Bulletin

Interested in attending Stanford?
Visit Undergraduate Admissions opens in a new tab or Graduate Admissions opens in a new tab.

Resources

  • About Stanford
  • About Bulletin
  • Academic Calendar opens in a new tab
  • Bulletin Archive
  • Enrollment Overview opens in a new tab
  • Enrollment Deadlines opens in a new tab
  • Degrees at a Glance

Schools

  • Doerr School of Sustainability opens in a new tab
  • Graduate School of Business opens in a new tab
  • Graduate School of Education opens in a new tab
  • School of Engineering opens in a new tab
  • School of Humanities and Science opens in a new tab
  • School of Law opens in a new tab
  • School of Medicine opens in a new tab
Give Feedback

Stanford University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges opens in a new tab.

Give Feedback
Stanford
University
  • Stanford Home
  • Maps & Directions
  • Search Stanford
  • Emergency Info
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Trademarks
  • Non-Discrimination
  • Accessibility
© Stanford University.  Stanford, California 94305.
Skip to main content
Stanford University
Bulletin
Geophysics
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
  • MS
  • PhD
  • PhD Minor
  • Coterm
Program Info
  • About the Program
  • Master of Science
    • Admissions
    • Advising
    • Policies
    • Learning Outcomes
  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • PhD Minor
  • Courses
  • Contact Us
Loading program
  1. Home
  2. Programs
  3. Graduate
  4. Geophysics
  5. Master of Science

Master of Science

MSCoterm
  • Geophysics opens in a new tab
Program Minimum Units
45 Units
University Minimum Units
45 Units
Program Length
2 Years
Interests
Data and Information Sciences, Ecology & Environment, Sustainability, Experimentation & Discovery, Technology
Academic Areas
Mathematics & Data Sciences, Earth & Energy, Natural Sciences

Overview

Geophysics is a hybrid discipline uniquely devoted to applying physical principles and methods to studying Earth’s and other planets’ complex systems (processes and properties). The undergraduate and graduate programs are designed to provide a background of fundamentals in science and courses to coordinate these fundamentals with the principles of geophysics. Graduate programs offer specialized training for professional work in resource exploration, research, and education and lead to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the MS and PhD.

The MS program is available either as a standalone MS degree or as a coterminal degree.

Requirements

Program Requirements

Requirements Overview

Students must complete a minimum of 45 units of coursework. Lecture courses (component LEC) must be taken for a letter grade unless S/NC is the only option offered. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (B) grade point average overall in courses applicable to the degree. Students are encouraged, but not required, to attend the department seminar.

Program Objectives: To enhance the student’s training for professional work in geophysics through completing courses and independent research.

How We Study: Complete at least one course from any of the following 4 areas.

Area 1. Computational methods involving data-intensive computing or numerical modeling [grouped below by subject area]

Complete any of the following requirements:
Statistics
Complete any of the following course(s):
EARTHSYS 240

Data Science for Geoscience

3 Units
CEE 260G

Imaging with Incomplete Information

3-4 Units
or
Survey courses
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 108

Introduction to Scientific Computing with Machine Learning Applications

3 Units
ME 123

Computational Engineering

4 Units
GEOPHYS 112

Exploring Geosciences with MATLAB

1-3 Units
or
Numerical linear algebra
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 200

