Program Description

The PhD Geosciences (Geology/Geophysics) degree program provides a curriculum that is designed to be relevant to many of today’s advanced Sustainable Earth and Environment Science challenges and career prospects, as well as the opportunity to engage in state-of-the-art research with faculty and equipment (computational, laboratory, and fieldwork). Geosciences is one of the original and longest established academic programs at the University of Texas at Dallas. 

The PhD Geosciences degree emphasizes research in several specialized areas of earth, environment, and natural resources science and is designed to prepare graduates for advanced leadership positions in industry, government, or academia. The department requires that a PhD dissertation will consist of a number of independent research contributions, most of which will be published in peer-reviewed geoscience journals. 

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions industry, government or academia. 

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Degree requirements: Entering students are expected to have completed the equivalent of the University’s BS and MS degrees in Geosciences, including courses in geology, physics, mathematics and chemistry. Students whose BS or MS training is in a science other than geology or geophysics are admitted to the program when their previous course work complements or supports their intended research interests. Deficiencies in the BS or MS background of admitted students will be addressed through a sequence of required graduate courses. It is understood that the minimum course requirements for the intended degree, as specified below, apply to well-prepared students. 

Test score required: Highly Encouraged 

Applicants are highly encouraged to take the GRE General Test (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing), but the GRE score requirement may be waived upon request. A combined score of greater than 300 on the Verbal and Quantitative portions of the exam is advisable based on our experience with student success in the program. 

Deadlines: University deadlines apply. 

Application procedure: Applicants should secure a PhD supervisor prior to submitting an application. PhD applicants without an agreed faculty supervisor will not be considered for admission. Please contact relevant faculty members directly to inquire about PhD supervision. You may find a complete list of Geoscience faculty, along with their contact information and research interests, on the Geoscience Faculty web page.