Geological Sciences Graduate Handbook

The information in this handbook will be useful to you. Read it carefully and refer to it throughout your graduate career at Florida State University. This handbook is a supplement to the Graduate Edition of the General Bulletin. Whereas the Bulletin provides information regarding university policies and regulations, this handbook contains more specific information about the graduate program in Geological Sciences that is not covered in the Bulletin, including policies and regulations of the Department that supplements the University. (Throughout this handbook, passages in italics are excerpts from the Bulletin) We therefore strongly urge you to fully examine those parts of the current Bulletin that are pertinent to graduate studies at Florida State University. Students will be formally advised, in writing, of subsequent modifications to the handbook that pertain to them.

The Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science offers advanced degrees in Geological Sciences at both M.S. and Ph.D. levels. The M.S. is a professional degree. It is expected that students graduating with an M.S. degree in Geological Sciences (with major in Geology) will have acquired the capability and skills to competently evaluate and pursue graduate-level research and will also possess a sufficiently broad background in science for a professional career. The program of study for the M.S. includes formal coursework in several areas within Geological Sciences and a thesis project. Although an M.S. thesis is less comprehensive than a Ph.D. dissertation, it is complete in the sense that it is well-grounded in the scientific style of thinking and method, contains a clear, defensible hypothesis, and involves a rigorous method of analysis. Successful completion of the M.S. program involves a significant commitment and a level of understanding, that goes well beyond the expectations of the baccalaureate degree.

The Ph.D. (the Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest formal degree offered in the natural sciences. The Ph.D. in Geological Sciences (with major in Geology) is granted to students who have mastered a general body of geological knowledge, demonstrated that they are fully capable of independent, creative thinking, and that they can conceptualize, undertake, and complete an original geologically pertinent research project. The Ph.D. dissertation is a substantive contribution to the field of study and indicates that the student has achieved a high level of understanding of the field. Pursuing a Ph.D. is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a student to experience, with minimal distraction, the delightful venture of becoming fully immersed within a field of study, and to freely pursue their intellectual curiosity. Pursuing a Ph.D. is a full-time job (see Residence in Section 5.3, and Section 5.4).

The basic requirements for admission to the graduate program in Geological Sciences are the same for M.S. and Ph.D. aspirants. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate coursework is required. A minimum score at the 50th percentile in each of the math and verbal portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is also required. In cases of exceptional circumstances, the recommendation of the Admissions 3 Committee and approval of the departmental chair may waive one of these two requirements. International students whose native languages are other than English are also required to achieve a score of 80 or better on the Educational Testing Service's Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Additional information on graduate school and resources could be found at:

• FSU Graduate School
• Grad Student Resource Center
• FSU Grad School handbook
• FSU Grad Admissions
• Contact information for relevant departmental staff and administration
  • EOAS Graduate Student Advisor– Adea Arrison (aa25bq@fsu.edu)
  • Geology Graduate Program Chair – Mainak Mookherjee (mmookherjee@fsu.edu)

4.1 Entrance interview and evaluation

Each incoming student will be required to meet with the Entrance Advisory Committee at the beginning of their first semester. This committee will discuss with the student the student’s academic background and interests, make appropriate decisions regarding undergraduate deficiencies, advise the student on coursework, and act as faculty advisor until such person is appointed.

Each incoming MSc student is required to complete a short answer questionnaire on geological sciences before meeting with the entrance committee. The goal of this questionnaire is solely to guide the entrance committee in advising the appropriate coursework. It is not a test that can be failed.

4.2 Establishing Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

Out-of-state U.S. citizens are responsible for declaring Florida residency after their first full calendar year of enrollment. This process must be initiated before the first day of the students’ first semester. Students who are eligible for Florida residency and have not declared will have their out-of-state waiver canceled by the College of Arts and Sciences. Consult with the department's Academic Coordinator about general questions regarding the residency process.

Procedures for reclassification are Section 13 of this handbook and at admissions.fsu.edu/residency/.

4.3 Selecting a Major Professor and Starting Your Research

If you have not upon arrival reached a tentative agreement with a specific faculty member in which that individual has agreed to serve as your major professor, the Entrance Advisory Committee will serve as your interim major advisor. You are free, and in fact encouraged, to explore possible advisors during your first semester, and to choose any consenting member of the graduate faculty to serve as your major professor. It is highly recommended that the graduate student begins active research as soon as possible.

The Graduate Bulletin is clear on the issue of how a major professor is selected:

Major Professor (M.S.)

At the earliest opportunity, the student should follow the convention of the major department or college to identify the major professor, who will serve as the student's advisor and supervisor. If nine or more semester hours of work are taken in any department other than the major one, these hours may be considered a minor if so desired by the student and by the major department. Designation of the major professor requires the mutual consent of the student, department chair, and professor involved.

Major Professor (Ph.D.)

Early in the doctoral program, the student should consult with the professors under whom the student may be interested in working and from whose areas of competency a dissertation topic could be selected. The student should request that the selected faculty member serve as a major professor. The departmental chair will approve the major professor who must be a member of the faculty with Graduate Faculty Status (GFS) and have special competence in the student's proposed area of concentration. The appointment must be mutually agreeable to the student, major professor, and departmental chair.

Note that a member of the graduate faculty with co-directive status may serve as co-chair of a supervisory committee (see next section). Together with your major professor, you will begin the process of forming a supervisory committee and formulating a Program of Study

4.4 Supervisory Committees

Students should choose a major professor and form a supervisory committee by the end of the first semester. A supervisory committee form must be filled out and approved by both the graduate program chair and the department chair. This form must be approved before the Program of Studies form is completed. The Graduate Bulletin also is clear on the issue of how a supervisory committee is formed:

Supervisory Committee (M.S.)

A master's degree supervisory committee must be designated for all thesis students and may be designated for non-thesis or project master's students at the option of the department. The supervisory committee must consist of a minimum of three members of the faculty who have Graduate Faculty Status, one of whom is designated as the major professor. All additional members of the committee must hold Graduate Faculty Status or (in the case of specialized or non-tenure track faculty) co-doctoral or co-master's Directive Status. Under special circumstances, persons external to the University may be appointed as Courtesy Faculty with co-doctoral or co-master's Directive Status and serve on a student's supervisory committee as an additional member or co-chair. The department or college must enter the composition of the supervisory committee into the online Graduate Student Tracking system in a timely manner, but no later than the second week of classes in the semester that the student intends to defend. Only official members of the supervisory committee (i.e., those listed on a student's committee in the Graduate Student Tracking/GST database) may vote and sign the online Manuscript Signature Form indicating approval of the thesis.

Supervisory Committee (Ph.D.)

Upon the request of the major professor, the departmental chair will appoint the supervisory committee that will be in charge of the work of the student until the completion of all requirements for the degree. The supervisory committee will consist of a minimum of four members of the faculty who have Graduate Faculty Status, one of whom is the university representative of the faculty. All additional members of the committee must hold Graduate Faculty Status or (in the case of specialized or non-tenure track faculty) co-doctoral or co-master's Directive Status. Under special circumstances persons external to the University may be appointed as Courtesy Faculty with co-doctoral or co-master's Directive Status and serve on a student's supervisory committee as either an additional member or co-chair. The department or college must enter the composition of the supervisory committee into the online Graduate Student Tracking system in a timely manner, but no later than the second week of classes in the semester that the student intends to defend.

The Geological Sciences Program requires that the supervisory committee of a Ph.D. student consist of a minimum of four members with three members of the graduate faculty from within the Geological Sciences program. All members, including the major professor and co-chair, must have graduate faculty status in the program; one member must be a college representative, who is tenured but whose home department is outside EOAS.

The major professor directing the student's research project is the chair of the supervisory committee. A member of the graduate faculty with co-directive status may serve as co-chair or member of the supervisory committee. This committee is involved in setting the requirements for the degree within the framework of departmental and Graduate School regulations (see Section 4.4. below), providing guidance to the student during the thesis or dissertation project, and assessing the academic performance and progress of the student (Sections 5, 7 and 8). Once the committee is appointed, any changes in its membership must involve approval, including appointment of any new members, by the graduate program chair and departmental chair. Additional members from outside the university may in some cases be asked to serve on the supervisory committee when their expertise will aid the research program of the student. We urge you to meet frequently with members of your supervisory committee, in addition to the required annual meeting during which the committee assesses your academic performance and progress.

4.5 Program of Study

Program of Study (M.Sc. with major in Geology)

As early as possible during the first semester of graduate work, students should prepare a program of courses with the help of their major professor or supervisory committee. This program must be approved by the major professor and the chair of the major department. A copy of the approved program is to be kept on file in the department.

Program of Study (Ph.D. with major in Geology)

As soon as possible, the student, under the supervision of a designated advisor or major professor, should prepare and receive approval of a plan of courses to be taken.

This Program of Study must be signed by the faculty advisor or major professor and the chair of the major department. A copy of the student's approved Program of Study is to be kept on file in the department. At the time of the annual review, changes to the plan should be noted 6 and approved. Once designated, the supervisory committee should be included as part of the approval process for any changes to the Program of Study.

The Program of Study at the M.S. level must include at least four courses listed in Section 14, and at least one semester of Graduate Seminar (GLY 5931) each year for the two years. Specific credit-hour requirements are described in Section 5. If courses are not available promptly, the student, with the approval of the major professor, may petition the faculty of the Geology Program for an exception and/or substitution.

The Program of Study at the Ph.D. level must include a doctoral seminar (GLY 6982) each year for the first two years. The Program currently has no other specific curriculum requirements for Ph.D. students.

The specific course requirements in a student's Program of Study are in principle, selected to meet the needs and career objectives of the individual. The Program of Study at both M.S. and Ph.D. levels can be changed only through the same process by which it was first formulated, including required approvals, as described above.

4.6 Colloquia Series

Particularly important departmental activities are the colloquia series. Colloquia involve formal presentations by invited speakers. Colloquia topics involve all fields of the Earth sciences, and speakers whose affiliations are international in scope, as well as faculty from Florida State University. Students are expected to participate in these activities.

5.1 Undergraduate Requirements

A student seeking an advanced degree in the Geology Program, whose baccalaureate degree is in the geological sciences, normally will be expected to have completed a program equivalent to that required of students receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at Florida State University. Students not meeting this equivalency, or who have degrees in disciplines other than geological Sciences, may be expected to complete certain undergraduate courses by the end of the first year of their graduate studies. These courses will be based on a recommendation by the admissions committee, for approval by the graduate advising committee and departmental chair.

5.2 Master of Science Degree

Candidates for a M.Sc. degree must complete at least 30 hours of advanced study (not including courses taken to satisfy undergraduate requirements). These hours must include at least one semester of Graduate Seminar (GLY 5931) each year (or partial year) for the first two years. In addition, the student is required to take at least four courses listed in section 14 and obtain a grade of B or higher. Six hours of credit is required for thesis research (GLY 5971). The 30 hours of advanced study will not include credits earned for undergraduate courses. Exceptions to this require approval of the supervisory committee, the graduate program committee, and the departmental chair. Students normally should complete the degree requirements within two years.

5.3 Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Scholarly engagement

The purpose of the Scholarly Engagement requirement is to ensure that doctoral students are active participants in the scholarly community. To meet the Scholarly Engagement requirement, doctoral students should interact with faculty and peers in ways that may include enrolling in courses; attending seminars, symposia, and conferences; engaging in collaborative study and research beyond the university campus; and utilizing the library, laboratories, and other facilities provided by the University. The goal is to prepare students to be scholars who can independently acquire, evaluate, and extend knowledge, as well as develop themselves as effective communicators and disseminators of knowledge.

