Application Requirements
In addition to the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Geosciences has the following admission requirements:
- Three letters of recommendation on official letterheads from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate work.
- What fields, research areas or topics in Geosciences (Geography, Geology and/or Water Sciences) interest you and why? Which faculty members in our department do you see as potentially providing guidance in helping you to pursue graduate studies in these fields? (max 200 words)
- In your graduate studies, what research approaches and methodologies (i.e. lab, field, modeling, interviews, ethnography, critical digital, GIS, etc.) are you most interested in working with? (max 200 words)
- What professional and personal goals motivate you to pursue graduate studies in the Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University? How will this program help you to achieve these goals? (max 200 words)
- What preparation or experiences have you had that will help you succeed in this graduate program? Please feel free to include examples from outside educational and academic arenas. (max 300 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything in your academic record that is not representative of your potential success in graduate school? Have you had to overcome any hardships or obstacles in your development as a scholar that we should consider as we evaluate your application materials? If so, please feel free to provide any details that you wish to share. (max 200 words)
- Brief (not more than 250 words) rationale explaining the preference for thesis or capstone track.
In addition to the above departmental requirements that apply to all applicants, concentration-specific requirements are outlined below.
Additional Admission Requirements – Geology Concentration
- A bachelor’s degree in geology, earth sciences, engineering or a related field.
- Foundational coursework: These courses are normally expected to have been completed as part of the applicant’s undergraduate education and completed with a grade of C or higher. However, students who are otherwise qualified may be accepted under Special Status, with the condition that this coursework is completed as part of their graduate study:
- Minimum one semesters of calculus
- Minimum one semester of physics
- Minimum one semesters of chemistry
- Minimum of two semesters of introductory geology or equivalent training
- For students seeking traditional disciplinary training in the field of Geology, who have aspirations of seeking Professional Geologist certification to work for a state or federal government, or for certain career pathways in industry, supplemental foundational coursework should include that listed below. Note that these courses are in addition to the foundational courses outlined above in Section 2, and are also expected to have been completed as part of the applicant’s undergraduate education with a grade of C or higher. However, students who are otherwise qualified may be accepted under Special Status, with the condition that this coursework is completed as part of their graduate study. During the application process, prospective students can indicate their primary interests in their statement of goals and interests. The graduate-admissions committee can then evaluate the students’ undergraduate coursework in light of their stated interests:
- Minimum of one additional semester of calculus and/or statistics (2 semesters total)
- Minimum of one additional semester of chemistry (2 semesters total)
- Minimum of four additional courses of upper-level geology or equivalent training
- Minimum of one semester of a field course in geology or equivalent training
Click on the HOW TO APPLY below to review the general requirements for applying to Graduate School at Georgia State and start your application.
