Geoscience

The Department of Geoscience is an active and enthusiastic department consisting of twenty-two full-time faculty, approximately sixty graduate students and two hundred undergraduate majors. The department offers a program of courses, seminars and research opportunities leading to master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in geoscience. The interests of the faculty and students cover a wide range of topics. Active research by faculty and students is ongoing throughout the western United States, as well as in, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Indonesia, France, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and Switzerland. The geoscience curriculum is designed to develop student skills applicable to employment opportunities in a wide array of disciplines in the geoscience sector.

The department encourages interdisciplinary research. Opportunities for geological and interdisciplinary research may be pursued with organizations near, or on, campus that cooperate with the department including: the Division of Hydrologic Sciences of the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the Nevada System of Higher Education; the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Department of Energy; and other university departments and schools such as life sciences, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Students are encouraged to read the general Graduate College rules and regulations elsewhere in this catalog and to read the Department of Geoscience graduate student guidelines, which are available on the department’s website. An understanding of these documents is essential for satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Matthew S. Lachniet, Ph.D., Chair
Ganqing Jiang, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator

Program Information 

Geoscience Faculty  

Geoscience Courses  

Department Website

Plans 

Master of Science - Geoscience  

Doctor of Philosophy - Geoscience