Course Work

To meet the scholarly engagement requirement, Ph.D.-seeking students are required to participate in a Doctoral Seminar (GLY 6982) each year (or partial year) for the first two years. Additional required coursework is determined by the student, major professor, and supervisory committee, based on the Program of Study (Section 4.4).

5.4 Course Loads and Part-Time Students

The normal, minimum course load is 9 semester hours. Exceptions can be made by petition to the College Dean with the approval of the graduate program and the departmental chair.

The minimum course load for half-time Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants is 9 semester hours. For each term in which a degree candidate is in residence and using University facilities, she or he must register for a minimum of 2 credit hours of Thesis (GLY 5971) or Dissertation (GLY 6980). Registration is required in the final term in which the degree is granted and shall consist of two credit hours of Thesis or Dissertation, even if the student has completed the requirements for the degree in previous semesters.

5.5 Recency

The Graduate Dean and the Department believe that the graduate experience is a full-time commitment. While recognizing the economic realities facing some students, Graduate School rules are designed to minimize part-time pursuit of advanced degrees. Among these are the minimum load rules (section 5.4 above), the Residency Requirement for the Ph.D. candidate (section 5.3 above), and Recency Requirements:

Recency (M.S.)

The work for the master's degree must be completed within seven years from the time the student first registers for graduate credit. Any graduate work transferred from another institution must have commenced not more than seven years prior to completion of the degree for the credits to be applicable to the master's degree. If the master's degree is not completed within seven years from the time the student first registers for graduate credit, and the program and/or Department Chair does not choose to approve an Extension of Time (EOT), then the student may no longer be enrolled in that program or at Florida State University.

Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements (Ph.D.)

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five calendar years from the time the student passes the preliminary examination and is admitted to candidacy. If the student’s major professor and/or Department Chair does not choose to either approve an Extension of Time (EOT) or require the student to take the preliminary exam and/or coursework again for readmission to candidacy, then the student may no longer be enrolled in that program or at Florida State University.

A candidate wishing to seek an extension of one of these time limits must petition the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of Graduate Studies in writing, after receiving approval of the petition by the major professor, supervisory committee, and the departmental chair. Extensions will not be approved except for unusually extenuating circumstances.

5.6 Course Enrollments

The Department adheres to the following University regulations: Unpaid course audits are not allowed. Directed Individual Study courses (GLY 5906) may not be used to duplicate normal course offerings. Courses with small enrollments are subject to being canceled.

Research is an important component of both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Geological Sciences. Students entering these programs should work with the major professor (or interim advisor) to identify a research project to work on during the first semester in residence. This will be the first involvement in research for many students, and it need not be the "be-all-end-all" project that will eventually evolve into the Master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation. Early in the program, the point is to become involved in research, see what it is like, and see what you enjoy doing. While it is certainly advisable to complete most of your coursework during the early part of the program, it is essential that you also become involved in research. Your research will be the highlight of your graduate career, and it is the research training that will certainly set your graduate work apart from what you did as an undergraduate.

For the M.S. degree, the program of thesis research should be well defined, if not underway, by the beginning of the third semester. The student should consult regularly with the major professor and the supervisory committee during the first year in residence regarding a suitable project and how to best pursue it. As a rule, an M.S. thesis project is narrower in scope than a Ph.D. research project. The scope of the project must be defined early so that research and writing can be accomplished on the time scale of two semesters (plus or minus a summer or two). A typical M.S. student might expect to finish class requirements, while working on thesis research, during the fall semester of the second year in residence, and then devote full time to thesis research and writing in the spring, and perhaps, summer. Despite its narrow scope, and the fact that it will often be one part of a larger research project, Master's research should be conducted in a way as to meet accepted standards for professional research in the field, and the thesis should be written to qualify for publication in a widely-read professional journal.

For the Ph.D. degree, dissertation research should begin in earnest during the third semester in residence. The research program should be well planned by this time as the result of extensive consultation between the student, major professor, and supervisory committee. The project should be designed so that it can be completed within the four-year Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. dissertation is expected to be original, useful, timely, and innovative, and the student is expected to contribute these qualities to the research. This is not to say that formal and informal advisors are not also contributors, but rather that the student is expected to demonstrate the competence and creativity to independently pursue similar research in the future. Ph.D. research should be conducted in such a way as to meet or exceed accepted standards for professional research in the field. Every student should endeavor to define new and higher standards with his or her Ph.D. work. The dissertation should be written to qualify for publication in a standard-setting professional journal. Ph.D. candidates are strongly encouraged to prepare their dissertation as a compilation of at least three manuscripts either submitted or ready for submission to first-tier, refereed journals, along with appendices of data and other appropriate material not generally accepted for publication. Following the successful defense of the dissertation, unpublished portions should be prepared for publication soon. In general, only research performed while a student is a candidate for a degree at Florida State University and under the supervision of a faculty member of this university may be used to fulfill the degree requirements. In special cases, this rule may be waived by unanimous written approval of the student's supervisory committee, and approval of the departmental chair.

The Graduate Edition of the General Bulletin is clear in its statement of university policies and recommendations regarding the purpose and scope of tests for graduate students, and the faculty involved in these tests. Items specifically relevant to the testing of students are extracted and shown in italics below. These are followed by specific departmental policies, as they comply with and complement those of the University. Students are strongly urged to read the complete section in the Graduate Edition of the Bulletin regarding graduate degree requirements.

7.1 Master of Science Degree

Comprehensive Examination

The prospectus serves as the comprehensive examination. Testing requirements and procedures are established by the major department.

Students must enroll for GLY 8966 during the semester in which they complete the comprehensive examination/prospectus.

