MA in Earth Sciences at UNC

The material provided here is for general information and is not intended to provide complete information about our program. For complete information, please consult the official program description in the UNC Catalog.

This program is for students who wish to broaden or deepen their backgrounds in the earth science disciplines (astronomy, geology, meteorology and oceanography) and develop their research skills. It serves individuals who are or intend to become secondary school or community college earth science teachers. It is also appropriate for elementary and middle school teachers, for students pursuing careers in allied fields that require a multidisciplinary background in the earth sciences and for individuals wishing to explore the earth sciences as a second career.

The multidisciplinary structure of the department affords each student the opportunity to develop a sequence of courses that complements and builds upon his or her previous education and experience, whether in the earth sciences or in other disciplines. The program provides both a thesis and a non-thesis option. Typically, students seeking a broad, multidisciplinary curriculum emphasizing content will elect the non-thesis option. In consultation with the student's graduate committee, each student will select the appropriate option and design a curriculum for his or her particular educational and career objectives.

Thesis Option

Required Credits - 12-16 hours

Elective Credits - 14-18 hours: Courses with AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET, OCN and SCED prefixes, selected from the list below.

Required Credits - 8-12 hours

Elective Credits - 18-22 hours

Courses with AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET, OCN, and SCED prefixes, selected from the list below:

Elective Courses, Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

Course	Title	Credits
AST 500	Survey of Astronomy	3
AST 595	Special Topics in Astronomy	1-4
AST 622	Directed Studies	1-4
ESCI 550	Strategies in Teaching Earth Science	1
ESCI 584	Earth Science Field Experience	1-15
GEOL 510	Groundwater Geology	2
GEOL 521	Optical Mineralogy and Petrography	4
GEOL 525	Economic Geology	3
GEOL 532	Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology	2
GEOL 533	Sedimentary Petrology	2
GEOL 535	Tectonics	2
GEOL 540	Paleontology	4
GEOL 550	Sedimentology and Stratigraphy	4
GEOL 560	Geomorphology	3
GEOL 564	Glacial and Quaternary Geology	3
GEOL 567	Volcanic Geology	3
GEOL 570	Structural Geology	4
GEOL 581	Geologic Field Techniques	2
GEOL 582	Geology Field Camp	6
GEOL 590	Rocky Mountain Geology Seminar	2
GEOL 595	Special Topics in Geology	1-4
GEOL 622	Directed Studies	1-4
MET 500	Survey of Meteorology	3
MET 507	Dynamic Meteorology II	4
MET 521	Climatology	3
MET 536	Biometeorology	3
MET 541	Synoptic Meteorology	3
MET 542	Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory	3
MET 570	Satellite Meteorology	3
MET 595	Special Topics in Meteorology	1-4
MET 622	Directed Studies	1-4
OCN 500	Survey of Oceanography	3
OCN 595	Special Topics in Oceanography	1-4
OCN 622	Directed Studies	1-4
SCED 671	Elementary and Middle School Science Curriculum	2
SCED 678	Science Education Seminar	1-2
SCED 680	Science Curricula in Secondary/College Settings	3

Note that other electives, including courses in supporting sciences, mathematics and science pedagogy, may be included with approval of the student's graduate studies committee.

Notes

Students must complete all Graduate School requirements as described elsewhere in the Bulletin. ESCI 599, a one semester hour course, must be taken every semester the student is in residence at UNC. Both written and oral comprehensive examinations are required.