"We love to hire UT grads." "They are well prepared with strong analytical skills and are able to relate theory and concepts to practical applications to solve problems and get the job done.” — Mike Angle, assistant chief and assistant state geologist, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The research-based geology master's degree program at The University of Toledo combines practical skills and academic knowledge.
Our graduate students learn to assess, understand and solve geology-related problems. They choose a thesis or non-thesis track and:
The master's degree program faculty has expertise in Quaternary geology and water resources, with an emphasis on environmental geology. Our program focuses on near-surface geology, emphasizing:
High job-placement rate. There is a growing demand for UToledo geology students by state geological surveys in the Midwest. Most of our geology master's students are employed by the time they graduate.
State-of-the-art tools. UT graduate students in geology have access to the latest equipment, including:
A rich, natural laboratory. The region around UT offers abundant natural sites that allow our master's students to study:
Teamwork. Geology students get a holistic understanding of unique ecological areas. They work on interdisciplinary projects with UToledo ecologists who also are part of the Department of Environmental Sciences. Master's candidates study groundwater/surface-water interactions and use geophysical and remote-sensing techniques to map ecological regions.
Regional partnerships. Our graduate students benefit from our collaboration with experts from the Ohio, Michigan and Indiana geological surveys, who assist with field experiments.
Competitive funding. UToledo geology graduate students can apply for research grants and teaching assistantships (minimum $17,500/year).
During the past 10 years, nearly all UToledo master's students in geology have been employed within six months of defending their theses. Many found positions even before they graduated, working for geological surveys, city governments and environmental consulting firms.
UToledo geology graduates have been employed as:
Graduates of our geology master's program also have pursued Ph.D.s at such universities as:
"The professors in the Department of Environmental Sciences were always willing to do field work with us, while simultaneously helping us to develop independence with our research and critical thinking. As I entered the working world, I felt like a prepared and capable scientist."
Melinda Higley, '09. Read more about Melinda's career here.
"I was given so many opportunities at The University of Toledo, including a variety of fascinating courses and field trips around the country. I owe a great amount to my advisor. He always gave me words of encouragement and constructive feedback."
Chris Maike, '14. Read more about Chris' career here.
Courses in the geology master's program at UToledo teach many practical skills, including:
All new graduate students take Glacial Stratigraphy & Geophysics. The field- and lab-intensive course introduces the glacial history and stratigraphy of the region. Students identify a research problem, develop a hypothesis and analyze their collected field data to test the hypothesis. The results are usually of such high quality that students present them at a professional meeting.
The award-winning faculty members in the geology master's program have national and international reputations. They have expertise in a variety of areas, including:
UToledo master's students in geology are active, productive researchers. Many student-research projects are based on near-surface, high-resolution geophysical methods and remote sensing applications. You can learn more about students' thesis projects here.
Geology graduate students have won numerous awards, including:
