Master of Science

All first-year M.S. students must complete a minimum of three letter-graded graduate-level courses (200-level or above), totaling at least 9 units, by the end of their third quarter in residence. These courses must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of research units) and must be taught by Academic Council faculty. At least two of the three required courses must be taught by two different EPS faculty members.

By the time of graduation, students must also complete:

• 6 additional units of graduate-level coursework in EPS or another department (recommended)

• Up to 30 units of residency, which typically includes 18–30 units of EPS 400 Graduate Research, though other graduate-level courses may also count toward this total

Submit the MS Program Proposal form by the end of the first quarter in residence.

MS students must complete at least one TA appointment (25%). Additional TA quarters may be considered and/or required in consultations with the research advisor, depending on academic goals, funding availability, or the requirements of individual graduate programs.

In consultation with their thesis advisor, students need to select a second reader, who must be approved by the EPS Director of Graduate Studies. The thesis advisor and second reader will serve as the student's Thesis Reading Committee and will jointly determine whether the thesis meets the requirements for the M.S. degree in Earth & Planetary Sciences.

Students should submit the Thesis Reading Committee Form before the start of their second year in the program.

Each student is required to complete a thesis describing their original research. Thesis research typically begins during the first year of study at Stanford and should be completed by the end of the second year in residence.

The thesis must follow the same formatting requirements as a Ph.D. dissertation. Students should refer to the Registrar’s Office website for current formatting guidelines.

Prior to submission, students must provide their title page and Thesis Reading Committee Signature Page to the Assistant Director of Student Services. Once these materials have been received and approved, the Assistant Director of Student Services will grant access for the student to upload their final thesis, including the title page and signature page, to the Stanford Earth Digital Repository.

The final thesis must be submitted by the University thesis deadline published in the Academic Calendar.