Skip Navigation
Search

Graduate Programs in Geosciences

The Geosciences Department offers the following Graduate Degree programs:


As the core discipline examining Earth's natural processes and materials, Geosciences boasts unparalleled diversity. Spurred by urgent scientific and social questions, ranging from environmental concerns to the origin and evolution of the planet itself, the Geosciences are experiencing remarkable growth, with excellent career opportunities. The Geosciences encompass many disciplines including geology, geochemistry, and geophysics, and its interdisciplinary nature fosters natural links not only with chemistry and physics, but also with environmental science, materials science, engineering, biology, and health fields. Developments in technology and new innovative approaches have transformed graduate study in many areas within Geosciences, and students participate in research utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities. 

Graduate students may choose among degree programs with emphasis in different areas in Geosciences. Ph.D. programs are offered with areas of emphasis that include seismology and tectonics, mineral and rock physics, crystal chemistry, geochemistry, petrology, and sedimentary geology, planetary geosciences and hydrogeology.  The department is always eager to admit new qualified graduate students, particularly students with an interest in our current areas of research

The Department of Geosciences occupies a modern, well-equipped building that houses extensive experimental and analytical labs, faculty and graduate student offices, numerous computers and workstations, and an electronics support group. The Center for Environmental Molecular Science, Mineral Physics Institute, the Long Island Groundwater Research Institute (LIGRI), the Marine Sciences Research Center (MSRC), the Seawulf cluster computing facility and nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory offer additional support and laboratory facilities for graduate student research. In particular, the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven offers unparalleled opportunities for faculty and graduate students to perform unique experiments requiring high-intensity X-rays and is only 20 miles away. 

New Ph.D. students in these programs are typically supported with a full tuition waiver and a competitive annual salary. Other graduate student fellowship opportunities offered by Stony Brook University are another means of support. In addition, qualified students might also wish to submit proposals to the NSF (National Science Foundation) for pre-doctoral support. Students who maintain good academic progress in course work and research almost always enjoy continued support (at the same or higher levels as described above) until they have obtained their degree. 

The department also offers a non-thesis M.S. program in hydrogeology focused primarily on training professionals in environmentally related fields. In addition there is an M.A.T. in Earth Science, which leads to initial certification for teaching Earth Science in secondary schools of New York State, and an M.S. in Geosciences with a concentration in Earth and Space Sciences. These programs generally do not provide tuition waivers or salary support.