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Discipline Coordinator
- Raymond Coveney, (816) 235-2980, coveneyr@umkc.edu
Click here to see Geosciences faculty who are members of the doctoral faculty.
Geosciences is a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program administered by the School of Graduate Studies.
Note: The discipline-specific requirements listed here are in addition to the requirements listed in Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission and Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements.
Discipline-Specific Admission Requirements
Specific admission requirements defined by the faculty of the Department of Geosciences follow the guidelines established by the School of Graduate Studies. Typically, a student would be expected to hold an undergraduate or master's degree in geology, geography or a closely related field. Opportunities within the department range from the physical sciences to the humanities. Because of the wide range of faculty expertise, and in keeping with the general spirit of the entire interdisciplinary program, the faculty of the Department of Geosciences has deliberately chosen to establish broad guidelines for admission of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students. All prospective graduate students must attain a GPA of 3.0 or above, on a 4.0 grading scale, in all university work prior to admission. Three letters of recommendation from professors as well as a proposal from the prospective student detailing goals and expectations are needed for an evaluation of the application.
Non-native English-speaking applicants seeking geosciences as a coordinating discipline must demonstrate proficiency in English. This requirement can be satisfied by obtaining English proficiency certification from the UMKC English Department.
Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines
Faculty members in the Department of Geosciences conduct research in applied geophysics, engineering and environmental geology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, GIS, mineral deposits, neotectonics, geoarcheology, geomorphology, Quaternary environments, cultural and historical geography (Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa) and historical cartography. Suitable co-disciplines for the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program are practically unlimited (see www.iml.umkc.edu/geo for possibilities). Consultation with the principal graduate advisers for geology and geography would be a good way for the student to explore the possibilities. Previous and existing geology students have designated co-disciplines of chemistry, curriculum and instruction and physics. Previous geography Ph.D. students have designated curriculum and instruction as a co-discipline. Other excellent possibilities would include political science, economics, history and sociology.
Core Program Requirements
Specific core program requirements follow the guidelines established by the School of Graduate Studies and are otherwise defined by the student's supervisory committee in consultation with each individual student.
Other Discipline-Specific Special Requirements
While there is no set minimum number of hours for all students, at least 50 percent of the course credit hours for students who select geosciences as their coordinating unit must be taken in the Department of Geosciences. Students who have selected geosciences as a coordinating unit or a co-discipline are expected to take no less then three courses from the Department of Geosciences as determined by their supervisory committee. Other special requirements are defined by the student's supervisory committee in individual consultation with each student. All geosciences students (coordinating or co-discipline) are expected to successfully complete a qualifying examination in their subject area, devised by departmental faculty, by the end of their first two semesters of residency.
Comprehensive Examination Guidelines
Comprehensive examinations of all Ph.D. students who select the Department of Geosciences as the coordinating unit will contain both written and oral components and may include questions from each of the co-disciplines and from related fields as determined by the student's examining committee. The committee consists of the student's supervisory committee and others who may be appointed by the dean of the School of Graduate Studies.
Interdisciplinary Work
The faculty of the Department of Geosciences are committed to an interdisciplinary approach and expect that all Ph.D. students, whether enrolled in the coordinating or the co-disciplinary category, will complete courses and conduct research with this principle in mind.
Graduate Studies, School of