Applied Geology - Ph.D. Download to print

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Geology prepares students for careers in industry and academic institutions where research into the application of geological principles focuses on solution to basic and applied research questions. Focus areas include study of modern environments and society's interactions with that environment and research into paleo-climates, paleo-environments, paleoecology, biological evolution and tectonics.

Official transcript(s), 3.0 GPA, GRE, goal statement and three letters of recommendation. For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies website.

The courses taken by doctoral students are determined jointly with members of the graduate faculty of the department but in all cases must fulfill certain basic requirements. All students must maintain a 3.000 or greater GPA. Coursework shall be arranged so that it embraces one major area of concentration in applied geology and a minor area related to another aspect of geology. See department website for additional details.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Show in-depth comprehension of several areas including both basic and applied aspects of Geology/Earth Sciences.
2. Demonstrate the ability to formulate testable scientific hypotheses and carry out independent research using appropriate field, experimental, analytical and/or computational methods.
3. Describe, synthesize, and interpret the results of a scientific investigation and understand its broader applications.

To be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree, a student must pass comprehensive written and oral examinations prior to the start of the fifth semester after admission to the doctoral program. The comprehensive examinations focus on mastery of the student’s major area of concentration and one minor area, as well as the fundamentals of geology and its allied sciences as appropriate to the student’s proposed dissertation topic. Students who fail the comprehensive examinations may be allowed to repeat them once; this must be completed more than one month after the initial examination, but less than six months thereafter.

All students admitted to the doctoral program must complete two successive semesters of full-time graduate study at Kent State University. During this time they must obtain a minimum of 22 semester credits.