The Geosciences encompass many disciplines including geology, geochemistry, and geophysics, and its interdisciplinary nature fosters natural links not only with chemistry and physics, but also with environmental science, materials science, engineering, biology, and health fields. Graduate students may choose among degree programs with emphasis in different areas in Geosciences. There is also a non-thesis M.S. program in hydrogeology focused primarily on training professionals in environmentally related fields. Also offered is an M.A. in Teaching Earth Science, which leads to provisional certification for teaching earth science in secondary schools of New York State. The Department of Geosciences occupies a modern, well-equipped building that houses extensive experimental and analytical labs, faculty and graduate student offices, numerous computers and workstations, a machine shop, an electronics support group, and the Earth and Space Sciences Library.
Graduate students benefit from greater focus and also enjoy close interaction with faculty members.
A distinctive aspect of graduate study in the Geosciences Department is the opportunity for collaborative research, often involving several faculty members. Projects emphasize crystal structure studies on oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, carbonates, and silicates, including characterization of phase transitions, ordering phenomena, and ion exchange. Other projects utilize X-ray absorption spectroscopy to examine local structure in minerals and neutron diffraction for studies of hydrous phases. There are broad opportunities for graduate study and research in many areas of geochemistry. All programs have a strong experimental foundation, and many integrate experimental work with field studies and experimental petrology.