The comprehensive exam will consist of a prospectus presentation and subsequent discussion to determine whether the student can continue to the final phase of the MSc degree program.

The Geological Sciences Program requires an oral presentation of the research prospectus. The Department invites all members of the University (faculty and students) to attend the student's presentation of the prospectus. The prospectus should be presented in the second semester.

Each prospectus will have a cover sheet that includes: a summary statement of the specific problem to be addressed by the research; the hypotheses that will be tested during the work; a summary statement of the proposed experimental methods; a statement regarding why the proposed methods is a good approach for testing the hypotheses; and a statement of the significance of the work. The cover sheet should be approved and signed by all members of the supervisory committee before scheduling the oral presentation and defense of the prospectus.

1. The student presents the research prospectus in the form of a 30 to 60-minute talk, then fields any questions from the audience. Members of the audience, except the supervisory committee and any other faculty members, who wish to remain, will then be excused. The student and faculty will further discuss the research prospectus in the broadest sense possible. This discussion will constitute the required comprehensive examination.

2. The prospectus presentation should be scheduled such that in addition to the advisory committee two other faculty members from the geology curricular group will attend. Their planned attendance should be confirmed by signatures on the scheduling form at least two weeks in advance of the prospectus presentation.

3. The written prospectus needs to be submitted to the supervisory committee and the two additional faculty members two weeks before the oral presentation. In addition, a copy needs to be deposited in the department office for review by any member of the department.

4. A final determination will be made regarding whether the student can continue in the program and whether the prospectus will be accepted, not accepted, or accepted with change. Immediately following, the committee chair submits in writing the outcome of the prospectus. One copy should be given to the student, and one is to be filed in the student’s folder.

Examination in Defense of Thesis

Final copies of the thesis should be in the hands of the major professor and the examining committee at least 2 weeks before the date set for the oral examination. Immediately after approval by the oral examining committee, which includes the supervisory committee, the student should submit a copy to the Manuscript and Final Clearance Adviser in the Graduate School (check deadline in the Academic Calendar). The Geological Sciences Program invites all members of the University (faculty and students) to attend the student's oral presentation of the defense. Students must enroll for GLY 8975 during the semester in which they defend their theses.

Prior to scheduling the defense, the thesis must be approved for defense by the major professor and at least one critical reader, a member of the supervisory committee who must be identified when the committee is established. When the major professor signifies his or her approval to the departmental chair, the student will submit a printed copy of the thesis to the department office with a departmental scheduling form. A copy must be forwarded to the critical reader(s) and they will be asked to respond in writing to the departmental chair within two weeks regarding the acceptability of the thesis. (This process may require some iteration, but you are not ready to go to defense until it has been completed.) Once the major professor and critical reader(s) agree regarding readiness of the thesis for defense, copies should be distributed to each member of the examination committee. The defense will be scheduled using the departmental scheduling form as soon as possible, given scheduling considerations for examiners, but not sooner than two weeks from the date when copies are supplied to the examination committee.

The defendable version of the thesis should have all figures and critical appendixes (techniques, math developments, etc.). A "defendable version" ideally is one which, if no changes are required as the result of unanticipated questions or issues raised during the defense, could be submitted "as is" to the Graduate School (check Academic Calendar for deadlines). As a matter of academic courtesy, an unusually lengthy thesis should be submitted to committee members sooner than the period prescribed above before the scheduled defense. A good "rule of thumb" is to add one week for each additional 50 pages beyond 100 pages.

7.2 Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The preliminary examination is designed to test scholarly competence and knowledge and to afford the examiners the basis for constructive recommendations concerning the student’s subsequent formal or informal study. The form and content of this examination will be determined by the department, college, school, or examining committee (typically, but not necessarily the same composition as the supervisory committee) administering the degree program. Before the examination, the student’s examining committee will determine whether the student 1) has a 3.0 average, and 2) has progressed sufficiently in the study of the discipline and its research tools to begin independent research in the proposed dissertation. The chair of the major department, the academic dean, and the Dean of The Graduate School may attend any session of the supervisory or examining committee as nonvoting members. A member may be appointed to the examining committee at the discretion of the academic dean or Dean of The Graduate School or on recommendation of the major professor. Normally, the examining committee will be identical to the supervisory committee. The examining committee will report the outcome of the examination to the academic dean: passed, failed, additional work to be completed, or to be re-examined; the report following the reexamination must indicate the student either passed or failed. The results of the examination will be reported to the Office of the University Registrar for inclusion in the student’s permanent record.

Students must enroll for GLY 8964 during the semester in which they take the preliminary examination.

1. The preliminary examination will be given by the end of the fourth semester after the student first registers for classes for graduate (Ph.D.) credit.

2. The preliminary examination will consist of a written part and an oral part; all students must take both parts.

3. At the Ph.D. level, the written part of this examination is set of questions prepared by members of the examining committee.

4. The University Representative will be encouraged to prepare a question.

5. The written part of the test will be administered at one specified time during each semester, and last no more than one day.

6. Each faculty member is responsible for grading only the questions that he or she prepared. Grading will be based on a standard set of written criteria, available to faculty and students (Section 7.3).

7. The overall score of the written part of the exam will be an average of the scores for all questions. It is therefore possible for a student to earn a passing score even if the student does poorly on any one question.

8. The written exam will be compiled by a designated faculty member in the department.

9. Written examination answers (with scores) and course grades will be available to examiners during the oral examination.

10. The presentation of the prospectus functions as the oral part of the examination and can only be taken after the student passes the written part.

11. Each student will be discussed by the examining committee immediately before the oral exam is administered. This is the time when concerns over student's record, capabilities, and progress should be discussed openly, so that these concerns can be addressed as part of the questioning during the exam.

