Graduate School's normal procedures for reaching a final resolution.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)

Canadian immigration updates.

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

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Theoretically, experimentally, and observationally oriented Master of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs are offered in a number of key areas of geophysics. Current interests include topics in observational and theoretical glaciology; climate variability; geodynamics of the crust, mantle, and core of Earth and other planets; geological fluid mechanics; volcanic processes; surface processes on Earth and other planets; origin and structure of planetary magnetic fields; inversion methodologies with application to reflection seismology, mineral exploration, and environmental studies; computational electrodynamics; seismology with observational programs in crustal and upper mantle studies; earthquake studies focused on understanding past and current tectonic processes in Western Canada, and data science including applications of machine learning to Earth scientific problems.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

Geophysics at UBC was originally a subprogram within the Department of Physics until 1963 when the Department of Geophysics was formed. In 1972 the Department of Geophysics changed its name to the Department of Geophysics & Astronomy reflecting increased activity in astronomical research and teaching. This department was dissolved in 1996, and geophysics faculty were merged with colleagues from geology, oceanography and, later, atmospheric sciences to become the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS). EOAS is the largest and most diverse department of its kind in Canada and, accordingly, geophysics graduate students have unparalleled opportunities for engaging in cutting-edge pure and applied research in both traditional geophysical topics and those that cross disciplinary boundaries. 

I was drawn to work in an environment that encouraged interdisciplinary research and where people are interested in asking big questions.

Sam Anderson

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

January 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, september 2025 intake, january 2026 intake, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research facilities.

In 2012 the new Earth Sciences Building was completed. The $75 million facility was designed to inspire collaboration and creativity across disciplines.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

PhD students are guaranteed a minimum salary of CAN$ 25,500 (plus tuition) per year for the first four years, which can consist of research assistantships (RAs) to help professors with their grants and contracts, teaching assistantships (TAs) to help teach courses and labs and grade assignments, scholarships and prizes, and combinations of all the above. 

Average Funding

• 6 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 6 students was $4,230.
• 8 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 8 students was $8,567.
• 3 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 3 students was $3,739.
• 8 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 8 students was $14,161.
• 4 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 4 students was $20,500.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

18 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 18 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Geophysics graduate programs prepare students for work in a wide range of Earth science disciplines. The programs afford students with strong critical thinking, analytical problem solving, communication, statistical, computational and research skills, and the ability to work effectively in teams.These skills are highly sought after and are transferable to many workplaces. Recent graduates have found employment in academia (universities in Canada, United States, Europe and Australia), government (Geological Survey of Canada), environmental monitoring and mineral exploration industries, hydrocarbon exploration, software engineering (Google) and elsewhere in the technology sector (Tesla).

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times, upcoming doctoral exams, thursday, 18 april 2024 - 12:30pm - 5104, earth sciences building, 2207 main mall.

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Bostock, Michael (structure of the Canadian upper mantle, Geophysics, formation and evolution of the first continental landmasses, the structure and dynamics of subduction zones)
• Haber, Eldad (Scientific computing and its application to geophysical and medical imaging)
• Heagy, Lindsey (Geoelectrics and geoelectromagnetics; Magnetism and paleomagnetism; Gravimetry; Environmental monitoring; Numerical computation; Machine learning; Geophysics; Inverse theory; data science; Machine Learning; Electromagnetics; Carbon sequestration; Groundwater; Environmental geophysics; Resource exploration)
• Jellinek, Mark (Volcanology, Geodynamics, Planetary Science, Geological Fluid Mechanics)
• Johnson, Catherine (Lunar geophysics, Evolution of Mars' Magnetic Field and Atmosphere)
• Orsi, Anais (Atmospheric measurement techniques; Physics of snow and ice; Cryosphere processes, n.e.c.; Isotope geochemistry; Geochronology; Environmental geochemistry; Quantitative methods for environmental sciences; Earth system sciences; Climate change impacts and adaptation; climate change; Polar climate; Data analysis, inverse modeling; Paleoclimate)
• Radic, Valentina (Atmospheric sciences; Geophysics; Climate Changes and Impacts; Climate Science; Glaciology; Meteorology)
• Schoof, Christian (Geophysics; Ice and Snow; Transformation and Evolution of the Earth Surface; Fluid mechanics; Hydraulic; Asymptotic and Classical Applied Analysis; Differential Equation; applied mathematics; glacier hydrology; Glaciology; ice sheet dynamics)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• How to descend a rocky slope : numerical techniques for the solution of noisy optimization problems
• Shallow subaqueous and subglacial explosive eruptions : quantifying controls on the dynamics, stability, evolution, and stratospheric injection of water-rich eruption columns : [supplementary material]
• Modelling the propagation of crevasses and calving in ice shelves
• Inverse modelling of subglacial hydraulic processes
• Shallow subaqueous and subglacial explosive eruptions : quantifying controls on the dynamics, stability, evolution, and stratospheric injection of water-rich eruption columns
• Studies of forearc seismicity and structure in British Columbia and Washington State
• Mountain glaciers as modifiers of streamflow in Western Canada : insights from data analysis and machine learning

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Applied Science in Geophysics (MASc)
• Master of Science in Geophysics (MSc)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)
• Graduate Certificate in Applied Geological Engineering (GCAGE)
• Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc)
• Master of Engineering in Geological Engineering (MEng)
• Master of Science in Atmospheric Science (MSc)
• Master of Science in Geological Sciences (MSc)
• Master of Science in Oceanography (MSc)

Further Information

Specialization.

Current interests include topics in observational and theoretical glaciology; climate variability; geodynamics of the crust, mantle, and core of Earth and other planets; geological fluid mechanics; volcanic processes; origin and structure of planetary magnetic fields; reflection seismology; time-series analysis and wavelet processing; inversion methodologies with application to reflection seismology, mineral exploration, and environmental studies; computational electrodynamics; seismology with observational programs in crustal and upper mantle studies; earthquake studies focused on understanding past and current tectonic processes in Western Canada; and theoretical model studies to investigate wave propagation in laterally heterogeneous media.

UBC Calendar

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Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

I asked my masters supervisor for recommendations for PhD supervisors in Europe, and he replied with a list of 5 schools in the US and 2 in Canada. I had never considered moving to North America, but as soon as I started reading about Vancouver, UBC, and my supervisor (Prof. Mark Jellinek), I knew...

Reid Merrill

The research project. There is no replacement for studying subduction and seismogenesis than in Vancouver, some 60 km above the descending Juan de Fuca plate.

Considering Vancouver as your next home?

This city won’t disappoint. It has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches and all four seasons, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow.

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See below for descriptions of Milestones for MS and PhD Students. 

See All Milestone & Forms for current students

MS Student Milestones PhD Student Milestones Resources

Geophysics minimum advising expectations.

The Department of Geophysics is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the " Graduate Advising " section.

Each advisor meets with each advisee in Autumn or Winter quarter, beginning in the advisee’s first year, to develop/update a document entitled the expectations agreement that records the agreed-upon approach to the topics detailed in the agreement form. For further details on the department policy of the minimum advising expectations, see the " Geophysics Graduate Advising Section " in the Geophysics bulletin.

Minimum Advising Expectations Form

MS Student Milestones

See all MS Student Milestone Forms

MS Proposal

• Description : Submit a program proposal for approval by a faculty advisor in the first quarter of enrollment.
• Deadline : By the end of the first quarter of enrollment.
• Form :  MS Proposal form
• Description:  Each candidate must present and defend the results of their research at a public oral presentation attended by at least two faculty members. 
• Deadline:  No later than the last day of classes of the quarter the student is graduating. See the  Academic Calendar  for specific dates.
• Form:   MS Oral Presentation
• MS Annual Review
• Description :  Discuss degree progress and future plans with the committee. Review to be attended by at least two faculty members.
• Deadline : To be completed by end of Autumn quarter – 2nd year.
• MS Degree Requirements

See All MS Student Milestone Forms

Ph.D. Student Milestones

See All Ph.D. Student Milestone Forms

Pre-Candidacy Ph.D. Annual Review

• Description :  For 2nd year Ph.D. students. Discuss degree progress and future plans with the advising committee. More information about the advising committee is here:  Geophysics Bulletin
• Deadline :  Must be completed by end of the Autumn quarter – 2nd year.
• Pre Candidacy Ph.D. Annual Review  
• Ph.D. Requirements

Ph.D. Department Qualifying Examination

• Description : Presentation of the proposed research. Details and deadlines are located the  Stanford Bulletin . 
• Qualifying Oral Exam
• Application for Ph.D. Candidacy  
• Post Candidacy Ph.D. Annual Review
• Description : Discuss degree progress and future plans with the advising committee. 
• Deadline : Recommended to be completed no later than Spring quarter of each year. The student’s Ph.D. defense serves as the final year review.
• Ph.D. Degree Requirement Form

Breadth Requirement

• Description : The Breadth Requirement can be met with either secondary research or secondary coursework. More detailed requirements can be found on the  Geophysics Bulletin . The Geophysics Department provides up to $1,000 to be used for the breadth projects.  The funds can be used to support research and to present results. Students should consult with their advisor and secondary research advisor for guidance on funding support.
• Deadline : The requirement must be complete before students go TGR.
• Second Project Form
• Secondary Coursework Breadth option form
• Secondary Research Advising Expectations Agreement

Teaching Assistantship

• Description : The Teaching Assistantship requirement is detailed in the  Geophysics Bulletin . Please notify the Assistant Director of Student Services of TA appointments in order to be assigned to the course. 
• Deadline : Students are required to complete this requirement before TGR status.
• Optional form:  To be completed before the TA-ship:  Teaching assistantship-instructor agreement
• TA Training:  Required before the TA-ship TA-Ship Training  
• TAing for International Students:  International graduate students who wish to be appointed as teaching assistants or course assistants must first be screened by EFS for readiness to use English in a teaching role prior to starting the TA appointment. To make an appointment, a student should  visit the following link  to enter their information and book an appointment directly with  Kristopher Geda . This only needs to be completed prior to the first TA-ship.
• Form:  To be completed after the TA-ship  Teaching Assistantship Certification

Reading Committee

• Description : Details about the reading committee is located on the  Geophysics Bulletin  [under program policies].
• Deadline : Must be completed before approval of TGR status or before scheduling defense. 
• Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee Form
• Certification of Thesis Draft

Terminal Graduate Registration [TGR] Status

• Description : After 135 units and all degree requirements have been met, students can apply for TGR status. A description of TGR status is located  here .
• Deadline : Prior to the first day of classes
• TGR Form located in Axess

Thesis Defense

• Description : The student defends the dissertation before the defense committee and includes an open session. The defense committee is required to have four members plus a chair from another department. The student is advised to meet with the Assistant Director of Student Services a quarter prior to their defense to review a defense checklist. Two weeks before the defense date, the student is required to submit a University Oral Exam form, Certificate of thesis draft form, a defense flyer, and if applicable, a petition for non-academic council member form if any member on the defense committee is a non-academic council member.
• Deadline : When the thesis is completed. Typically during the 5th year.
• University Oral Examination Form , to be completed by the student two weeks in advance. The student is to completely fill out form and indicate each member of their committee.
• Certification of Thesis Draft , to be completed and approved by all committee members two weeks in advance of the defense date.
• If applicable,  Petition for non-academic council member form

Dissertation and Thesis Submission

Please visit the University Registrar page for submission deadlines and preparation for electronic and paper submission. University Registrar  

• Geophysics Graduate Student Handbook
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Geophysics (PH)

View guidelines, important information for proposers.

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Supports laboratory, field, theoretical and computational research on the physics of solid earth, from the surface to the interior of the Earth, exploring composition, structure and processes.

The Geophysics Program supports basic research in the physics of the solid earth to explore its composition, structure, and processes from the Earth's surface to its deepest interior. The program’s disciplinary focus spans geodesy, geodynamics, geomagnetism, heat flow, mineral physics, potential fields, seismology, rock mechanics and deformation. Within these fields, the program encourages a wide range of laboratory, field, theoretical, and/or computational studies, and encourages new methods, approaches and innovative research directions. Research questions the program addresses include but are not limited to 1) understanding geohazards, such as the fundamental geophysical processes underpinning earthquakes, volcanoes and mass flows; 2) crustal and lithospheric structure and dynamics including faulting, subduction, rifting and mountain-building processes; 3) mantle composition, structure, dynamics and evolution; 4) core structure and dynamics, geodynamo, and core-mantle interactions; 5) global and planetary-scale processes, early Earth formation and evolution, isostatic adjustment, and the magnetic field.

Program contacts

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

• Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: [email protected] .

Additional program resources

• Geophysics Program Zoom Webinar Recording (Passcode: #kz%cN0i)

Awards made through this program

Related programs.

• Petrology and Geochemistry (CH)
• Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (CSEDI)
• Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF)
• Marine Geology and Geophysics
• Antarctic Earth Sciences Program
• Faculty Early Career Development Program
• Frontier Research in Earth Sciences (FRES)
• Centers for Innovation and Community Engagement in Solid Earth Geohazards

Organization(s)

• Directorate for Geosciences (GEO)
• Division of Earth Sciences (GEO/EAR)

Geophysics (GP)

Interested in applying to our MS or PhD programs? View presentations from this year's info sessions .

Students in the Geophysics (GP) graduate program study Earth and other planets to advance our fundamental understanding of their origin, composition, and evolution, and explore the implications for life, for the environment, and for society.

The graduate program provides a broad education in the fundamentals of geophysics, alongside research and coursework spanning multiple specializations. Our flexible curriculum and multidisciplinary researchers enable us to welcome graduate students from a diverse range of backgrounds in science and engineering, producing graduates who are well prepared for future careers in academia, industry, or public service.

Our multidisciplinary program offers graduate students a unique hands-on, collaborative learning environment. A core academic curriculum provides the foundation for working on research projects that emphasize observational techniques and the collection of novel datasets linked to testing new theoretical and computational approaches. GP students participate extensively in field experiments, instrument development, laboratory investigations, and shipboard expeditions.

Research in Geophysics

For an overview of the latest geophysics research at Scripps, please see the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics annual report .

For a broader view of Earth Sciences research at Scripps, see the Earth Section annual report .

Faculty and Researchers

• Yehuda Bock
• Adrian Borsa
• Catherine Constable
• Steven Constable
• Wenyuan Fan
• Yuri Fialko
• Helen Amanda Fricker
• Alice Gabriel
• Jeffrey Gee
• Peter Gerstoft
• Jamin Greenbaum
• Jennifer Haase
• Matti Morzfeld
• Ross Parnell-Turner
• David Sandwell
• Peter Shearer
• Dave Stegman
• Vashan Wright

Is our Geophysics graduate program for you?

At Scripps you can enroll for either a PhD or Masters (MS) degree. Many PhD students complete an MS en route to the PhD by completing sufficient units of coursework.

If you missed our annual Pre-Application Virtual Open House on November 16th, you can access the information that was presented that may help you decide what areas of research interest you and answer questions about the application process. Please register  here  and access the presentation  here .

Potential Advisors and Projects for Fall 2024 Admission

The following faculty and research scientists are interested in seeking new students for Fall 2024 intake. If you wish to find out more about their research, please email them individually. If you are not sure what specific area of research you wish to pursue, or have any questions, please email the admissions coordinators, Jennifer Haase at [email protected] for help and guidance.

Yehuda Bock   [email protected] Geodesy, Natural Hazards. Our SOPAC group is application oriented with several research projects that can support students. These include (1) tsunami early warning systems with U.S. and Chilean agencies, (2) machine learning models for detecting transient crustal and atmospheric processes using 30-year GPS displacement and atmospheric delay time series, (3) Integration of radar interferometry and GPS for surface mapping of plate boundary deformation and subsidence due to groundwater extraction (4) Development of a dynamic reference frame for the U.S. National Spatial Reference System maintained by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Projects (3) and (4) are supported by NASA, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Department of Water Resources (DWR), and are in collaboration with Prof. David Sandwell’s research group.

