Ph.D. in Geological Sciences

There are no specific course or credit requirements for the Ph.D. degree; rather, a student’s coursework is determined by the special committee. Generally the last two to three years of the Ph.D. program are devoted entirely to dissertation or thesis research. Also, satisfactory progress must be maintained, described in the next section. In Geological Sciences, students typically take 2-3 courses related to their major program each term during their first couple of years. Additionally, students often need to complete coursework in order to fulfill requirements related to their minor concentrations. The faculty member on the Special Committee representing the minor concentration determines which courses the student must take in order to fulfill the minor.

Ph.D. students are required to enroll in at least 12 credits each term. If students are taking fewer than 12 credits of coursework or are no longer completing coursework, they will be automatically enrolled in an appropriate research course (i.e. GRAD 9012 Master’s Thesis Research, GRAD 9010 Graduate-Level Research, or GRAD 9011 Doctoral Dissertation Research) by the Graduate School for the remaining number of credits that they need.

The Ph.D. requires only six semesters of registered full-time study, but typically takes five years to complete. The Ph.D. requires the completion of a written thesis. Coursework, including that required for a minor concentration, is typically an early focus (i.e. years 1-3), with thesis research occupying a progressively larger portion of the student’s time over the course of his or her program. Specific requirements and expectations are developed in conjunction with your Committee. Financial support is generally offered for five years, contingent upon adequate student progress and the availability of funds.

The geological science program is designed to give students broad training in the basic sciences as well as field, theoretical, and practical experience through research in their specialty. The program has particular strengths in geophysics, geochemistry and petrology, structural geology, sedimentology, marine ecology, and energy resources. However, the exceptional flexibility of Cornell’s graduate program provides ample opportunity for students to work across disciplinary areas. For example, arrangements exist for study of marine ecology, water resources, and various branches of applied geological science. Faculty members in other fields or divisions offer interdisciplinary courses including planetology and extraterrestrial geology, paleobotany, ecology and systematics, biogeochemistry, limnology, soil genesis, soil mineralogy, soil and rock mechanics, remote sensing, environmental fluid mechanics and hydrology, fluid dynamics, elasticity, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, regional planning, hydraulics and hydrology, and materials science and engineering.

Ph.D. students choose a major advisor representing one of the concentrations listed below and two or more minor advisors, one of which must represent a minor from a field outside of geological sciences. Astronomy, chemistry, ecology and evolutionary biology, education, and civil engineering are just a few of the examples of typical outside minors. Together, these advisors form the special committee that guides the student’s program.

Ph.D. students are expected to maintain a B (3.0) or better grade point average. Grades of C+ to D-, while passing, do not normally constitute satisfactory progress. Satisfactory progress also requires following the field and Graduate School schedule for setting committees and taking examinations, excepting cases where petitions for extension are approved. Satisfactory progress will be continually evaluated by the Special Committee Chairperson in coordination with the Director of Graduate Studies, as coursework and examinations are completed.

In addition to coursework, each student will be broadly assessed through a variety of metrics, such as making regular public presentations of research results, submission of papers to peer reviewed literature, participating in the writing of proposals (either internal or external), and participation in departmental and group seminars.

It is expected that students make progress in research each semester, with expectations varying depending on the situation – it is important that students discuss expectations on a regular basis with their advisor and committee.

For Ph.D. students, the graduate faculty requires the Examination for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam) and the Final Examination for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree (B Exam). The Graduate Field of Geological Sciences further requires Ph.D. students to take a Qualifying Examination (Q Exam). In general, all examinations take place on campus and with the full Committee present, so be sure to schedule them well in advance as your committee can be very busy (remote participation or some substitution is possible in special circumstances).

Q Exam

The Q Exam is intended to determine a Ph.D. student’s aptitude for advanced study and scientific research and will evaluate any gaps in the student’s preparation. It enables the examination committee to propose a program that will help the student accomplish his or her objectives. The Q exam can be held before the full Special Committee is set. The examination is administered by a three-person committee chaired by the Special Committee chair and usually including a subset of the planned Special Committee, generally members who are on campus and close to the student’s area of study. The committee can be constituted either through appointing members to the Special Committee – a partial three-person committee can be constituted with in-field members – or temporary members can be appointed for the purpose of this exam with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Attendance is generally limited to that examining body. The exam format includes a written component in the form of a four-page research proposal (single spaced and not counting figures and references), and a short 15-minute oral presentation discussing plans for research and coursework. The written component should be submitted to committee members at least two weeks before the date of the exam.

The scope of the exam should include a broad understanding of the field as appropriate for the area of specialty. Across the field, material in introductory courses (e.g. EAS 2250) and second courses is appropriate. In the student’s sub-discipline, more extensive questioning at the level of existing graduate-level coursework is likely. All students are recommended to talk with their advisor and special committee members at least one month prior to the exam about their expectations for the exam.

Final Exam

In the Graduate Field of Geological Sciences, the exam format includes both oral and written components, as well as questioning. The exact format of the written component is to be decided by the special committee, but the purpose of the written component is to demonstrate that the student’s abilities at technical and scientific writing. Some possible formats for the written component include:

1. a research paper written by the student (with possible coauthors) that is either submitted or nearly submitted to a peer-reviewed journal; or
2. a research proposal that may include a progress report. The written section length should be approximately 10 pages single-spaced, not including figures or references and should be submitted to committee members at least two weeks before the date of the exam.

The oral section of the examination generally begins with a 15-25 minute research progress report followed by ample time for questioning by the committee. All students are recommended to talk with their advisor and special committee members at least one month prior to the exam about what their expectations for the exam. The oral exam must be scheduled with the Graduate School and must also be announced to the faculty in the Graduate Field of Geological Sciences by the Director of Graduate Studies at least seven days in advance of the examination. Students should schedule contiguous three hours for this examination in coordination with schedules of all committee members, although many A exams require less time. Ordinarily only members of the Special Committee attend and question the student, but other graduate faculty members are welcome to attend and are permitted to question the student.