2023-2024 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog 
    
    Oct 04, 2024  
2023-2024 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Environmental Systems, Geology Concentration, M.S.


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This program is administered by the coordinator of the environmental systems graduate program of the College of Natural Resources and Sciences.

The Geology Concentration gives students a quantitative and qualitative background for research in applied geology during their first year. Students usually spend their summers on thesis research. The second year is devoted to research, data analysis, and writing the thesis. Career possibilities include, field geologist, engineering geologist, exploration geophysicist, hydrologist, and marine geologist. 

Program Prerequisites

Students must meet general admission requirements and:

  • Hold an approved bachelor’s degree with a major in geology or a related science. Applicants must have at least a year of college physics and a minimum of two semesters of calculus (three semesters desirable).
  • Submit a statement of objectives, including reasons for pursuing a master’s degree with a particular concentration

Requirements for the Degree (30 Units)


For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below see, “Master’s Degree Requirements 

Complete an environmental systems program of courses arranged with a graduate advisor and approved by the faculty graduate committee. The program requires 16 units of core courses and 14 units of concentration specific coursework.



Core Requirements (16 Units)


Thesis / Independent Study (9 Units)


Complete a combination of thesis and independent study units for a total of 9 units. Select courses in consultation with advisor and committee members.

All students are required to enroll in at least 1 unit of ENGR/GEOL 690 or 699 every semester. A written thesis or project and public oral presentation are required. Thesis or project research is the central component of the master’s degree, and these courses are intended to build students’ competence in developing and implementing fundamental or applied research, and successfully reporting results. This is accomplished through mentoring with their faculty advisor and committee members

 

Geology Concentration Requirements (14 Units)


Complete the following concentration specific coursework.

Elective Requirement


Complete approved upper division and graduate level elective courses to bring total degree units to no fewer than 30 units. At least half of these 30 units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level. The following courses are recommended.

Program Learning Outcomes


Students completing this program will have demonstrated:

  1. expertise in their selected specialty through their master’s thesis or project and be able to identify how their work will contribute to the field.
  2. the ability to design an investigation or project according to standards of the discipline
  3. the ability to investigate an original hypothesis or develop an original project using appropriate methods and scientific discipline
  4. the ability to present the results of their investigation or project using accepted structure, format, and visual aids for scientific presentations in the discipline 
  5. the ability to write a thesis or project technical report using accepted structure, style, and format in accordance with the discipline.

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