Cathy Constable   [email protected]
 Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism. Projects could include 1) making time varying paleomagnetic field models on time scales from millennia to millions of years; 2) Building stochastic models for geomagnetic  paleosecular variation; 3) Using paleomagnetic observables to improve realism in products of numerical  geodynamo simulations. Website:  igppweb.ucsd.edu/~cathy

Steven Constable [email protected] Marine electromagnetic methods. Projects include the study of offshore groundwater, marine gas hydrate, tectonic plate boundaries, and pretty well any other geological feature found offshore. We collect and interpret our own field data, but the lab is also interested in developing algorithms and software needed for data processing and modeling/inversion of EM data. Website: marineemlab.ucsd.edu c

Wenyuan Fan [email protected] Observational seismology. We focus on seismic sources and use onshore and offshore, dense array seismic observations to investigate earthquakes, slow earthquakes, subduction zone processes, environmental processes, and their interaction and triggering. Website: igppweb.ucsd.edu/~wenyuanfan

Yuri Fialko   [email protected] Space geodesy (InSAR/GNSS), earthquake and volcano deformation, active tectonics, numerical modeling, theoretical and experimental rock mechanics. Potential projects include studies of time-dependent deformation in California, Tibet, and Turkey.  Website:  igppweb.ucsd.edu/~fialko

Alice Gabriel [email protected]  Computational and theoretical seismology. Projects are available which use high-performance computing and physics-based modeling constrained by a multitude of observations. Application areas range from the seismic cycle in subduction zones and tsunami genesis, to strong ground motion scenarios in complicated settings, to induced seismicity. Projects may involve utilising new methods in terms of numerical discretisation, uncertainty quantification, imaging and monitoring. Website: algabriel.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu

Gabi Laske   [email protected] Observational seismology. Research projects typically cover aspects of structural seismology. Primary targets are the measurement and tomographic modeling of surface wave dispersion in combination with other seismic observables. Our research projects often involve the collection and analysis of ocean bottom seismic data in the Pacific ocean. A new project is the OHANA project that focuses on the seismic imaging of 4-50 Myr old Pacific lithosphere halfway between Hawaii and California. Website:  igppweb.ucsd.edu/~gabi

Ross Parnell-Turner   [email protected] Marine geophysics. Projects include 1) studying how the Iceland mantle plume controls seafloor uplift and oceanic circulation using reflection seismic and deep sea drilling data; 2) investigating volcanic eruption cycles on fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges; and 3) exploring how oceanic plate spreading is accommodated by slip on low-angle detachment faults. We collect data at sea and develop numerical models; methods include passive microearthquake monitoring, reflection seismology, and seafloor mapping using autonomous robots. Website:  rosspt.weebly.com

David Sandwell [email protected] Geodynamics, space geodesy, global seafloor mapping. We are improving the accuracy and spatial resolution of the marine gravity field using data from satellite radar altimeters inclusing the new SWOT altimeter. The improved marine gravity is important for exploring unknown tectonics in the deep oceans as well as revealing thousands of uncharted seamounts. In addition, we are developing methods to combine the high accuracy of point GPS time series with the high spatial resolution from radar interferometry to measure interseismic velocity along the San Andreas Fault system associated with earthquake hazard.  Several faculty at IGPP were recently funded by the National Geodetic Survey to train graduate students in the  broad field of Geodesy.  These fellowships are open to both U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens. Website: https://topex.ucsd.edu

Peter Shearer [email protected] Seismology. Peter Shearer may have funding to support a student to study earthquakes and/or Earth structure. Website: https://igppweb.ucsd.edu/~shearer/mahi

Adam Young   [email protected] Coastal hazards, processes, and geomorphology. We use field based and remote sensing instrumentation to quantify coastal processes and change, and evaluate how coastal change impacts society. Example research topics include coastal erosion, coastal cliffs, beach morphology, coastal sediment, sediment budgets, and anthropogenic influences on the coastal system. Website: https://adyoung.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu

Requirements for GRADUATE Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the PhD program , a major in physics, mathematics, or earth sciences is recommended. GRE scores are not required for Fall 2024 admission.

There are various application fee waiver programs offered by the UC San Diego Graduate Division . Please inquire with [email protected] .

GP Applicant evaluation Criteria

Factors which we use to evaluate applicants include, but are not limited to, (1) Academic Preparation; (2) Scholarly potential; (3) Diversity, equity, and inclusion contributions; (4) Alignment with the program; (5) Realistic self-appraisal; and (6) Long-term goals.

Applicants should ensure that they represent themselves accurately with the best possible information in all of the above areas . The admissions committee will consider all aspects of the application including the statement of purpose, transcripts, balance of coursework, letters of recommendation, and responses to optional questions about additional experiences. GRE scores may be included if you wish, and may serve as part of our holistic review, but they are not required. Please inquire with [email protected] .

For full consideration, please submit applications by December 6, 2023 . Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Financial Support

All PhD applicants are considered for financial support. Student support during the first year may come from a variety of sources including external or departmental fellowships and research grants. More information about funding can be found here .

Additional Information

• A list of current GP graduate students .
• Graduate student handbooks .

Program of Study for PhD

Students are admitted to the GP curricular group within the Geosciences of the Earth, Oceans, and Planets (GEO) Program based on their interests and the affiliations of their adviser. Each student is assigned a first year advisory committee, comprising their primary advisor and the three person GP departmental committee. Although students may change curricular groups in the course of the year, they must choose which departmental exam they will take. Departmental exams have similar structures among the curricular groups within GEO (a written exam at the end of spring quarter of their first year and an oral exam before the beginning of fall quarter of their second year).

Students are encouraged to begin a research project from the beginning and typically do not hold teaching assistant positions during their first year. Students may change advisers during their first year, but it is important for them to find an adviser by the end of the first year so that they are ready to work on research over the summer and develop a thesis proposal during their second and third years. Students are normally expected to present this proposal at their qualifying exam by the end of their third year.

No single course of study is appropriate to every student in the geophysics curricular group: instead, there is a sequence of foundational classes that each student is expected to complete successfully during the first year, together with a three-quarter seminar sequence on Geophysical Research Skills.

The foundational classes include:

Additional graduate class electives or research units (SIO299) under the guidance of a specific instructor provide a minimum of 12 units/quarter required for full-time study. Electives should be chosen from the broad range of available topics in consultation with the first-year guidance committee and the student’s advisor to provide breadth of expertise and to support the individual interests of the student. Some students will find it useful to take courses offered by other curricular groups across Scripps or by other departments on UCSD General campus.

The content of the foundational courses combined with the research skills acquired during the first year seminar forms the basis for the written departmental examination. A list of graduate classes offered by the GP faculty is provided below.

Students are also encouraged to attend Geophysics and Earth Section seminars for exposure to a broad range of geophysical research topics.

Program of Study for MS

The geophysics master’s degree provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of geophysics for students intending to pursue professional positions in government, industry, or nonprofit organizations or to apply to PhD programs. Two different degree options are available:

MS Plan—Thesis

This plan combines course work and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A minimum of thirty-six units of credit is required: twenty-two units are expected from Foundational Courses (see below); and twelve units of research work (SIO299) lead to the thesis. Students should contact a thesis adviser and co-adviser prior to, or as part of, the application process. Students are rarely accepted into the program without this prior consultation. This two-member faculty committee, in consultation with the student and the Geophysics Curriculum Advisor, will select the courses and research topic to be completed in two years or less.

