Multiple Assistantships available (Spring 2024 or Fall 2024)
University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Master's Degree in Geology
OUR PROGRAM
The sustainability of energy and environmental resources are two of the biggest scientific challenges we face nationally and globally. Our goal is to equip you - the next generation of scientists - with the tools you need to work in these fields and address these complex problems.
Our faculty and student-led research is known around the world. Our student teams have won the AAPG's prestigious Imperial Barrel Award petroleum exploration competition three times at the International level. We've revolutionized carbon isotope techniques, giving us new ways to reconstruct ancient climates. We also operate a Geology Museum, where we research, curate specimens and exhibit fossils, minerals, and rocks.
We're not just about lofty academics - we like to get our hands dirty. With our master's program in Geology, you can get your hands dirty, too!
For more information: contact Dr. Carl Richter (Graduate Coordinator) - richter@louisiana.eduApply here: https://gradschool.louisiana.edu/apply
RESEARCH
Faculty and students in the School of Geosciences conduct a wide-variety of globally and locally relevant research.
Topics include (but are not limited to)
- Exploration geophysics
- Petrophysics
- Petroleum geochemistry
- Structural geology and tectonics
- Carbon sequestration
- Paleomagnetism
- Stable isotope geochemistry
- Water quality and sustainability
- Paleontology
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Our students are in high demand. Our master's degree in geology prepares students for exciting, well-paying, and rewarding careers in areas such as petroleum exploration and environmental geology. We offer a flexible curriculum that can be tailored to each student. All of our courses emphasize the interpretation of geologic data and problem solving. This is why our students are so successful!
Career Options
- Oil and gas industry
- Hydrology, environmental, and geotechnical engineering companies
- Federal state, and local government agencies (USGS, NASA, EPA, DNR, etc.)
- The mining and mineral industry
- National Research Labs
- Science educators
- Geographic Information Specialists
- Urban planning
- Oceanography
We have many major and small companies that recruit our master's students on campus such as Schlumberger, Chevron, QEP Resources, and Halliburton, just to name a few.
Many of our students pursue internships and find part-time work in the petroleum industry while enrolled in the program.
CURRICULUM
The MS in Geology program requires 30 semester hours of graduate credit work, which comprises 6 hours of thesis research.
Examples of Courses
- GEOL 502 - Advanced Sedimentation
- GEOL 503 - Petroleum Geology
- GEOL 504 - Exploration Geophysics
- GEOL 505 - Geotectonics
- GEOL 506 - Seismic Stratigraphy
- GEOL 507 - Seismic Acquisition and Processing
- GEOL 509 - Advanced Ground Water Hydrology
- GEOL 510 - Advanced Environmental Geology
- GEOL 531 - Advanced Carbonate Sedimentology
- GEOL 532 - Petroleum Geochemistry