12. The examining committee has the option of continuing an oral examination beyond the "scheduled" duration of 1-2 hours. An oral examination that is continued must be completed by the end of the semester. At the end of the oral examination, the examining committee will assign a numerical grade to the student's performance based on the same criteria used for the written part of the examination. The examining committee will average the scores for the written and oral parts of the examination then specify an outcome of "passed" or "failed". An overall score of 7.0, out of a possible 10.0, will constitute a passing grade. A student who passes may be assigned "additional work to be completed." A student who fails the preliminary examination the first time is allowed "to be reexamined" a second and final time.

13. A student who is "to be reexamined" must retake the preliminary examination by the end of the fifth semester after first registering for classes for graduate (Ph.D.) credit. At the end of a reexamination, the examining committee will specify an outcome of "passed" or "failed." If a student fails the second examination, his or her Ph.D.-seeking status within the Department of Geological Sciences will be officially terminated. The second attempt at the preliminary exam shall occur no sooner than six full work weeks and no later than sixteen full work weeks. A “full work week” is defined as a week with five days during which classes are held/grad student work is conducted at FSU. Students must be registered separately for their first and second attempt, if necessary, within the same semester, and must receive either a “pass” or a “fail” grade for each attempt. An exception request regarding the timing of the re-examination can be submitted for consideration to the Academic Dean’s Office by either the student or the supervisory committee.

14. The preliminary exam will be held in the (a) last week of February, and/or (b) last week of October, for Spring and Fall semesters respectively. Only exception to this will be allowed for students with valid health related excuses. A proper documentation in agreement with the PhD committee, Graduate chair, and the chair of the department will be required.

15. Following the successful completion of Preliminary Exam, the Doctoral Prospectus defense shall occur no sooner than four full work weeks and no later than sixteen full work weeks.

Prospectus (Ph.D.)

After passing the preliminary examination, the Geological Sciences Program requires the student to submit to the major professor, supervisory committee, and departmental chair a prospectus on a research project suitable for a doctoral dissertation. The Program also requires an oral presentation of the research prospectus. The Geological Sciences Program invites all members of the University (faculty and students) to attend the student's presentation of the prospectus.

1. Each prospectus will have a cover sheet that includes: a summary statement of the specific problem to be addressed by the research; the hypotheses that will be tested during the course of the work; a summary statement of the proposed experimental methods; a statement regarding why the proposed methods are a good approach for testing the hypotheses; and a statement of the significance of the work. The cover sheet should be approved and signed by all members of the supervisory committee before scheduling the oral presentation and defense of the prospectus.

2. The prospectus presentation needs to be scheduled such that at least two faculty members of the geology program, other than the committee members, will attend. Their planned attendance should be confirmed by signatures on the scheduling form at least two weeks in advance of the prospectus presentation.

3. The prospectus presentation should be taken within four months of the written examination, otherwise, the written examination must be retaken.

4. The written prospectus needs to be submitted to the supervisory committee and the two additional faculty members two weeks before the oral presentation. At the same time, a copy needs to be deposited at the department’s office for review by any member of the department.

5. The student presents the research prospectus in the form of a 30 to 60-minute talk, then fields any questions from the audience. Members of the audience, except the supervisory committee and any other faculty who wish to remain, will then be excused. The student and committee will further discuss the research prospectus, as well as any other topic relevant to research in Geology, after which the students will be excused and the supervisory committee together with the two additional faculty members will determine the outcome of the prospectus, “passed” or “failed”.

6. The student will be informed in writing by the committee of any concerns regarding the items in (1) above, for both passing and failing cases. A student who fails the prospectus will be asked to prepare another one or consider other options.

Examination in Defense of Dissertation

The defense of the dissertation will be oral. Responsibility for suggesting the time, designating the place, and presiding at the examination rests with the major professor. It is recommended that students defend no later than the eighth week of classes in the semester of intent to graduate. Students must meet all manuscript and online forms deadlines set by The Graduate School in the semester of graduation. Consult the Registration Guide for the manuscript submittal and online forms deadline dates.

Academic courtesy requires that the dissertation be submitted to each member of the supervisory committee at least four weeks before the date of the oral examination. At the same time, the dissertation should be submitted electronically to the Manuscript Clearance Advisor in The Graduate School so that the clearance advisor can provide the student with a critique of the manuscript for The Graduate School's formatting requirements. Electronic submission instructions can be found on The Graduate School's website under Thesis, Treatise, and Dissertation.

The oral examination committee will certify the results of the examination: passed, failed, or to be reexamined. The report of results following a re-examination must indicate whether the student passed or failed. To receive a passing grade, the written dissertation must be in final form or require only minor revisions at the time of the defense. A grade of PASS for the defense of the dissertation requires at least a majority approval of the committee.

The Geological Sciences Program invites all members of the University (faculty and students) to attend the student's oral presentation of the defense. Students must enroll for GLY 8985 during the semester in which they defend their dissertations. Before scheduling the defense, the dissertation must be approved for defense by the major professor and at least two critical readers, members of the supervisory committee who must be identified when the committee is established. When the major professor signifies his or her approval to the departmental chair, the student will submit a copy of the dissertation to the department office. Copies must be forwarded to the critical readers, and they will be asked to respond in writing to the departmental chair within two weeks regarding the acceptability of the dissertation. (This process may require some iteration, but you are not ready to go to defense until it has been completed.) Once the major professor and critical readers agree regarding the readiness of the dissertation for defense, copies should be distributed to each member of the examination committee. The defense will be scheduled using the departmental scheduling form as soon as possible, given scheduling considerations for examiners, but not sooner than two weeks from the date when copies are supplied to the examination committee.

The defendable version of the dissertation should have all figures and critical appendixes (techniques, math developments, etc.). A "defendable version" ideally is one which, if no changes are required as the result of unanticipated questions or issues raised during the defense, could be submitted "as is" to the Graduate School (check submission deadlines in the Academic Calendar). As a matter of academic courtesy, an unusually lengthy dissertation should be available to members of the examining committee sooner than the period prescribed above before the scheduled defense. A good "rule of thumb" is to add one week for each additional 50 pages beyond 200 pages.