Foundational classes:

• SIOG 200 A/B/C Geophysics Research Skills: Geophysics 1 st year seminar (2 units/ quarter)
• SIOG 223A Geophysical Data Analysis I (4 units)
• SIOG 223B. Geophysical Data Analysis II (4 units)
• SIOG 225. Physics of Earth Materials (4 units)
• SIOG 234. Geodynamics (4 units)
• SIOG 221. Plate Tectonics in Practice (4 units)
• SIOG 222. Introduction to Industry Reflection Seismic Methods (4 units)
• SIOG 224. Internal Constitution of the Earth (4 units)
• SIOG 227A. Introduction to Seismology (4 units)
• SIOG 227B. Structural Seismology (4 units)
• SIOG 227C. Seismological Sources (4 units)
• SIOG 228. MS Research Seminar for students in contiguous BS/MS programs
• SIOG 229. Fundamentals of Gravity and Geodesy (4 units)
• SIOG 230. Introduction to Inverse Theory (4 units)
• SIOG 231. Geomagnetism and Electromagnetism (4 units)
• SIOG 232. Ethical and Professional Science (2 units)
• SIOG 233. Introduction to Computing (4 units)
• SIOG 236. Satellite Remote Sensing (4 units)
• SIOG 238. Numerical Methods for PDEs (4 units)
• SIOG 239. Special Topics in Geophysics (4 units)
• SIOG 240. Marine Geology (4 units)
• SIOG 247. Rock Magnetism and Paleomagnetism (4 units)

Potential Upper Division UG Electives (if appropriate):

• SIO 105. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4 units)
• SIO 110. Introduction to GIS and GPS for Scientists (4 units)
• SIO 113. Introduction to Computational Earth Science (4 units)
• SIO 160. Introduction to Tectonics (4 units)
• SIO 161. Seismology (4 units)
• SIO 162. Structural Geology (4 units)
• SIO 182A. Environmental and Exploration Geophysics (4 units)

Emeritus Faculty and Researchers

• Duncan Agnew
• Catherine Degroot-Hedlin
• Leroy Dorman
• Alistair Harding
• Michael Hedlin
• Guy Masters
• Jean-Bernard Minster
• John Orcutt
• Hubert Staudigel
• Frank Vernon
• Mark Zumberge

Imperial College London Imperial College London

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• Resource Geophysics Academy
• Research groups

PhD Opportunities

Phd opportunities at resource geophysics academy.

There are multiple scholarships available immediately. Full PhD scholarship covers:

• overseas student fees
• bursaries for living in London

The PhD studies will focus on innovative and cutting-edge research on both geophysical theory and application. The PhD students will conduct research on subsurface structures, their geophysical responses, and how to use geophysical data for understanding and detecting such structures.

The academy currently has vacancies for 2024 entries.

Application Information

Entry requirements, who should apply.

Successful applicants will have a strong background in some of the following areas:

• Applied mathematics;
• Computational skill;
• Engineering physics;
• Computing physics;
• Programming skill such as C.

Entry requirements

Applicants are required to meet the academic entry requirement  of Imperial College London. Applicants are required to meet the standard  English language requirement.

How to apply

Make an application.

To apply for a studentship at the Resource Geophysics Academy (RGA), please follow these steps:

Before you apply:

Please see the selection criteria and entry requirements  for Postgraduate Research (including academic criteria and language criteria) before beginning your application.

Choose your research area: 

The “proposed research topic” can be either proposed by the applicant or selected from Department of Earth Science and Engineering PhD opportunities . Please send your CV and transcripts to  [email protected] . We will then get in touch to further discuss your background, experience, and research interests together with your potential supervisor.

Draft your application:

You may send the draft application and research proposal to us for comments and suggestions before the final online submission.

Apply online: via the Imperial College Online Application Portal .

Supporting documents

• Valid English test result, which meets Imperial College’s  English language requirement ;
• Research proposal;
• CV (please include full educational background dated back to high-school);
• Academic transcript(s);
• A list of referees (at least two and at least one from your undergraduate studies).

For further queries, please contact us at  [email protected]

• Schools & departments

Geology and Geophysics PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Geology and Geophysics

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

View sessions and register

Research profile

This programme draws on the expertise of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Research Institute, which brings together over 100 researchers united by a drive to understand the composition, structure and history of the Earth, as well as the processes which continue to shape the world in which we live.

Research expertise

The breadth of our expertise, ranging across Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry and Geodynamics, allows us to lead the way in developing innovative interdisciplinary solutions to the biggest questions in Earth Science, allowing us to understand how the subsurface works, from atoms to plates and on timescales from seconds to billions of years.

Research techniques

A great attraction of the institute’s work is the diversity of techniques we employ, including fieldwork, satellite imaging, laboratory studies and numerical computation. When not in Edinburgh, our staff are to be found all over the world, measuring seismic tremors to predict volcanic eruptions, drilling into the seafloor to recover the sediments which will unlock the secrets of ancient climates or finding dinosaur footprints at home in Scotland.

Research topics

Our subject is much more than an intellectual challenge; many of the greatest challenges facing humanity require Earth Science for their solution. Our scientists are leading the way in developing solutions in fields such as clean energy, natural hazards and climate change. This is reflected in our success in attracting research funding from both government and industry sources.

Research community

As a research student you will have the opportunity to engage fully with our scientific community. We host a weekly seminar series alongside smaller research group meetings. Every year we hold an institute symposium at which we present the latest results and discuss the next great challenges to be tackled.

Training and support

As a postgraduate research student at Edinburgh, you have access to an exceptionally wide range of training courses offered by the many interdisciplinary researchers across the School of GeoSciences, and more broadly across the university.

You will receive guidance both from your supervisory team and the postgraduate research office on appropriate training specific to your research needs and requirements. Additionally, an academic advisor, separate from your direct supervisory team, is always available to help support you and track your progress and welfare throughout your research degree.

Professional development opportunities

Multiple professional development opportunities are available to you throughout your studies to develop your transferable skills, including:

• Communicating ideas to the public, e.g. 3-Minute Thesis competition, annual PGR Conference
• Project Management
• Teaching on the School’s undergraduate programmes in Earth Sciences, Ecological & Environmental Sciences, and Geography

Read more about the training and support offered by:

Careers Service

Institute for Academic Development (IAD)

Facilities are an essential asset for our research and teaching. GeoSciences has a full range of laboratory, field and workshop facilities, all of which are available to postgraduate students. These extend from facilities for sample preparation and mineralogical, physical and inorganic and organic chemical analysis of rock, soil, plant, water and gaseous samples, to state-of-the-art research facilities.

National facilities

The School hosts and manages a number of national facilities on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC):

• Ion Microprobe Facility
• Geophysical Equipment Facility
• Field Spectroscopy Facility.

Our facilities' technical and research staff provide training to students and help them identify the most relevant methods for their research projects or develop new techniques.

Instruments

The SEM, electron probe micro-analyser and secondary ion mass spectrometry instruments enable imaging, chemical and isotopic analysis of solid materials to 1 micron resolution.

Our X-ray µCT instrument enables 3D and 4D imaging of natural materials and experiments.

The Cosmogenic Nuclide Facility enables isotopic analysis of rocks and sediments to understand landscape evolution.

Our Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Laser Ablation facility enables high precision elemental and simultaneous isotope ion analyses for a wide range of liquid and solid materials. Results from this may be coupled with those from the Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry facility to understand oceanic and biogeochemical responses to past and current climate change.

UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC)

GeoSciences also hosts the UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC) laboratory and pyrolysis facilities which produce the “UKBRC Standard Biochars”, a set of research-grade biochars now used by over 100 research groups worldwide.

Airborne Research and Innovation

In addition to ground-based field instrumentation and our boat for work in rivers, lakes and coasts, Airborne Research and Innovation boasts an Eco Diamond HK36 small aircraft and UAVs supporting research in:

• atmospheric chemistry
• micrometeorology
• forest studies
• geomorphology
• agricultural science
• archaeology
• palaeontology

Computing facilities

Computing-intensive research in geographic information systems (GIS), meteorological and climate modelling, geophysics, and analysis of space and satellite data, is supported by access to our in-house GIS suite and software licences, and the Edinburgh Computer and Data Facility parallel computing and DataStore facilities. Specialist training for research staff and students in using these facilities and in High Performance Computing is provided by Information Services and the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre.

National and international facilities

Complementing our in-house facilities, GeoSciences research students and staff have access to national and international supercomputing, laboratory, experimental and field facilities. We are regular visitors to X-ray synchrotron facilities in Europe and the USA for research on many themes.

Finally, and as you might expect, one of our most important facilities is planet earth itself. Our students and staff use field stations and facilities worldwide for research projects in the Antarctic, Arctic and tropics, on research ships in the world’s oceans, through aircraft sampling the atmosphere and via remote sensing data from satellites.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a related subject.

We may also consider your application if you have other qualifications or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Additional programme costs.

Additional programme costs are normally £1,000 minimum (for full-time students). These costs might be higher depending on the requirements of your specific project.

