Web site at: http://www.geo.utep.edu/
3.- Ph.D. in Geological Sciences
Requirements for Admission into the Doctoral Program
- Master's degree in the Geological Sciences, or Bachelor's degree in the Geological Sciences plus 30 hours of post-
bachelor's study in the geological sciences from an accredited institution in the United States or proof of equivalent
education in a foreign institution; students who hold a master's or bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in one of
the following areas: biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science or engineering, and intend to make up all
deficiencies in their geological background are encouraged to contact the Graduate Advisor to discuss procedures leading to
acceptance into the program
- Satisfactory score on the general GRE
- Three letters of reference
- TOEFL
score of at least 550 (paper-based)/213 (computer-based) for international applicants whose first language is not English or
who have not completed a university degree in the U.S. or at other English-speaking institutions
Requirements for
Doctoral Candidacy
- Removal of all academic deficiencies
- Completion of at least three-
fourths of the required credit hours in Geological Sciences and supporting fields
- Successful completion of the
prescribed Comprehensive Examination (Parts I and II)
- Approval for Candidacy by the Graduate School upon the
recommendation of the Comprehensive Examination Committee
Requirements for Degree
- Minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate degree or minimum of 30 semester hours
of graduate study beyond the Master's degree
- Maximum of 12 semester hours of Directed Study course work in the
60-hour program, 6 semester hours in the 30-hour program
- Enrollment in GEOL
5101 (Technical Session) (Graduate
Seminar) each term of residence
- Maximum of 9 semester hours of approved upper-division undergraduate course work;
successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination (Parts I and II)
- Dissertation of 6 semester hours including
successful oral defense (GEOL
6320, GEOL
6321)
Foreign Language/Computer Programming Language
Proficiency in a foreign language and/or computer programming language will be required by a student's dissertation
committee when it is necessary for the successful completion of the student's dissertation.
Committees
For each provisional doctoral student or doctoral student, the Graduate Advisor shall appoint an
Advisory Committee consisting of three members of the graduate faculty.
For each doctoral candidate, a Doctoral
Committee will consist of the dissertation advisor, at least two professors in the Department of Geological Sciences, and at
least one scientist or engineer from outside the Department of Geological Sciences--all of whom are members of the
graduate faculty and are approved by the Graduate School. The total committee shall consist of at least five individuals.
Examinations
The Graduate Advisor will appoint a Comprehensive Examination Committee to administer the
Comprehensive Examination. The Comprehensive Examination will normally be taken after removal of all deficiencies and
completion of most of the course work. Any student who fails the Comprehensive Examination twice shall be barred from
further consideration for Doctoral Candidacy.
Dissertation
A doctoral dissertation is required. This dissertation must demonstrate the candidate's
capacity for originality and independence in recognizing a significant geological problem, in carrying out an effective
investigation, and in interpreting and reporting the results. The subject of the dissertation is to be selected in consultation
with the dissertation advisor, and it must be approved by the student's Doctoral Committee and by the Graduate School.
The dissertation advisor is to supervise the research work and to consult with other members of the Doctoral Committee on
the progress of the work.
The candidate is required to defend the dissertation before the faculty of the University in an
open meeting under the supervision of his Doctoral Committee.
Draft copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the
Doctoral Committee six days before the defense and any suggested corrections must be made. Prior to commencement and
by the published deadlines, two copies of the final bound dissertation and the unbound original must be submitted to the
Graduate School. Two bound copies must also be submitted to the Graduate Advisor.
Microfilming of Dissertation
The doctoral candidate who has successfully completed all requirements for the
degree is required to pay the cost of microfilm reproduction of the complete dissertation. The signed original copy
(unbound) of the doctoral dissertation is sent from the Graduate School to University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan, for
reproduction.
With the dissertation, the student must also submit to the Graduate School two copies of an abstract, not
to exceed two pages in length (double-spaced) which has been approved in final form by the Doctoral Committee. This will
be published in Dissertation Abstracts International.
Publication by microfilm does not preclude subsequent publication of the dissertation, in whole or in part, as a monograph or
in a journal. Copyright at the author's expense may be arranged, if desired, by completing a special form to be secured in
the Graduate School Office. In order to protect patent or any other rights, the Graduate School may be requested to delay
publication by microfilm for a period of one year. This request must be supported by a written recommendation of the
supervising professor.
Time Limits and Catalog Changes
All requirements for a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences must be completed within
one eight-year period. Work more than eight years old is lost and can be reinstated only by special permission of the
Graduate School upon recommendation of the Departmental Committee on Graduate Studies. Further, all requirements for
the doctorate must be completed within five years after passing the comprehensive examination.
General and specific
requirements for degrees in the Graduate School may be altered in successive catalogs. Provided the requisite course
continues to be offered, the student is bound only by the course requirements of the catalog in force at the time of
admission or re-admission within an eight-year limit, unless, with the approval of the Graduate School, he or she elects to
be bound by the course requirements of a subsequent catalog. This regulation applies to course requirements only.
![[top of page]](../img/up.gif)