7.3 Grading Scale for Examinations

• 9.0-10.0 – Excellent. No errors, or only minor errors; fully comprehends material.
• 8.0-9.0 – Strong. Errors due to sins of omission or commission only; exhibits solid comprehension of material.
• 7.0-7.9 – Satisfactory. Contains substantive errors, but exhibits satisfactory comprehension of material.
• 5.0-6.9 – Marginal. Several significant errors, but may exhibit basic comprehension of material.
• 3.0-4.9 – Unsatisfactory. Basic errors that reflect unsatisfactory comprehension of material.
• 0.0-2.9 – Unacceptable. Little or no evidence of basic comprehension of material; no answer.

Each graduate student's progress toward meeting degree requirements will be evaluated annually by the student's supervisory committee, with a written evaluation placed in the student's record (Section 4.3). The written evaluation will be done by the Major Professor and should summarize the evaluation from the committee members. The written evaluation will be signed by both the advisor and the student. Progress will be evaluated in the required coursework as well as the research-related aspects of a student’s program. Examples of accomplishments that are useful in evaluating research include presentations given within the Department (brown-bag seminars), abstracts submitted to professional meetings, research manuscripts submitted to scientific journals, and student input on research proposals, in addition to timely completion of the prospectus and required examinations (Section 7). The University expects students to carry full course loads until all coursework is completed (Section 5.4). Priority should be given to fulfilling any undergraduate requirements remaining at the time of admission to the graduate program (Section 5.1).

Additional information on the written evaluation for graduate research assistant could be found at hr.fsu.edu. 

Students failing to make satisfactory progress during consecutive two terms may be subject to academic dismissal (Section 15) and may be asked to withdraw from the graduate program.

A student who starts in the M.S. program at Florida State University but then wishes to bypass the M.S. degree and begin pursuing a Ph.D. degree may declare this intention at any time. Upon recommendation by the student's M.S. supervisory committee, the admissions committee will evaluate the student for acceptance into the Ph.D. program according to normal protocol, including final approval by the departmental chair. If admitted into the Ph.D. program, the student proceeds according to the normal Ph.D. sequence of requirements: selecting a major professor, forming a supervisory committee, and formulating a program of studies (Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4). A student who declares before the fourth semester must take the preliminary examination no later than the fourth semester since starting graduate study at Florida State. A student who declares after the fourth semester since starting graduate study must take the preliminary examination during the semester of declaration. Upon passing the preliminary examination, the student becomes Ph.D. candidate and proceeds with the Ph.D. prospectus, etc. A student has two chances to pass the preliminary examination, as outlined in Section 7.2. Upon failing the preliminary examination, a student may continue pursuing requirements for the M.S. degree, including the M.S. comprehensive examination and prospectus if these requirements were not previously satisfied. Students who proceed toward a Ph.D. degree without having a M.S. degree must complete 30 hours of graduate work, and then fulfill the scholarly engagement requirement (Section 5.3).

Graduate students are expected to make appropriate progress each semester on formulating, planning, and carrying out a program of original research, in addition to completing course requirements. All aspects of the student's program are to be planned in consultation with, and with the approval of, the major professor and supervisory committee, but the responsibility for appropriate progress lies directly with the student. Students are encouraged to complete the M.S. in two years and the Ph.D. in four years. Individual circumstances may require additional time of residency, but significant departures from these times are strongly discouraged, by the Department and the University. To that end, the following is a timetable of important milestones, in both M.S. and Ph.D. programs, with dates of accomplishment for each. This list does not include all degree requirements (Sections 5 through 7), but highlights important stages of the student's research progress. We urge you to use this timetable to measure your progress throughout your graduate career at Florida State. Note that certain items in this timetable are required during the semester indicated: these include all items appearing in Semesters 1 and 2, and subsequent annual evaluations of progress in even semesters. The Comprehensive Examination (M.S.) must be taken by the end of Semester 3, but may be taken sooner. The Preliminary Examination (Ph.D.) must be taken by the end of Semester 4, but may be taken sooner. We strongly encourage Ph.D. students who have M.S. degrees to take the preliminary examination sooner than Semester 4. Finally, note that a student who starts in the M.S. program at Florida State, but then bypasses the M.S. degree and begins pursuing a Ph.D. degree, will have a slightly altered schedule of milestones depending on individual circumstances (Section 9).

The Ph.D. students are strongly encouraged to publish their research findings in peer reviewed journals. It is strongly recommended that they have at least one manuscript published/accepted/or submitted for peer review before their dissertation defense.

Timeline for M.S. Degree (Geology Program)

• Semester 1: Choose major professor (Section 4.2), Form supervisory committee (Section 4.3); Formulate Program of Study (Section 4.4)
• Semester 2: First annual evaluation of progress (Sections 4.3 and 8)
• Semester 3: Prospectus/Comprehensive Examination (Section 7.1)
• Semester 4: Thesis Defense (Section 7.1)

Timeline for Doctoral Study (Geology Program)

• Semester 1: Choose major professor (Section 4.2); Form supervisory committee (Section 4.3); Formulate Program of Study (Section 4.4)
• Semester 2: First annual evaluation of progress (Sections 4.3 and 8)
• Semester 4/5: Preliminary Examination (Section 7.2); Second annual evaluation of progress (Sections 4.3 and 8)
• Semester 5: Dissertation Prospectus (Section 7.2)
• Semester 7/8: Third annual evaluation of progress (Sections 4.3 and 8)
• Semester 10/11: Fourth annual evaluation of progress (Sections 4.3 and 8)
• Semester 13/14/15: Dissertation Defense (Section 7.2)

The responsibilities of Teaching Assistants (TA's) can include: teaching prepared course material to students in course laboratories, occasionally helping professors to proctor major examinations, and serving as graders for certain introductory courses. (Graders will not be responsible for interpretive evaluations of answers to essay-style questions.) Each TA is required to post and hold office hours for students seeking additional assistance with course material.