Tuition fees

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

• E4 Doctoral Training Partnership

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Postgraduate Research Office
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 5422
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of GeoSciences
• Grant Institute
• The King's Buildings Campus
• Programme: Geology and Geophysics
• School: GeoSciences
• College: Science & Engineering

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Geology and Geophysics - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd geology and geophysics - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

You must apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

Please see our step-by-step guide to applying for a research degree in the School of GeoSciences. Applications that do not follow application guidelines will be placed on hold and eventually rejected as incomplete:

• Application process

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY PhD Project Proposal Option: Mineral Exploration Supervisors: GEOLOGIC CONTEXT AND CHARACTERISATION OF GOLD INDICES AT MEYO ESSA-BIKULA; EBOLOWA SANGMELIMA (South-Cameroun

The main aim of this study is to investigate the geology, genesis, and age of the Mayo Essa-Bikula Gold in the southern Region of Cameroon using morphological, geochemical and geochronological methods. Artisanal gold mining carried out in the Mayo Essa-Bikula region, despite the lack of geological information on its subject, has an economic importance in the fight against poverty in the region. To examine the gold-bearing characteristics (source, morphology) of Mayo Essa-Bikula, field investigations and laboratory work will be carried out. The field investigation will be focused on the geology of the mineralization, both at the local and regional scale. The geological information will give an idea on the nature of the gold host rocks, mineralogy and mode of occurrence in the host rocks if primary indices will be identified. On the other hand, structural geology will allow the understanding of the structural control of mineralization at the local scale. Other field observations will be based on soil profile descriptions to determine the depth and thickness of ore and prudent to sampling of the gold grains gravel, associates of heavy minerals and other minerals of quality gem like Garnet and Amethyst quartz that have been reported in this area. Laboratory investigations will be focused on the petrography, detrital mineral morphology, geochemistry and geochronology. Petrographic analysis will be enabled by the fabrication of thin sections from host rocks for microscopic observations in the University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. Morphological analysis will be done in the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon; whereby each gold grain will be classified with respect to its colour, gain size, type of fracture, shape, and form (degree of roundness). These observations will enable the determination the proximal or distal origins. Geochemical analysis to be done on both fresh rock samples and gold grains will be based on major, rare earth elements and trace elements using Laser Ablation- Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), which will reveal the concentration in trace elements like Fe, Ga, Mg, Ti, V, Cr, Ni etc in the gold, and the ratios of Ga/Mg with respect to Fe concentration, will be calculated in order to determine whether these gold are magmatic or metamorphic in origin. Geochronology will be done by U-Pd isotope dating the gold host rocks using Laser Ablation- Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), this will permit the determination of the age of the primary source of gold. Key words: Gold, geology, morphology, geochemistry, geochronology, Mayo Essa-Bikula, South Cameroon.

Related Papers

Primus Tamfuh

A review of the current state of knowledge on gold mineralisation in Benin Republic, West Africa

Dr. NGUIMATSIA DONGMO Franck Wilfried

Gold in Benin occurs as primary and alluvial forms in various deposits and occurrences. The mineralisation has a regional distribution covering, in particular, the Atacora area (Natitingou) and the regions of Bembèrèkè, Djougou and Dunkassa which are between the 9th and 11th parallel north. The data collected during previous work allow us to recognise the main style of primary gold as being quartz-vein hosted. This style occurs principally in quartzite, mica schist, schist and amphibolite lithologies, outcropping in the criss-crossing of the faults and the rugged relief. The mineralised veins are milky, deformed and gold is associated with sulphides and tourmaline. In these veins, gold exhibits three forms: free native metal, tellurides, and combined or included in sulphides. These gold-bearing quartz veins would proceed from hydrothermal solutions related to granitic mass. Classical characteristics available about the primary gold mineralisation in Bénin are inadequate to better clarify its geodynamic context. However, it has some similarities with deposits of the Precambrian terranes in adjacent countries (Pourra deposit in Burkina Faso and Kalana deposit in Mali) which are characterised by epigenetic gold deposits in Precambrian metamorphic terranes. Also, the vein gold of Bénin are mostly located in Precambrian metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic formations ; these could also have the epigenetic disseminated gold style like in some West African deposits (Ashanti deposit).

kevin Azeuda

The Bétaré Oya district has a substrate composed of the Neoproterozoic metavolcanic-metasedimentary rocks of the Lom Belt in eastern Cameroon. The district is well-known for alluvial gold mining activities, however, the primary gold mineralization has received little attention. In the current study, we newly report geological, ore mineralogy, fluid inclusion microthermometric, laser Raman spectroscopy, and stable isotope data from auriferous veins of the Lom Belt to characterize the style of gold mineralization and to constrain the origin of the oreforming fluids. The auriferous quartz veins are laminated, fractured, N-to NE-trending, and spatially associated with the Bétaré Oya Shear Zone. Fieldwork coupled with microscopic examination and the textural relationships of ore minerals revealed two stages of mineralization. The first stage is characterized by the presence of pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, hematite, petzite, hessite, wolframite, electrum, and gold, while the second stage is characterized by the presence of a later deposition of galena and pyrite, as well as minor greenockite. The gangue minerals are quartz, sericite, muscovite, chlorite, calcite, ankerite, and barite, whereas the supergene assemblage (stage 3) includes goethite, hematite, covellite, and enargite. Two fluid inclusion assemblages containing three types of inclusions are identified in mineralized quartz veins. Assemblage 1 consists of gold-related types 1 and 2 with daughter minerals consisting of nahcolite, magnesite, and arsenolamprite (black native arsenic), whereas assemblage 2 consists of post-gold type 3 fluid inclusions. Type 1 has H 2 O-NaCl-CO 2 ± N 2 ± CH 4 primary fluid inclusions (FI), with a Tm CO2 ranging from − 59.8 to − 56.6 • C, salinities from 0.5 to 10.8 wt% NaCl eq., densities from 0.87 to 1.00 g.cm − 3 , and total homogenization temperatures between 280 and 360 • C. Type 2 contains CO 2 (±H 2 O-NaCl) ± N 2 ± CH 4 FI that exhibit Tm CO2 ranging between − 60.0 and − 56.7 • C, Th CO2 from 13 to 25 • C, and densities between 0.73 and 0.85 g.cm − 3. Type 3 shows H 2 O-NaCl FI with salinities between 0.2 and 10.1 wt% NaCl eq., densities between 0.82 and 0.98 g.cm − 3 , and total homogenization temperatures from 160 to 235 • C. Measured δ 18 O for gold-bearing quartz (+11.5 to +16.0‰), δD from FI (− 50.6 to − 21.8‰), δ 13 C from FI (− 5.8 to − 5.5‰), and δ 34 S from galena and pyrite grains (+5.3‰ and +8.2‰, respectively) suggest a metamorphic source as most likely for the ore-forming fluids and sulfur, although a mantle CO 2 contribution cannot be ruled out. The gold deposition probably took place by fluid-rock interaction and fluid unmixing at ~310 • C and at a depth of about 6-9 km. The ore-forming fluid was a low salinity (~6.2 wt% NaCl eq.) H 2 O-NaCl-CO 2 ± N 2 ± CH 4 solution. These data revealed that the Lom Belt gold mineralization is best classified as a mesozonal orogenic gold deposit.

Elisha Shemang

Open Journal of Geology

Christopher Agyingi

Open Journal of geology

Boniface Kankeu

Microchemical characterization of placer gold grains from the Meyos- Essabikoula area, Ntem complex, southern Cameroon

Gold occurs as a native metal, usually containing silver, and in some cases mercury, copper, and palladium. It may also occur as inclusions within sulfur-rich minerals, such as pyrite and arsenopyrite. The style and variety of gold mineralization is influenced by the geological setting, chemistry of the ore fluids, and the nature of their interactions with rocks. Gold grains liberated from bedrock into surficial sediments during weathering and erosion are chemically stable and may be characterized according to their mineralogy: i.e the alloy composition and suite of mineral inclusions revealed within polished sections, characteristics faithful to gold from the hypogene source. This approach has been applied to placer gold grains from the Meyos-Essabikoula area, Cameroon, where the source of gold is not yet confirmed due to poor outcrop exposure. A total of 221 alluvial gold grains from 10 sites, tributaries of Sing and Bivele River over the Ntem Complex have been studied using Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EMPA) to determine the concentration of minor alloying metals, (notably Au, Ag, Cu, and Hg) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in order to evaluate the assemblage of mineral inclusions within the gold. Most of the grains are sub-rounded with pitted surfaces and inclusions of pyrrhotite, acanthite, and chalcopyrite were observed. The grains are AueAg alloys ranging from 54.4 to 99.8 wt% Au, 0.1-48.4 wt% Ag, 0.1-0.8 wt% Hg and 0-0.3 wt% Cu. The presence of Fe oxide (magnetite) inclusions containing Cr and V (to around 5 wt %) has not been reported elsewhere and suggests a strong interaction between hot reducing ore fluids and local mafic lithologies.

Journal of Geographic Information System

BISSEGUE Jean Claude

Journal of African Earth Sciences

saga sawadogo

Research Square (Research Square)

EMMANUEL ESEYA MENGU JUNIOR

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Prospective students, research in geophysics.

For an overview of the latest geophysics research at Scripps, please see the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics annual report .  For a broader view of Earth Sciences research at Scripps, see the Earth Section annual report .

Faculty and Researchers in GP Curricular Group

• Yehuda Bock
• Adrian Borsa
• Catherine Constable
• Steven Constable
• Wenyuan Fan
• Yuri Fialko
• Helen Amanda Fricker
• Alice Gabriel
• Jeffrey Gee
• Peter Gerstoft
• Jamin Greenbaum
• Jennifer Haase
• Matti Morzfeld
• Ross Parnell-Turner
• David Sandwell
• Peter Shearer
• Dave Stegman
• Vashan Wright

Information for the Geophysics PhD and Master’s degree programs

Students in the Geophysics (GP) graduate program study Earth and other planets to advance our fundamental understanding of their origin, composition, and evolution, and explore the implications for life, for the environment, and for society.

The graduate program provides a broad education in the fundamentals of geophysics, alongside research and coursework spanning multiple specializations. Our flexible curriculum and multidisciplinary researchers enable us to welcome graduate students from a diverse range of backgrounds in science and engineering, producing graduates who are well prepared for future careers in academia, industry, or public service.

Our multidisciplinary program offers graduate students a unique hands-on, collaborative learning environment. A core academic curriculum provides the foundation for working on research projects that emphasize observational techniques and the collection of novel datasets linked to testing new theoretical and computational approaches. GP students participate extensively in field experiments, instrument development, laboratory investigations, and shipboard expeditions. Many students take advantage of the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant at some point during the course of their degrees.

Is our Geophysics graduate program for you?

At Scripps you can enroll for either a PhD or Masters (MS) degree. Many PhD students complete an MS en route to the PhD by completing sufficient units of coursework. 

If you missed our annual Pre-Application Virtual Open House on November 16th, you can access the information that was presented that may help you decide what areas of research interest you and answer questions about the application process. Please register here and access the presentations here .

Potential Advisors and Projects for Fall 2024 Admission

The following faculty and research scientists are interested in seeking new students for Fall 2024 intake. If you wish to find out more about their research, please email them individually. If you are not sure what specific area of research you wish to pursue, or have any questions, please email the admissions coordinators,  Jennifer Haase  at [email protected] for help and guidance.

Yehuda Bock   [email protected] Geodesy, Natural Hazards. Our SOPAC group is application oriented with several research projects that can support students. These include (1) tsunami early warning systems with U.S. and Chilean agencies, (2) machine learning models for detecting transient crustal and atmospheric processes using 30-year GPS displacement and atmospheric delay time series, (3) Integration of radar interferometry and GPS for surface mapping of plate boundary deformation and subsidence due to groundwater extraction (4) Development of a dynamic reference frame for the U.S. National Spatial Reference System maintained by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Projects (3) and (4) are supported by NASA, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Department of Water Resources (DWR), and are in collaboration with Prof. David Sandwell’s research group.

Cathy Constable   [email protected]
 Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism. Projects could include 1) making time varying paleomagnetic field models on time scales from millennia to millions of years; 2) Building stochastic models for geomagnetic  paleosecular variation; 3) Using paleomagnetic observables to improve realism in products of numerical  geodynamo simulations. Website: igppweb.ucsd.edu/~cathy

Steven Constable   [email protected] Marine electromagnetic methods. Projects include the study of offshore groundwater, marine gas hydrate, tectonic plate boundaries, and pretty well any other geological feature found offshore. We collect and interpret our own field data, but the lab is also interested in developing algorithms and software needed for data processing and modeling/inversion of EM data. Website:  marineemlab.ucsd.edu

Wenyuan Fan   [email protected] Observational seismology. We focus on seismic sources and use onshore and offshore, dense array seismic observations to investigate earthquakes, slow earthquakes, subduction zone processes, environmental processes, and their interaction and triggering. Website: igppweb.ucsd.edu/~wenyuanfan

Yuri Fialko   [email protected] Space geodesy (InSAR/GNSS), earthquake and volcano deformation, active tectonics, numerical modeling, theoretical and experimental rock mechanics. Potential projects include studies of time-dependent deformation in California, Tibet, and Turkey. Website:  igppweb.ucsd.edu/~fialko

Alice Gabriel   [email protected]   Computational and theoretical seismology. Projects are available which use high-performance computing and physics-based modeling constrained by a multitude of observations. Application areas range from the seismic cycle in subduction zones and tsunami genesis, to strong ground motion scenarios in complicated settings, to induced seismicity. Projects may involve utilising new methods in terms of numerical discretisation, uncertainty quantification, imaging and monitoring. Website:  scripps.ucsd.edu/profiles/algabriel

Gabi Laske   [email protected] Observational seismology. Research projects typically cover aspects of structural seismology.  Primary targets are the measurement and tomographic modeling of surface wave dispersion in  combination with other seismic observables. Our research projects often involve the collection and analysis of ocean bottom seismic data in the Pacific ocean. A new project  is the OHANA project that focuses on the seismic imaging of 4-50 Myr old Pacific lithosphere  halfway between Hawaii and California. Website: igppweb.ucsd.edu/~gabi

Ross Parnell-Turner [email protected] Marine geophysics. Projects include 1) studying how the Iceland mantle plume controls seafloor uplift and oceanic circulation using reflection seismic and deep sea drilling data; 2) investigating volcanic eruption cycles on fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges; and 3) exploring how oceanic plate spreading is accommodated by slip on low-angle detachment faults. We collect data at sea and develop numerical models; methods include passive microearthquake monitoring, reflection seismology, and seafloor mapping using autonomous robots. Website: rosspt.weebly.com

David Sandwell   [email protected] Geodynamics, space geodesy, global seafloor mapping. We are improving the accuracy and spatial resolution of the marine gravity field using data from satellite radar altimeters inclusing the new SWOT altimeter. The improved marine gravity is important for exploring unknown tectonics in the deep oceans as well as revealing thousands of uncharted seamounts. In addition, we are developing methods to combine the high accuracy of point GPS time series with the high spatial resolution from radar interferometry to measure interseismic velocity along the San Andreas Fault system associated with earthquake hazard.  Several faculty at IGPP were recently funded by the National Geodetic Survey to train graduate students in the  broad field of Geodesy.  These fellowships are open to both U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens. Website: https://topex.ucsd.edu

Peter Shearer   [email protected] Seismology. Peter Shearer may have funding to support a student to study earthquakes and/or Earth structure. Website: https://igppweb.ucsd.edu/~shearer/mahi/

Adam Young   [email protected] Coastal hazards, processes, and geomorphology. We use field based and remote sensing instrumentation to quantify coastal processes and change, and evaluate how coastal change impacts society. Example research topics include coastal erosion, coastal cliffs, beach morphology, coastal sediment, sediment budgets, and anthropogenic influences on the coastal system. Website: https://adyoung.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu

Requirements for Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the PhD program , a major in physics, mathematics, or earth sciences is recommended.  GRE scores are not required for Fall 2024 admission.

There are various application fee waiver programs offered by the UC San Diego Graduate Division . Please inquire with [email protected] .

