Courses and curriculum
The Master of Science in Applied Geosciences core courses provide you with foundational knowledge of geochemistry, engineering geology, ground-water hydrology, computational geoscience, and geomechanics—so you are equipped with an array of scientific tools to address complex environmental challenges in the real world. Students may then develop an individualized curriculum in collaboration with their advisors, or focus their studies with a concentration in engineering geology, hydrogeology, or environmental geology.
All MSAG program courses are offered in the evening, so you can take advantage of internship and research opportunities during the academic year or pursue your graduate education without interrupting your career.
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Program opportunities
In addition to coursework in hydrology, geomechanics, and engineering geology, MSAG students have opportunities to learn and work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), groundwater modeling, site characterization, and green infrastructure monitoring. Courses are designed to prepare you for professional licensure in geology. OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) certification is also available. When you complete the master’s degree, the Geologist In Training work requirement for Professional Geologist (PG) licensure is shortened from five years to four.
MSAG students have the opportunity to work in collaboration with many research institutions and groups both on and off-campus, including The Water Center at Penn, Stroud Water Research Center, the Global Water Alliance, the Philadelphia Field Station-USFS, and the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership. Students can also acquire experience working with a peer-reviewed academic journal: wH2O: The Journal of Gender and Water, an online, open-access publication managed by Penn faculty and students that focuses on the intersection of water and gender.
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Prepare for a career in the geosciences
Graduates of the MSAG program become engineering geologists, researchers, and consultants in a wide range of organizations. Some students enter the program as working professionals who wish to accelerate their licensure or expand their skill set to approach pressing environmental issues. Others find their pathway into a career during the program, making the most of the University’s Ivy League resources and industry connections.
The culminating project for the program is the year-long project design exercise or capstone, for which students apply their theoretical and technical expertise to real-world environmental challenges such as soil contamination, stormwater management, and water quality. The project may showcase your professional specialization and interests or be applied directly to your workplace.
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