Students must attend the mandatory University training, the Biannual PIE Teaching Conference. Students may not hold a teaching assistantship appointment without attending this conference. A half-time appointment is equivalent to a 20-hour-a-week job; if a TA finds that more time than this is required for completing the assigned responsibilities, the TA should notify the departmental chair. The various courses require different amounts of effort to prepare and present the laboratory material. The assignments of courses and responsibilities to TAs will be made as equitable as possible. Course assignments for the Fall and Summer terms will be made soon after TAs are awarded in the Spring semester; course assignments for the Spring semester will be made early in the Fall semester.

Funding for Teaching Assistantships is granted through the legislature. Current statewide fiscal considerations may affect the number of positions available. The department will make initial decisions about TA awards around 15 March of each year for the following academic year. Prospective students to whom teaching assistantship offers are made normally have until 15 April to accept or decline these offers.

A graduate student with a B.S. degree should not expect to receive more than four semesters of TA support from the Geological Sciences Program before concluding the M.S. degree. Doctoral students with a master's degree earned at Florida State University or elsewhere should not expect to receive more than six semesters of TA support from the Geological Sciences Program, although the Program will try to extend this to eight semesters of support. Persons who are approved to proceed directly from a B.S. degree to a Ph.D. at Florida State should not expect to receive more than seven semesters of TA support from the Department of Geological Sciences, although again, the Department will try to extend this to eight semesters of support. A Teaching Assistant who has reached these limits of eligibility for holding an assistantship may compete for an appointment through the normal evaluation procedures. When supplemental funds are used for extra TA appointments, an appointed student must be informed of the specific duration of the appointment. The normal limits of eligibility (above) do not apply in such cases.

A student must maintain normal, satisfactory progress toward his or her degree requirements (Section 8) to remain eligible for departmentally awarded Teaching Assistantships.

Teaching Assistantship renewals are subject to evaluations. These evaluations are conducted every semester a student is awarded Teaching assistantship. A graduate teaching assistant evaluation form is appended at the end of this graduate handbook.

Graduate research Assistantships (RA) are available through individual faculty members. The responsibilities of an RA are determined by the individual faculty member. A graduate research assistant evaluation form is appended at the end of this graduate handbook.

Students failing to make satisfactory progress during consecutive two terms may be subject to academic dismissal (Section 15) and may be asked to withdraw from the graduate program.

The Geological Sciences Program annually considers applications from students for several small scholarships and fellowships. We will provide more detailed information to you about the application procedures and relevant deadlines in the mid-Spring term; traditionally, these awards have helped defray students’ expenses for field and other research, generally carried out over the summer. You will receive an email notification seeking applications for available fellowships/travel funding, etc.

Information on manuscript i.e., M.S. thesis, and Ph.D. dissertation clearances could be found at:

• Manuscript Clearance Overview
• Templates and formatting assistance
• Manuscript Clearance Deadlines
• Manuscript Submission Process
• Manuscript Clearance Portal

Please contact the Manuscript Clearance Office with any questions by phone (850-644-3501) or email (clearance@fsu.edu).

The following courses are to be used to satisfy the core curriculum requirements for the Master of Science degree. Students must successfully complete four courses taught by four different faculty members from the following list of courses. The list of courses included might change from year to year, in part because of changing faculty. Any student can always petition for a course from the core curriculum to be replaced for their program of studies if the course offering is such that it will impede the students’ progress towards their degree. Students who have completed any of these courses will have satisfied the requirement for that group, regardless of subsequent changes in the list that might occur. Students should establish a program of study as soon as possible when entering the MS program to ensure that all courses will be taken in a timely manner. For most students, one of the core groups will also be their area of research. Students should consult with their advisor and committee to see if a more advanced course in this category would be appropriate. M.Sc. students are required to have a minimum of 18 letter-graded credits.

• GLY5265 Nuclear Geology (Radiogenic Isotopes)
• GLY5267 Stable Isotope Tracers in the Environment
• GLY5297 Advanced Topics in Geochemistry
• GLY5425 Tectonics
• GLY5455 Introduction to Geophysics
• GLY5497 Advanced Topics in Structural Geology
• GLY5595 Geostatistics (Adv Tpcs in Sedimentation & Stratigraphy)
• GLY5757C GIS/Remote Sensing
• GLY5395 Adv Topics Petrology (Petroleum Geology)
• GLY5516 Stratigraphy and Sequence Analysis
• GLY5576 Stratigraphy and Sediments of Transitional Marine Environments
• GLY5577 Sedimentary Basin Analysis
• GLY5575 Coastal Geology
• GLY5736 Marine Geology
• GLY5825 Physical Hydrology
• GLY5826 Numerical Modeling of Groundwater Flow
• GLY5827 Principles of Hydrology
• GLY5828 Hydrology and Field Methods
• GLY5885 Geologic Hazard Assessment
• GLY5887 Environmental Geology I
• OCC5050 Basic Chemical Oceanography

Geology graduate degree programs follow the FSU graduate program policies for academic dismissal as detailed in the academic bulletin (bulletin.fsu.edu). The University reserves the right to dismiss graduate students and terminate their enrollment in an academic program based on a number of different criteria, beyond that of GPA alone. Oversight is provided by The Graduate School, Office of Faculty Development and Advancement, and Office of the Registrar. Additional details on the steps involved in the process are available for faculty and administrators from the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement and for graduate students at the Graduate School. Reasons for program terminations include but are not limited to:

• Inability to conduct independent research in a fashion appropriate with the accepted norms in the earth sciences.
• Inability to function within a team environment to the extent that it negatively affects the learning and/or research of other undergraduate student, graduate student, or postdoctoral researchers. 
• Failure to complete important degree milestone requirements (e.g., preliminary exams and prospectus for Ph.D. students) along the expected timeline.
• Receipt of more than two unsatisfactory (U) grades in a S/U course.
• Failure to identify a new major professor within three months after leaving a research group or after the major professor resigns from the student’s supervisory committee.
• Failure to be approved for an extension of time
• Failure to address deficiencies resulting in “Not in Good Standing” within one semester. Possible reasons for being placed in “Not in Good Standing” status include but are not limited to:
  • Failure to make satisfactory progress toward degree milestones on the expected timeline. o Receiving an unsatisfactory rating on the Annual Academic Progress Review.
  • Failure to submit a report on time.
  • Receipt of more than a single unsatisfactory (U) grade in a S/U course.
  • Having a cumulative GPA in FSU graduate courses of less than 3.0
• Being placed in “Not in Good Standing” status more than once.
• Failure to enroll in courses in two subsequent terms.

16.1 Guidelines for Establishing Florida Residency

You must become a Florida Resident before the beginning of your 2nd year at FSU because out-of-state tuition waivers are available for only the first year of graduate school for domestic students. (This is not necessary for international students or students using the academic common market.)

To become a Florida resident, you will need to prove you have been living in Tallahassee for 12 months. You will first apply for residency during the summer of your first year. 

Please note: All residency reclassification requests are subject to Florida Statute 1009.21 and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.044 which was adopted by the Florida Board of Governors on September 6, 2006.

Declaring Domicile

To begin the 12 month process to declare domicile, get your Florida driver’s license and license plates as soon as you can. The sooner you do these things, the more likely it will be that you will be able to declare residency a year from now without any problems.

Before the first day of classes, go to 301 South Monroe Street, Official Records, Leon County Courthouse, with your current driver’s license (any state) and Declaration of Domicile form at leonclerk.com under Official Records to declare domicile in Florida (a small fee is required).

Leon County Clerk of Courts
313 South Calhoun Street,
Tallahassee, Florida 32302
850-577-4030
Operating Hours: Monday – Friday; 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fee: $15

Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration

Locations can be found at flhsmv.gov/locations/leon

Required Documentation

Driver’s license: Be sure to bring your social security card and current driver’s license. If you have a valid out-of- state driver’s license you will only have to take a vision test. If you own a vehicle, you must have Florida tags and title before you can get a license and you must take your vehicle registration with you. For more information, visit flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/.

Vehicle Registration: Bring title, vehicle, insurance card, social security card, and an ID (out of state license is okay). Visit flhsmv.gov/new-resident/ for more information. (If the car you drive is not in your name, you cannot get it registered in Florida.)

Housing Receipts/Lease

When you declare residency at the Registrar’s Office, you should bring your mortgage or rent receipts    to show that you have been living in Florida for one year. You should know that university dormitories and other FSU campus addresses are not permanent addresses for residency purposes.

After 12 months have elapsed and before the first day of fall second year classes, finalize the residency requirements.

Required Documentation (at least 2):

Bolded documents are the easiest to obtain for proof of residency. However, it is recommended that you submit as many required documents as possible to justify your claim of Florida residency for tuition purposes

• Florida Driver's license or for non-drivers, a State of Florida identification card
• Florida voter registration card 
• Florida vehicle registration
• Proof of purchase of a permanent home in Florida that is occupied as a primary residence of the claimant
• Proof of homestead exemption in Florida
• Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years if the Florida high school diploma or GED was earned within the last 12 months
• Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a 12 month period (Graduate students on Assistantship should complete and submit the Graduate Assistant Verification Form)

Supporting Documentation (at least 1):

It is recommended that you submit as many supporting documents as possible to justify your claim of Florida residency for tuition purposes.

While all documents are important, the most critical is the Declaration of Domicile that you obtained one year ago. Please note: No claim of residency will be valid without at least two required documents and at least three documents total.

• Declaration of domicile in Florida ("filed date" must be 12 months prior to first day of classes)
• A Florida professional or occupational license
• Florida incorporation
• Documents evidencing family ties in Florida
• Proof of membership in Florida-based charitable or professional organizations

Any other documentation that supports the student's request for resident status, such as:

• Lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments. FSU dorms don’t count.
• Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
• Bank records
• Benefit histories from Florida agencies or public assistance programs
• State, federal, or court documents evidencing legal ties to Florida

If you have questions or need more information, please contact:

Florida State University Office of Admissions and Records
A3900 University Center 282 Champions Way
P.O. Box 3062480
Tallahassee, Fl 32306-2480
(850) 644-1050
Enrollment Management Specialist

16.2 Important People and Links

Adea Arrison
Contact for: Graduate academics
EOA 3008
850-644-8582
aa25bq@fsu.edu

EOAS HR
Contact for: Personnel
850-644-2059

Alan Michels or Major Professor
Contact for: Office keys
850-644-6862
ammichels@fsu.edu

Edward Peirce
Contact for: Computer issues
850-644-2522
epeirce@fsu.edu

Arthur Cooper
Contact for: Computer issues
850-644-1550
ascooper@fsu.edu

Important Links

• Canvas
  • Look under EOAS Graduate Students in Meteorology to find a lot of useful information and forms
• FSU Card
• Residency
• Graduate Student Resource Center
• FSU Graduate Admissions
• Graduate School Handbook
• Academic Common Market
• Registrar
• Academic Calendar
• Parking
  • Make sure to download the FSU Bus app as well as the Parking App that shows you how full parking garages are in real time.
• Financial Services
• IT Services and Support
• myFSU
• Health Compliance and Insurance Info
• FSU Graduate School