GP Applicant evaluation Criteria

Factors which we use to evaluate applicants include, but are not limited to, (1) Academic Preparation; (2) Scholarly potential; (3) Diversity, equity, and inclusion contributions; (4) Alignment with the program; (5) Realistic self-appraisal; and (6) Long-term goals.

Applicants should ensure that they represent themselves accurately with the best possible information in all of the above areas. The admissions committee will consider all aspects of the application including the statement of purpose, transcripts, balance of coursework, letters of recommendation, and responses to optional questions about additional experiences. GRE scores may be included if you wish, and may serve as part of our holistic review, but they are not required. Please inquire with [email protected] .

For full consideration, please submit applications by December 6, 2023 . Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Financial Support

All PhD applicants are considered for financial support. Student support during the first year may come from a variety of sources including external or departmental fellowships and research grants.  More information about funding can be found here . 

Additional Information

• A list of current GP graduate students .
• Graduate student handbooks .

Program of Study for PhD

Students are admitted to the GP curricular group within the Geosciences of the Earth, Oceans, and Planets (GEO) Program based on their interests and the affiliations of their adviser. Each student is assigned a first year advisory committee, comprising their primary advisor and the three person GP departmental committee. Although students may change curricular groups in the course of the year, they must choose which departmental exam they will take. Departmental exams have similar structures among the curricular groups within GEO (a written exam at the end of spring quarter of their first year and an oral exam before the beginning of fall quarter of their second year).

Students are encouraged to begin a research project from the beginning and typically do not hold teaching assistant positions during their first year. Students may change advisers during their first year, but it is important for them to find an adviser by the end of the first year so that they are ready to work on research over the summer and develop a thesis proposal during their second and third years. Students are normally expected to present this proposal at their qualifying exam by the end of their third year.

No single course of study is appropriate to every student in the geophysics curricular group: instead, there is a sequence of foundational classes that each student is expected to complete successfully during the first year, together with a three-quarter seminar sequence on Geophysical Research Skills. Additional graduate class electives or research units (SIO299) under the guidance of a specific instructor provide a minimum of 12 units/quarter required for full-time study. Electives should be chosen from the broad range of available topics in consultation with the first-year guidance committee and the student’s advisor to provide breadth of expertise and to support the individual interests of the student. Some students will find it useful to take courses offered by other curricular groups across Scripps or by other departments on UCSD General campus.

The content of the foundational courses combined with the research skills acquired during the first year seminar forms the basis for the written departmental examination. A list of graduate classes offered by the GP faculty is provided below.

Students are also encouraged to attend Geophysics and Earth Section seminars for exposure to a broad range of geophysical research topics.

Program of Study for MS

The geophysics master’s degree provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of geophysics for students intending to pursue professional positions in government, industry, or nonprofit organizations or to apply to PhD programs. Two different degree options are available:

MS Plan I—Thesis

This plan combines course work and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A minimum of thirty-six units of credit is required: twenty-two units are expected from Foundational Courses (see below); and twelve units of research work (SIO299) lead to the thesis. Students should contact a thesis adviser and co-adviser prior to, or as part of, the application process. Students are rarely accepted into the program without this prior consultation. This two-member faculty committee, in consultation with the student and the Geophysics Curriculum Advisor, will select the courses and research topic to be completed in two years or less.

MS Plan II—Comprehensive Exam

This course of study is intended to be completed in a single year and requires a minimum of thirty-six credit units. Twenty-two units are expected from the Foundational Group and the remaining twelve units will be selected in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and geophysics departmental committee. Students must pass a written comprehensive examination at the end of the spring quarter of the first year, which will cover material in the foundational course work.

Foundational classes:

• SIOG 200 A/B/C Geophysics Research Skills: Geophysics 1 st year seminar (2 units/ quarter)
• SIOG 223A Geophysical Data Analysis I (4 units)
• SIOG 223B. Geophysical Data Analysis II (4 units)
• SIOG 225. Physics of Earth Materials (4 units)
• SIOG 234. Geodynamics (4 units)
• SIOG 221. Plate Tectonics in Practice (4 units)
• SIOG 222. Introduction to Industry Reflection Seismic Methods (4 units)
• SIOG 224. Internal Constitution of the Earth (4 units)
• SIOG 227A. Introduction to Seismology (4 units)
• SIOG 227B. Structural Seismology (4 units)
• SIOG 227C. Seismological Sources (4 units)
• SIOG 228. MS Research Seminar for students in contiguous BS/MS programs
• SIOG 229. Fundamentals of Gravity and Geodesy (4 units)
• SIOG 230. Introduction to Inverse Theory (4 units)
• SIOG 231. Geomagnetism and Electromagnetism (4 units)
• SIOG 232. Ethical and Professional Science (2 units)
• SIOG 233. Introduction to Computing (4 units)
• SIOG 236. Satellite Remote Sensing (4 units)
• SIOG 238. Numerical Methods for PDEs (4 units)
• SIOG 239. Special Topics in Geophysics (4 units)
• SIOG 240. Marine Geology (4 units)
• SIOG 247. Rock Magnetism and Paleomagnetism (4 units)

Potential Upper Division UG Electives (if appropriate):

• SIO 105. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4 units)
• SIO 110. Introduction to GIS and GPS for Scientists (4 units)
• SIO 113. Introduction to Computational Earth Science (4 units)
• SIO 160. Introduction to Tectonics (4 units)
• SIO 161. Seismology (4 units)
• SIO 162. Structural Geology (4 units)
• SIO 182A. Environmental and Exploration Geophysics (4 units)

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics    > Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences    > Geophysics, PhD

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS) offers a wide range of courses leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics. A wide variety of electives allows concentration in areas such as exploration, geotechnical, or environmental geophysics, solid earth geophysics, petroleum exploration, marine geophysics, earthquake seismology, and geodynamics. The typical student pursuing this degree is interested in geophysics and has a good background in the geosciences, mathematics, physics, and computing. Graduates will typically pursue careers with resource companies, geophysical service companies, various federal, state, and local government agencies, in the financial sector, or in education/academia.

For more information, please visit: http://www.uh.edu/nsm/earth-atmospheric/graduate/degree-programs/phd-geophysics/ .

Admission Requirements

• Applicant will have earned a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree
• Scores from the General GRE examination taken in the last 5 years are optional (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing; advanced GRE is recommended but optional)
• English language proficiency test scores, such as TOEFL or IELTS scores must be provided by applicants who did not earn a prior degree from a US institution or a country where English is the medium of instruction (see list in the  General Admission Policy   ).

Visit  http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/international-students/ to learn more.

The admissions committee and the department chair will evaluate the credentials of each applicant for the PhD program, considering a broad range of criteria, including:

• Content of the undergraduate program and, if applicable, graduate programs and grades earned, particularly in the areas of Geosciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 hours of course work
• Letters of recommendation from three (3) individuals (preferably faculty members), who are able to judge the candidate’s academic abilities and potential for scholarly research.
• GRE scores, if submitted (see above).
• English proficiency test scores, when applicable.
• Scientific, professional, technical publications, and Master’s Thesis (if applicable).

In addition to these requirements, graduate admission may also be contingent upon a faculty advisor agreeing to supervise the applicant.  Therefore, prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty members in the applicant’s field of interest prior to the application deadline.

Deficiencies

Candidates in the Geophysics PhD program must demonstrate general proficiency in mathematics, physics, and geology. Some graduate courses explicitly require prerequisite courses.

The department will determine what deficiencies -if any - are present, and the acceptable means of removing those deficiencies (e.g. course work within and/or outside the department, directed study, research papers). Waivers of requirements will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants with a few deficiencies can satisfy those requirements while also taking graduate courses at the University of Houston. 

Degree Requirements

• All doctoral students must have a minimum of one continuous academic year (two terms (Fall/Spring or Spring/Summer/Fall)) as a full‐time student which consists of 9.0 Credit Hours per term.
• A student working on a dissertation must be continuously enrolled in a minimum of 3.0 Credit Hours of doctoral research each Fall and Spring term, and in a minimum of 3.0 Credit Hours of doctoral dissertation in their final term.
• Up to 6.0 Credit Hours of courses taken outside the department, but relevant to the degree program, can apply to the degree with prior approval from the Geophysics Graduate Faculty Advisor.

