130 College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Catalog 2015-2016 Earth and Environment earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods, and human- made problems such as oil spills, ecosystem degradation René Price, Associate Professor and Chairperson and soil erosion. The department offers the Doctor of Patricia Houle, Instructor and Associate Chair Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Earth Systems Science, the Elizabeth Anderson, Director, International Research Master of Science Degree (M.S.) in Geosciences, and the Programs, School of Environment, Arts and Society Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Studies. (SEAS) William Anderson, Associate Professor and Associate Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Earth Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Systems Science Mahadev Bhat, Professor David Bray, Professor The Ph.D. degree program offers concentration in either Robert Burgman, Assistant Professor the geosciences with the Geosciences Major, or in Laurel Collins, Professor environmental sciences, conservation, policy and Maria Donoso, Director, Global Water for Sustainability management with the Natural Resource Science and (GLOWS) Management Major. One of the two majors is chosen at Grenville Draper, Professor the time of application in consultation with the student’s Stephen Haggerty, Distinguished Research Associate prospective advisor, according to the emphasis of the Joel Heinen, Professor student’s research area. The Geosciences Major includes Rosemary Hickey-Vargas, Professor research on the solid Earth (structural geology, tectonics, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, Professor and Graduate igneous petrology, geochemistry, economic geology, and Director for PSM in Environmental Policy and geophysics); Earth history, sedimentary rocks, and Management paleontology (stratigraphy, sedimentology, paleobiology, Haiyan Jiang, Associate Professor and paleoecology); Earth surface processes Stephen P. Leatherman, Professor (hydrogeology, coastal geology, environmental Hong Liu, Associate Professor biogeoscience, remote sensing and GIS applications, Jose Longoria, Professor environmental geology, and geologic hazards); and Andrew Macfarlane, Associate Professor atmospheric science (meteorology and climatology). The Florentin Maurrasse, Professor Natural Resource Science and Management Major Assefa Melesse, Professor includes research on the environmental sciences as Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, Professor related to environmental policy, conservation, and natural Pallab Mozumder, Associate Professor resource management. Overall, the doctoral program Jeffrey Onsted, Associate Professor emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to solving John Parker, Emeritus Professor geoscientific and environmental problems, and stresses Thomas Pliske, Emeritus Lecturer the importance of field observations complemented by Gary Rand, Professor laboratory analysis and numerical modeling. Digital Instructor Rodolfo Rego, Application Procedures Jennifer Rehage, Associate Professor James Riach, Senior Lecturer Admission decisions to the Doctoral Program in Earth Edward Robinson, Distinguished Research Associate Systems Science will be made by the Department’s Michael Ross, Associate Professor Graduate Committee. To be considered for admission, Leonard Scinto, Assistant Professor and Assistant applicants must submit the following documents prior to Director, Southeast Environment Research Center the admission deadlines. Kateel Shetty, Research Scientist 1. FIU On-line Graduate Application Form (available at Neptune Srimal, Senior Lecturer http://gradschool.fiu.edu). Michael Sukop, Associate Professor 2. Official transcripts of all college level work. When Dean Whitman, Associate Professor and Undergraduate applicable, a certified English translation must Program Director for Geosciences/Earth Science accompany the original. Hugh Willoughby, Distinguished Research Professor 3. Graduate Record Examination and English Keqi Zhang, Professor and Director of Laboratory for proficiency (TOEFL and TSE) exam scores taken Coastal Research, International Hurricane Research within the previous five years, sent from the Education Center Testing Service. Ping Zhu, Associate Professor and Graduate Program 4. A resume with pertinent information regarding Director applicant’s previous experience and achievements. 5. A statement of intent, including a brief discussion (not Knowledge of the Earth and its environments is essential to exceed 2000 words) of educational goals and for successful stewardship of our home planet. The career projections, and the prospective advisor. The mission of FIU’s Department of Earth and Environment is applicant may also include a copy of previous written to be at the forefront of research and education about the scientific work. dynamic interaction of Earth’s systems, the environment, 6. Three letters of recommendation from former and related societal issues. Programs in the department professors or academic advisors. address understanding and stewardship of the Earth. In 7. Official transcripts and test scores should be sent addition, the department fosters understanding of the directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, Florida planet’s bounty, with topics such as water, mineral, energy International University, P.O. Box 659004, Miami, FL and agricultural resources. A third area of emphasis is 33265. environmental problems, both natural events such as Graduate Catalog 2015-2016 College of Arts and Sciences 131 Admission Requirements GLY/EVR 7980 Ph.D. Dissertation 24 To be admitted to the Doctoral Program in Earth Systems The remaining credits must include at least 12 credits of Science, a student must meet the following minimum non-research, formal coursework. All coursework is requirements: selected in consultation with the major advisor. Natural 1. Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an Resource Science and Management majors should accredited college or university in a relevant complete at least 18 credit hours in formal environmental discipline. coursework, so that upon graduation they can be certified 2. Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (or as faculty members qualified to teach in that field. equivalent) during the last two years of the Graduation Requirements undergraduate program, and 3.0 or higher during the Master’s degree program. 1. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in all coursework is required 3. Submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for the Ph.D. degree. scores. 2. Satisfactory performance on the Qualifying 4. International graduate student applicants whose Examination covering general geoscientific and/or native language is not English are required to submit environmental knowledge and the field of a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language specialization. (TOEFL) or for the International English Language 3. Successful presentation of a research proposal and Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the oral examination before the Dissertation Committee, iBT (internet-based) TOEFL, 550 on the paper-based which together constitute the Candidacy Examination. TOEFL, or 6.5 overall on the IELTS is required. A 4. Completion and successful defense of a dissertation. score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or 26 in the speaking section of the iBT TOEFL Master of Science in Geosciences is required in order to be eligible for a teaching assistantship. This degree program offers opportunities for research in 5. Meet the University’s general requirements for the same areas as for the Geosciences Major of the Ph.D. admission to graduate programs. All application in Earth Systems Science (above). It emphasizes a materials should be submitted by February 1 in order multidisciplinary approach to solving geoscientific to be considered for Fall term admission and by problems, stressing the importance of field observations September 1 for Spring term admission. complemented by laboratory analysis and numerical modeling. The application and admission procedures are Financial Aid also the same. Teaching assistantships are not available The Earth and Environment Department offers a number for the M.S. in Geosciences. of graduate teaching and research assistantships which The Master of Science degree is conferred upon are awarded on a competitive basis. Teaching successful completion of the requirements (listed below) of assistantships begin only in the fall semester. The either the Thesis Track or Non-Thesis Track option of the degree program. assistantships provide a stipend and waiver of tuition. Applicants interested in an assistantship should indicate Thesis Track: Course Requirements: 30 credits, this in the FIU Graduate Application form and their cover including: letter. Applicants seeking assistantships should contact ISC 5151/ISC6152 Graduate Seminar 2 individual faculty members in their area of research Courses in field of specialization 18 interest. Electives 4 Course Requirements GLY 6971 Thesis 6 The Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Systems Science is Courses in the field of specialization and electives are conferred based on satisfactory completion of required chosen by the student in close consultation with a faculty course work, a demonstrated mastery of a broad scope of advisor. These courses are selected to fit the student’s knowledge, and the ability to conduct original and particular professional goals and to ensure sufficient depth and breadth of geological knowledge. independent research. A minimum of 75 graduate-level credit hours is required. A minimum of 24 credit hours is Thesis Track: