Degree Requirements.

There is no formal language requirement and no required curriculum. Students plan their course of study in consultation with their advisers to meet individual interests and needs, to lay the foundations for dissertation research, and to prepare for the general examinations and dissertation proposals which take place together at the end of the second year in the form of submission and defense of two independent research projects or proposals. (See the Graduate Student Handbook for details).

At the end of the first year the faculty reviews the standing of each student. A student recommended for continuation in the PhD. program will be so notified. Some students may be encouraged at that time to pursue only the M.S. degree. At the end of the second year the faculty reviews each student's overall performance to determine whether he or she is qualified to continue for the PhD degree as Doctoral Candidate. In order to qualify for Doctoral Candidacy, a student must have met the Graduate School Honors requirement, maintained a better than passing record in the area of concentration, passed the qualifying examination and adequately defended the dissertation prospectus to the faculty. Remaining degree requirements include a dissertation review in the third year; the preparation and defense of the dissertation; and the submission of the dissertation to the Graduate School. The department requires that an additional copy of the dissertation, for which the student will be reimbursed, be deposited with the librarian of the Kline Geology Library. 

For further information consult the Graduate Student Handbook,  or contact the DGS office at dgs@geology.yale.edu or the Graduate Registrar Peter Schrader; postal or telephone inquiries can be made to