Course Requirements

Credit hours required for this degree: 54.0

a) PhD students entering with a MS degree

• Formal EAS courses  Credit  Hours: 18.0
• Letter-graded Doctoral Dissertation course  Credit Hours: 6.0 - 12.0
• The remaining hours may include Coursework, Doctoral Research, Seminars, and Special Problems

b) PhD students entering with a Bachelor’s degree

• Formal EAS elective courses  Credit  Hours: 12.0
• EAS Core Courses  Credit Hours: 12.0 (see list below)
• The remaining hours may include Coursework, Doctoral Research, Seminars and Special Problems

Students are encouraged to consult with the Geophysics Graduate Faculty Advisor to make their selections of graduate courses.

EAS Core Courses

To provide a fundamental background in the essential elements of geophysics, all PhD students entering with a Bachelor’s degree are required to take the following 4 courses:

• GEOL 7324 - Rock Physics Credit Hours: 3.0
• GEOL 7330 - Potntl Fld Mtds-Geophys Credit Hours: 3.0
• GEOL 7333 - Seismic Wave & Ray Theory Credit Hours: 3.0
• GEOL 7341 - Geophysical Data Processing Credit Hours: 3

Course substitutions may be allowed on an individual basis, with prior approval from the Geophysics Graduate Faculty Advisor.

Sequence and Timing

First year in program:

• Appropriate course work
• Removal of all deficiencies
• Establishment of Ph.D. Research Committee

Second year in program:

• Candidacy exam
• Presenting Research and Dissertation Proposals
• Completion of all formal course work
• Initiation of research

Third and successive years:

• Conduct the proposed research
• Submit revised papers
• Completion and defense of dissertation

Academic Policies

• University of Houston Academic Policies     
• Academic Policies: College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics    
• Department/Program Academic Policies:

Scholastic Requirement

• Students not in good standing cannot receive a graduate degree and can be declared ineligible for support with a graduate assistantship (IA, TA, RA/TE or RA).
• Graduate students who receive grades of C+ or lower in 12 or more semester hours of course work attempted for graduate credit are ineligible for any advanced degree at this institution.
• Semester hours of “U” grades in S/U-graded courses apply toward the above 12-hour total.

Research (Dissertation) Advisor/Research Committee

Ph.D. applicants are encouraged to formulate their dissertation committee promptly in order to ensure proper guidance throughout their research.

• a minimum of four members to include three faculty members who have their primary appointment within EAS
• one approved member external to the major department from industry or academia who is acceptable to the department and approved by the college.
• A faculty member with a joint appointment in EAS is considered as an outside member unless he/she chairs the committee. In this case, an additional external member outside the major department is required.
• After these minimum requirements for committee members are satisfied, additional committee members may be approved from industry or academia, but at least 50% of the committee must be tenured/tenure‐track faculty at the University of Houston.
• Research faculty or instructional faculty may serve on dissertation committees, but not chair the committees. However, a research professor may serve as a co‐advisor with a tenured/ tenure‐track faculty.
• Candidates must specify a dissertation committee and have the names on file in the NSM Office of Academic Affairs at least one semester prior to their graduation.

To become a candidate for the doctoral degree a student must meet a set of requirements established by the EAS Department. For all EAS doctoral aspirants, there are two options available to attain candidacy. It is the responsibility of the dissertation advisor to notify the department academic advisor and applicable graduate advisor which path to candidacy the graduate student will undertake by the end of the term preceding the candidacy exam or paper submission (Candidacy Options 1 and 2, respectively. See below).

• It will test the breadth of the candidate’s knowledge within their discipline.
• At the discretion of the examining committee, a student who fails the general examination can be permitted to re‐take it; however, the exam cannot be taken more than twice by the applicant.
• Re‐examination will take place within one (1) month of the initial examination.
• The student must pass the candidacy examination before proceeding to the dissertation proposal.
• All candidacy and proposal requirements must be completed by the end of the 4th term in the program.
• Submission of a manuscript to an Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)‐indexed, peer‐reviewed journal by the 6th week of the fourth semester in the program and approval of an oral and written Ph.D. proposal.
• Research work for the manuscript must have been completed at UH. This timing implies that the student is full‐ time and supported as a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA).
• In order to proceed along this pathway for the Ph.D., the dissertation advisor and research committee must agree that the candidate has produced a publishable manuscript capable of passing a rigorous external peer review for a scientific journal and has completed and successfully defended a research proposal.
• Prior to the presentation of the dissertation proposal, the manuscript must be submitted to a peer‐reviewed journal.
• The oral proposal of the dissertation must be presented before the end of the 4th term.

Dissertation Proposal

The oral dissertation proposal will be given during the term in which the candidacy exam has been successfully completed (Candidacy Option 1) or the manuscript has been submitted to an approved peer‐reviewed journal (i.e. before the end of the fourth term) (Candidacy Option 2).

• PhD proposals can take place Monday‐Friday, with starting times between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., during the Fall and Spring terms.
• The proposal must be presented by the last day of the semester. Teaching Assistants must present by the first Monday in November in the Fall term, or the first Monday in July in the Summer term..
• Proposals cannot be presented during, vacations, weekends, or over spring break or inter‐semester breaks.
• Summer proposals can be scheduled pending approval of the entire committee.
• A minimum of two hours should be allocated for the dissertation proposal presentation and questions.
• Proposal presentations are preceded by the distribution of a research committee approved 5 to 10 page (10 page maximum for text) written description of the dissertation project.

A one-page abstract must be posted and distributed to all faculty members at least seven calendar days prior to presentation and a digital copy of the full proposal in the final form filed with the department academic advisor and committee members at that time.

• The proposal abstract must contain the title, time, place of the proposal, link for a video conference and the names of the committee members.
• The dissertation advisor and at least one other member of the committee must initial the abstract prior to posting, thus indicating that they approve of the presentation of the proposal.
• The oral presentation, approximately 30 to 45 minutes long, will be followed by a period during which all present can ask questions of the student related to the suitability and feasibility of the project, as well as the student’s ability to perform the research.
• All faculty present can participate in the deliberations.
• Committee members vote on the success or failure of the student’s performance in the dissertation proposal.
• Approval by a majority of those voting is needed to pass the proposal. Upon successful presentation of the dissertation proposal, the student will be granted PhD candidacy status.
• Upon successful presentation of the proposal, a digital copy of the complete proposal with the dissertation advisor’s signature indicating approval of the proposal as originally presented or modified must be placed in the student’s permanent academic file.
• The second presentation must take place within 90 calendar days of the initial presentation.

Dissertation Defense

A public oral defense of the completed dissertation research will be presented to the faculty-at-large and may be attended by any other interested parties.

• The format of the dissertation must follow NSM guidelines.
• Questions pertaining to specific requirements should be addressed to the appropriate advisor.
•  Students that have used candidacy option 1 will submit at least two manuscripts, based on the dissertation research, to a qualified journal. Students that used candidacy option 2 will have a manuscript accepted and another submitted to qualified journals.
• This manuscript must have been judged publication‐ready by the dissertation advisor and at least one other faculty member on the dissertation committee prior to submission.
• For the defense, an abstract, which lists the time and place of the defense, and link for video conference, must be distributed to the EAS faculty and posted publicly at least seven calendar days prior to the scheduled date for the defense.
• The dissertation advisor and at least one other committee member must initial the notice of defense, indicating approval of the defense.

A digital or hard copy of the dissertation/thesis in the final form be submitted at least seven calendar days prior to presentation to the committee members and advising staff that can be provided to EAS faculty upon request.

• PhD defenses can be given Monday‐Friday during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms with starting times between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Defenses cannot be given during vacations, weekends, or final examination periods (nor over spring break or inter‐term breaks).
• Scheduling of defenses is done through the department academic advisor.
• A positive vote by a majority of the dissertation committee is required for successful defense of the dissertation.
• If the student does not complete and successfully defend the PhD dissertation within five years after passing the candidacy examination, retaking of the candidacy examination may be required.
• Once approved by the committee, the dissertation must be submitted to the NSM Office of Academic Affairs no later than the deadline posted on the College website each term.