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The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences offers an intimate academic environment within a major research institution, providing diverse doctoral research opportunities across multiple disciplines. Students can specialize in fields like geobiology (including microbiology and paleolimnology), geophysics (covering mineral physics, seismology, and tectonics), geochemistry (encompassing sedimentary chemistry, isotope studies, and stratigraphy), as well as planetary science.
Northwestern graduate students become part of a multidisciplinary academic community. The program encourages exploration across subdisciplines through coursework, field studies, and research utilizing cutting-edge facilities like the Integrated Labs for Earth and Planetary Sciences (ILEPS). With our department's small size, students enjoy direct access to world-class faculty, including their thesis advisors. The program also fosters interdisciplinary collaboration through initiatives like IDEAS, while offering the advantage of being located near Chicago's dynamic urban environment.
A strong foundation in math and science is the main prerequisite for admission to our graduate program. We welcome students with backgrounds that span the range of STEM disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, and mathematics, in addition to those whose undergraduate preparation was in geology or earth sciences. We encourage students who have not studied geoscience as an undergraduate to pay close attention to prerequisites for the graduate level courses they wish to take.
To qualify for admission, students must earn a minimum score of 90 on the internet test, or a 7.0 on the IELTS.