Hydrology, M.S.

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The Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences (GPHS) offers MS and PhD degrees in hydrology and hydrogeology. The hydrology degrees offer specialization in hydroclimatology. The program is structured to provide a foundation in hydrologic sciences with an emphasis in a student’s chosen area. Students may define their areas of emphasis by developing a curriculum from a breadth of graduate courses offered across the campus. The program is interdisciplinary, with faculty support and participation from the College of Science, the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Desert Research Institute. Students pursuing an MS degree may choose a thesis option or non-thesis Professional option and should consult with their advisors and the program director for guidance on the best choice for their individual needs. Research and teaching assistantships, as well as several fellowships, are often made available to students accepted into the program. Non-thesis students are not eligible for research assistanships.

Contact Information

Director, Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences
hydro@unr.edu // www.hydro.unr.edu

Admission Requirements

Students entering the program should have a Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent in engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, natural resources, ecology, or a related field. Contact the program director for more information. Prospective graduate students should have an undergraduate GPA above 3.0. GRE scores are not required. International students should complete the requirements provided by the Graduate School. In addition, there are program co-requisites described below. Any deficiencies are to be made up during the first year of graduate studies and students are encouraged to consult with their advisors and the program director for guidance on the appropriate courses.

Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The program’s objectives enable students to complete their programs of study and thesis research in a timely manner and to prepare students for productive careers in water-related fields. The MS graduates are fully qualified to conduct hydrologic research, hydrologic planning and serve in the regulatory environment of both public and private sector employers. Learning outcomes associated with these objectives include:

students demonstrate a basic level of competency in the general field of hydrology;
students are able to explain ideas and results through written, numerical, graphical, spoken, and computer-based forms of communication;
students are able to complete research in their field of study in the hydrologic sciences; and
students demonstrate appropriate quantitative skills for hydrology, including appropriate statistical or numerical modeling techniques.

I. Program Requirements

Candidates for the MS degree in hydrology must satisfy all general requirements of the Graduate School. Students can follow an MS degree either with thesis or professional option (non-thesis). Both options require a minimum of 30 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least 9 credits (excluding 6 credits of thesis) must be at the 700-level.

Students should consult with their advisor and the director for guidance on choice of plan options. In general, the professional option should be considered as a terminal degree. For more information on credit requirements, students should consult the UNR General Catalog.

A. Core Courses (9-18 units)

The MS degree in hydrology gives students the flexibility to study the broad areas of hydrologic sciences or specialize in a sub-discipline. All students receive a broad underpinning of the hydrologic sciences through a set of core courses shared by the hydrogeology and hydrology degrees. A grade of “B-” or better is required for each of the core courses and these courses may only be retaken once:

ATMS 621 - Climatology (3 units)
Required for students following the hydroclimatology specialization.
GE 684 - Groundwater Hydrology (3 units)
GPHS 782 - Hydrology/Hydrogeology Seminar (1 to 2 units)
2 units are required - 1 unit taken during the first year and 1 unit taken during the second year.
GPHS 797 - Thesis credits (1 to 6 units)
6 units of thesis credits are required for students following the thesis option.
NRES 682 - Small Watershed Hydrology (4 units)

B. Hydrology Electives (12-21 units)

Students following the thesis degree are required to take 15 units of electives. Students following the professional degree are required to take 21 units of electives. Students following the hydroclimatology thesis specialization are required to take 12 units of electives. Students following the hydroclimatology professional specialization are required to take 18 units of electives. A list of current electives is available from the program director.

II. Total Units (30 units)

The MS degrees in hydrology require a minimum of 30 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree for either the thesis or non-thesis professional option.

Undergraduate Co-requisites

The hydrology degree requires co-requisites of 2 semesters of physics or physics-based topics (PHYS 180 and PHYS 181 , soil physics, geophysics) and calculus (MATH 181 and MATH 182 , or equivalent). Any deficiencies are to be made up during the first year of graduate study, and students are encouraged to consult with their advisors and the director for guidance on the appropriate courses for fulfilling deficiencies. Students must provide evidence that the deficiencies were met if the courses are not taken at UNR.