麻豆原创

The areas of research covered by faculty are broad and diverse, with strong research expertise in the general areas of geochemistry, petrology, paleontology, and geophysics-tectonics. These strengths allow us to focus on problems identified by the National Research Council to be socially relevant and to be fundamental to an understanding of earth processes. Dynamic faculty, along with their students, are making significant contributions to numerous areas of basic and applied research. This research is supported by excellent, state-of-the-art analytical facilities in the department and on campus. Our graduate program prepares students for a wide range of professions within the geological sciences; students have been placed in private, federal, state, and academic institutions.

The Doctoral degree requires 72 hours beyond a bachelor's degree, including 24 hours credit for a master's degree. Doctoral candidates must pass a qualifying exam during their first year in residence to assess their general background so that a meaningful program can be constructed. A typical doctoral program involves courses within and outside the department, and researching the dissertation topic prior to taking the comprehensive examination by the end of the second year. The results of the dissertation research are presented to the faculty and graduate students when the student has completed the project.