UAF students comprise a diverse group who ultimately seek and obtain careers in economic
geology, petroleum industry, or continue their education in graduate school, and seek careers in academia.
The department offers six graduate degree programs: MS in Earth system Science, Geoscience or Geophysics, and
PhD in Earth system Science, Geoscience or Geophysics.
Students working on a graduate degree in Earth System Science can specialize in one
of the following areas of concentration in the department: Cryosphere, Geoscience,
Geospatial Science or Solid Earth Geophysics. Additional concentrations are also
available. Note that currently the program is only able to accept applications from US citizens,
while we wait for the program to be approved for visa-related matters. Detailed information about the degree requirements for MS and PhD degrees in Earth
System Science can be found in the UAF Catalog:
Students working on a graduate degree in Geoscience can specialize in one or more
of the following two areas of concentration: Geology and Geography. Detailed information
about the degree requirements for MS and PhD degrees in Geoscience can be found in
the UAF Catalog:
Students working on a graduate degree in Geophysics can specialize in one of three
areas of concentration: Solid-Earth Geophysics; Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Geophysics; or Remote Sensing Geophysics.
Detailed information about the degree requirements for MS and PhD degrees in Geophysics
can be found in the UAF Catalog:
A waiver of the application fee is available for fall 2023 Department of Geosciences
graduate student applicants. Please contact us (uaf-geosciences@alaska.edu) for the code to enter on your application. We will not be evaluating hardship. The waiver is sponsored by the Geophysical Detection of Nuclear Proliferation University
Affiliated Research Center (GDNP UARC)
Graduate Admissions
Admission to our graduate program is restricted on the basis of:
Meeting the admissions requirements for the appropriate degree program. a. Geoscience -- complete a background at least to the level of a B.S. concentration
in geology, geophysics or earth science b. Geophysics --complete a background at least to the level of a B.S. concentration
in geology, geophysics or an appropriate physical science or engineering and complete MATH F302, MATH F314, MATH
F421 and PHYS F220 or equivalent
A 3.0 minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA (grade point average).
Faculty interest and availability of funding.
Completion and submission of all required application materials.
Application deadline for admittance into the fall semester is January 15 While the majority of new graduate student start in our department in the fall semester
there may be faculty looking for a new student in the spring. The application deadline
for admittance into the spring semester is October 15
Steps to take when applying for our graduate program
Apply to UAF through the Office of Admissions A formal application for admission to graduate school, along with the application
fee. You may apply online at UAOnline or Office of Admissions. The Graduate School is a great resource for prospective and current students. UAF Graduate School
Make contact with faculty and cooperating faculty members in an area of your interest. Introduce yourself, let them know of your research interests and your pending application.
Make contact with the Department of Geosciences Send an e-mail to: uaf-geosciences@alaska.edu and let the Department know that you have applied to the Graduate School for the upcoming semester. Please list your name, contact e-mail address,
and what program you have applied for. This will aid the Department in assisting
you through the application process. Remember, those applications that are completed
first will usually be the first to be looked at during the application reviews.
Complete and submit the following documents
Preliminary Summary Form: This is a departmental form and one of the first items looked at during the review process.
Statement of interest: an essay describing your interests and goals for study in geology/geophysics at
UAF (see Preliminary Summary form). We recognize that your career goals may not be well
defined at this point, but do your best. This will help us understand your expectations of a graduate program
as well as to evaluate your ability to support your interests. This document is a listed requirement
on the preliminary summary form and in the application portal. Only one is needed
Resume
Official transcripts of previous academic work from each college you attended. Please note, to be considered official, transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes from each institution
attended. You may also submit your transcripts electronically through a secure transcript
service. The department will review your application file with unofficial transcripts
but if an offer is made to you the official transcripts must be received in the admissions
office to process your admissions to UAF.
Three letters of recommendation from appropriate references.
Proof of Englishproficiency for international applicants via official TOEFL or IELTS scores. For other options
please visit the Admissions Office website, International, Requirements.
All of these documents need to be sent to: Office of Admissions University of Alaska Fairbanks P. O. Box 757480 Fairbanks , Alaska 99775-7480 emailed to: uaf-admissions@alaska.edu or uploaded into the application portal
Helpful links and contacts for the application process.