Linear Algebra with Application to Engineering Computations

3 Units
CME 302

Numerical Linear Algebra

3 Units
or
Numerical PDEs
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 206

Introduction to Numerical Methods for Engineering

3 Units
CME 306

Computational Methods of Applied Mathematics

3 Units
CME 322

Spectral Methods in Computational Physics

3 Units
or
Scientific computing/Programming
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 212

Programming for performance

3 Units
CME 213

Introduction to parallel computing using MPI, openMP, and CUDA

3 Units
GEOPHYS 245

Computational Earth System Analysis

3 Units
or
Optimization/ML/AI
Complete any of the following course(s):
CME 364A

Convex Optimization I

3 Units
CS 229

Machine Learning

3-4 Units
CS 230

Deep Learning

3-4 Units
GEOPHYS 248

Machine Learning and the Physical Sciences

3 Units
or
Numerical methods for solids
Complete any of the following course(s):
ME 335A

Finite Element Analysis

3 Units
CEE 310

Computational Solid Mechanics

3-4 Units
CEE 281

Mechanics and Finite Elements

3 Units
CEE 314

Computational Poromechanics

3 Units
or
Numerical methods for fluids
Complete any of the following course(s):
AA 214

Numerical Methods for Compressible Flows

3 Units
ME 405

Asymptotic Methods in Computational Engineering

3 Units
CEE 262C

Computational Fluid Dynamics for Geophysical Flows

3 Units

Area 2. Laboratory-scale studies of physical properties and processes

Complete any of the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 259

Laboratory Characterization of Properties of Rocks and Geomaterials

3-4 Units
GEOPHYS 239

Paleomagnetism

3 Units
MATSCI 320

Nanocharacterization of Materials

3 Units

Area 3. Observations of Earth and planets using various forms of measurement (waves and potential fields)

Complete any of the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 130

Introductory Seismology

3 Units
GEOPHYS 190

Near-Surface Geophysics: Imaging Groundwater Systems

4 Units
GEOPHYS 230

Ice Penetrating Radar

3-4 Units
GEOPHYS 258J

Introduction to Radar Remote Sensing

3-4 Units
GEOPHYS 265

Imaging Radar and Applications

3 Units
GEOPHYS 280

3-D Seismic Imaging

2-3 Units
GEOPHYS 281

Geophysical Inverse Problems

3 Units
GEOPHYS 241A

Seismic Reservoir Characterization

3-4 Units
GEOPHYS 250

Fiber Sensing for a Sustainable Planet

3 Units
GEOPHYS 256

Experimental Earth and Planetary System Analysis

4 Units

Area 4: Physics-based modeling of Earth processes and materials

Complete any of the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 220

Geophysical Mechanics and Dynamics

3-5 Units
GEOPHYS 238

Waves in Solids and Fluids

3 Units
GEOPHYS 228

Modeling Earth

3-4 Units
ESS 246A

Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: The Atmospheric Circulation

3 Units
ESS 246B

Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: the Ocean Circulation

3 Units
GEOPHYS 262

Rock Physics

3 Units
GEOPHYS 203

Fluids and Flow in the Earth: Computational Methods

3 Units
GEOPHYS 247

Fundamentals of Atmospheric and Climate Dynamics

3 Units

What We Study

“What we study” in geophysics ranges broadly across many areas: atmosphere, climate, cryosphere, energy, freshwater, geomaterials, hazards, oceans, other planets, tectonics/geodynamics/Earth’s interior.

In consultation with their faculty advisor, students must identify and take 1-2 courses, each at least three units, that enhance their understanding of “what they study” or provide breadth and understanding in other areas of “what we study.”

A small subset of the classes from the  “How We Study” list (the 4 areas identified there/above) may be used to satisfy the “What We Study” requirement. 

Such a class may be used to fulfill either the “How we study” or “What we study” requirement, but not both. These classes are:

  • GEOPHYS 230

  • GEOPHYS 239

Department research overview – 1 unit

Complete all of the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 201

Frontiers of Geophysical Research at Stanford

1 Units

Research Units

Earn at least 6 units in the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 400

Research in Geophysics

1-15 Units

Additional courses

The remaining units, to reach a total of 45 units, are from courses deemed relevant by the student and advisor to the student’s education in geophysics. GEOPHYS 400 can be used for some or all of these units.

Complete any of the following course(s):
GEOPHYS 400

Research in Geophysics

1-15 Units

Research presentation and report

The student must present their research in a public, oral presentation attended by their advisor and one other Stanford faculty member and submit a written report to their advisor.