Hydrogeology, Ph.D.

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The Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences (GPHS) offers MS and PhD degrees in hydrology and hydrogeology. The program is structured to provide a foundation in hydrogeologic 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. Research and teaching assistantships, as well as several fellowships, are often made available to students accepted into the program.

Contact Information

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

Admission Requirements

Students entering the program should have an MS or equivalent degree in engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, natural resources, ecology, or a related field. In some cases, students without an MS may be admitted for the PhD program; see details below. Prospective graduate students should have an undergraduate GPA above 3.0. GRE scores are not required. International students should meet the Graduate School’s admission requirements. 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 dissertation research in a timely manner and to prepare students for productive careers in water-related fields. The PhD graduates in hydrogeology are fully qualified to conduct hydrogeologic research, hydrogeologic planning and serve in the regulatory environment of both public and private sector employers. Learning outcomes associated with these objectives include:

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

I. Program Requirements

Candidates for PhD degrees in hydrogeology must satisfy all general requirements of the Graduate School:

60 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree,
40 units of coursework,
1 credit of Comprehensive Examination,
20 dissertation credits must be applied to the PhD.

The Comprehensive Examination credit may count toward the required 18 credits of 700-level coursework. Dissertation credits may not count toward the required 18 credits of 700-level coursework.

A maximum of 24 credits of course work (with grades of “B” or better) from a completed master’s degree program may be allocated toward the doctoral degree upon completion and approval of a Credit Transfer Evaluation Request Form. Up to 18 credits of 700-level courses may be transferred from the master’s degree program.

All work towards PhD must be completed within eight (8) calendar years immediately preceding the granting of the degree. For more information on credit requirements, students should consult the UNR General Catalog.

The program does accept exceptionally well-qualified students with only a bachelor’s degree directly into the PhD program; interested students should contact the program director for further guidance.

A. Core Courses (15 units)

The PhD degree in hydrogeology gives students the flexibility to study the broad areas of hydrogeologic sciences and specialize in a sub-discipline. All students receive a broad underpinning of the fundamentals 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:

GE 614 - Hydrologic Fluid Dynamics (3 units)
GE 684 - Groundwater Hydrology (3 units)
GEOL 616 - Environmental Geochemistry (3 units) OR
CEE 658 - Environmental Chemistry Concepts and Design (3 units)
NRES 682 - Small Watershed Hydrology (4 units)
GPHS 782 - Hydrology/Hydrogeology Seminar (1 to 2 units)
* 2 units of GEOL/NRES 782 are required, with one unit taken in the first year the student is in the program, and 1 unit taken in the second year the student is in the program.

B. Hydrogeology Electives (24 units)

Students following the PhD degree in hydrogeology are required to take 24 units of electives. A list of current electives is available from the program director.

C. Hydrogeology Dissertation and Comp (21 units)

20 dissertation units must be applied to the PhD

1 unit of Comprehensive Examination

II. Total Units (60 units)

The PhD in hydrogeology requires 60 units beyond the bachelor’s degree, including at least 40 units in course work.

Notes

Students should consult the GPHS Handbook for a review of committee, qualifying check, and comprehensive examination procedures and scheduling.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

The hydrogeology 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 GPHS 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.