Paleontology, MS

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Contact Information

Dr. Laurie Anderson, Department Head
Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
Mineral Industries 303
(605) 394-2461
E-mail: Laurie.Anderson@sdsmt.edu

Department Website

Students are responsible for checking with their advisors for any program modifications that may occur after the publication of this catalog.

MS in Paleontology

The MS in Paleontology is only offered with a thesis option.

South Dakota Mines students accepted to the Accelerated MS option may apply up to 9 credits of 500/600 level courses taken as an undergraduate toward both the BS and the MS degrees. Students may use 400-level courses only if 500-level versions of these courses are not available.

Degree requirements for thesis option

Distribution of credits

Core requirements: 7 credits
Research requirements: 6 credits
Elective requirements: 17 credits
Total credits: 30

A minimum of 15 credits of the 30 required must be taken at the 600 level or above.

Core requirements

GEOL 700 Developing and Planning Research Credits: (1-0) 1 *
GEOL 771/771L Paleobiology/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4
GEOL 471/571 Field Paleontology Credits: (0-2) 2
*Required in the first fall semester of enrollment.

Research requirements

The completion of a master’s thesis, approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate Education, is required for this degree.

PALE 798 Thesis Credits: Credit to be arranged. *
*At least 6 credits of PALE 798 are required. No more than 6 credits of PALE 798 may be counted toward the degree.

Elective requirements

Candidates will work with their advisor and committee members to develop an approved program of study to fulfill the remaining coursework requirements. At least twelve (12) credits of electives with a GEOL/GEOE/PALE prefix and at least five (5) credits of additional GEOL/GEOE/PALE or other electives are required.

Examinations

Candidates for the MS degree must fulfill all degree requirements of the graduate office and of the program. Departmental requirements include a written thesis proposal with oral proposal defense. The thesis proposal and its defense will be scheduled through the student’s major advisor and will have the thesis committee’s approval. A final thesis proposal, which may require revisions following the thesis proposal defense, serves as a contract of expectations for the student’s thesis. The thesis proposal defense must take place at least one semester prior to the thesis defense. Students must declare any non-disclosure agreements and associated materials or information as an addendum to the thesis proposal document.

Additional requirements

Any physical specimens (and associated documentation) collected, prepared, and cited in a thesis or dissertation are to be deposited in the Museum of Geology as part of the student’s work. Guidelines and forms are available online.

In addition to these degree-specific requirements, the student must also meet the requirements and policies applied to all graduate degrees by the Council of Graduate Education.