Master of Science in Geology

The US Dept of Education
designates Fresno State as both a Hispanic-Serving and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (largely due to Hmong students). Our tenured and tenure-track faculty cover disciplines in both environmental and geosciences, supplemented by 3 full-time and many part-time lecturers covering mostly general education courses. The Geology M.S. Program is a traditional thesis-required degree. We award about 4 M.S. degrees/year, trending upwards, with the largest fraction of program graduates entering the workforce in geological consulting or as government sector scientists. A smaller fraction go on to Ph.D. programs.
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers graduate courses and research leading to the Master of Science. The graduate courses and research areas are such that several different career goals can be met, including the following: (1) preparation for enrollment in a Ph.D. program in geology or a related field, (2) preparation for employment as a professional geoscientist with industry or government, and (3) advancement of knowledge of the earth sciences and teaching skills of secondary school and junior college teachers. Graduate research opportunities are available in several fields, including but not restricted to hydrology/hydrogeology/hydrogeochemistry, stream restoration, geophysics, tectonics, engineering geology, geomorphology, structural geology, volcanology/igneous and metamorphic petrology, sedimentology/paleontology/stratigraphy, paleoclimatology and high temperature, and stable isotope geochemistry.

Have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate,are in good academic standing at the last college or university attended, have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 in an acceptable earned baccalaureate degree,have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 (A = 4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted, meet the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards for graduate study, including qualifying examinations and specific course and/or grade prerequisites, as appropriate campus authorities may prescribe
A bachelor's degree is required. Prospective students holding geoscience-related degrees may be accepted directly into our program. Instructions for submitting undergraduate transcripts can be found at Cal State Apply calstate.edu/apply. We also welcome students holding non-geoscience bachelor's degrees, but admitted students in this group are conditionally admitted, upon condition that they complete a pre-determined part of the undergraduate geology core curriculum, tailored to their prior training and desired Fresno State research area.
A personal statement (250+ words) of why the applicant wants to pursue the Geology MS at Fresno State. The statement should include the applicant's choice(s) of research advisor(s), field of research interest(s), and proficiency/preparation for this field of study.
Prospective students admitted into the Geology M.S. program are also admitted to the research group of their requested advisor. Therefore, it is important for applicants to contact prospective advisors prior to applying to the program, in order to discuss the potential to work together on mutually agreed-upon research. Potential thesis advisors shall be faculty members in the Earth & Environmental Sciences Department.
Three letters of recommendation (ideally from academic references, with professional references also welcome) are required.
have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 in an acceptable earned baccalaureate degree, OR
have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 (A = 4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted
TOEFL 80 iBT, or
IELTS 6.5
TOEFL PAPER - 550