Graduate Student Handbook

Scope and Objectives of the Graduate Program in Earth Sciences

The graduate program in the Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies offers advanced studies leading to the degrees of Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in a wide variety of fields in the Earth Sciences. Students are encouraged to obtain a broad-based geological background through graduate level coursework while undertaking specialized research projects. This philosophy emphasizes the breadth of the Earth Sciences. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students with an Earth Science emphasis also commonly take graduate courses in the Department.

Students in the MS and MS 4+1 (accelerated MS) programs are required to complete a thesis involving significant research in the Earth Sciences, while PhD students conduct original research leading to a dissertation. Students, along with their primary advisor, will determine their program of courses. Course requirements should be satisfied early, before beginning full-time work on thesis or dissertation research. Decisions on thesis and dissertation research topics should be made as early as possible to leave ample time for planning and carrying out required research. For example, MS thesis proposals should be submitted by the middle of the second semester of study, while the PhD prospectus should be completed and defended by the end of the fourth semester. MS 4+1 students will follow an accelerated timeline as discussed below.

General Policies

All students must follow the requirements set forth in The Graduate School Manual. This Earth Sciences Graduate Student Handbook provides specialized guidance which supplements The Graduate School Manual. All students should familiarize themselves with both resources soon after entering the program, if not before. Any questions should be directed to the student’s primary advisor or the Director of Graduate Studies.

Summary of Requirements

The Department requires that all MS students complete 30 credits to earn their degree including a minimum of 24 credits of coursework and 6 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599). They also complete a thesis proposal, a thesis, and a public defense of the thesis. MS 4+1 students complete the same requirements; however, 2 courses taken at the 500-level during the final year as an undergraduate student will be counted for the graduate course requirement. In doing so, all MS students must also satisfy the Graduate School’s residence requirement (see below).

All PhD students must complete a minimum of 33 course credits which includes at least 6 formal 4-credit graduate courses (500-level), the General Oral Examination, and the Research Skills Requirement by the end of the fourth semester. After this, students would register for one credit of Pre-dissertation Research (GEOL 698) until they defend their PhD dissertation prospectus. At this time they will be considered a PhD candidate and register for 1 credit of Dissertation (GEOL 699) each semester until they submit and publicly defend their dissertation. In doing so, all PhD students must also satisfy the Graduate School’s residence requirement and the Department Breadth Requirement (see below).

Advising

MS and PhD students are assigned an initial academic advisor immediately upon entering the program. The Graduate Committee assigns this advisor based on information in the student's application, the indicated intentions of the student, or the likely area of research specialization. Students should consult with this advisor regularly for advice relating to their intended program. The assignment of an initial advisor is not intended to imply that a student must select that advisor as the research director. In fact, graduate students are encouraged to seek the advice of numerous faculty members on academic and research issues.

Department Grievance Procedures

Grievances regarding grading or discriminatory treatment in a specific course or by a specific instructor should be directed to the Department Chair. In general, grievances are initially referred to a Department grievance committee. In the event of significant disagreements regarding the thesis/dissertation between a student and the advisor(s), it is recommended that the student request a meeting with the thesis or dissertation committee to resolve the matter. If the outcome proves unsatisfactory, the student might then request a meeting with the Graduate Committee, which will review the matter. The committee may make its decision known immediately or may pursue the matter in depth, interviewing those involved as the situation demands. Grievances that cannot be resolved at the department level may be brought to the Grievance Committee of the Graduate Council as described in The Graduate School Manual.

Degree Completion

All students should consult The Graduate School Manual for important information relating to University requirements for graduation including guidelines on the preparation of an electronic file, procedures for submission, and important deadlines. All students must file a Graduate Application for Degree (GAFD) at the beginning of the semester in which they plan to complete all degree requirements and graduate. This serves as notification to the Graduate School, the student's department, and the Office of Student Records and Registrar Services of a student's intent to graduate. The GAFD is valid for one semester only. If a student files a GAFD, but fails to graduate they must submit a new application for degree the following semester or the semester of intended completion.

Students contemplating graduation should submit the defense draft (see below) of their thesis/dissertation to their committee no later than 6 weeks before the end of the semester in which graduation is desired (approx. November 1 or March 25). Adherence to these deadlines allows time for reading, examination, revision, and submission of the thesis/dissertation and completion of all paperwork before the semester's degree completion deadline.

Graduate School’s Residence Requirement

All graduate students must be in residence for at least two semesters and accumulate a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework to qualify for any graduate degree. For doctoral students, the 24 credit hours residence requirement must be accumulated before candidacy can be granted. The residence requirement for MS 4+1 students is 18 graduate level credits taken during their graduate student year. Credit hours earned as College Teaching of the Discipline (591), Research - Thesis (599), Pre-dissertation Research (698), Dissertation (699), and Continuous Registration (700) do not count towards this requirement. Doctoral students entering with the MS degree from Binghamton University have already completed this requirement.

Continuous Registration

Graduate students may need to be absent from campus for an extended period. To satisfy the continuous registration requirement, such off-campus students must notify the Graduate School of their intent to continue in the program. This is generally done by registering for Continuous Registration (GEOL 700). Note that during the semester of completion of all degree requirements, all students must register for 1 credit-hour of Continuous Registration, Research - Thesis (GEOL599), or Dissertation (GEOL699), whichever is applicable. Graduate students are not required to maintain matriculation during the summer unless they intend to complete their final degree requirements during this period. Students graduating in the summer must be registered for at least one credit of Research - Thesis (GEOL599) or Dissertation (GEOL699) in one summer session.

Scheduling of Oral Examinations During the Summer or Semester Recess

Defenses of MS theses and PhD dissertations or proposals are public events and, as such, are not normally scheduled during the summer, semester holidays, or recesses when most faculty and students are absent. Only by unanimous consent of the examination committee and approval of the Graduate Committee are oral exams to be scheduled during one of these times.

Course and Grade Requirements

The mandated course load of the first-year MS student, or PhD student who enters without a MS degree from Binghamton University, is 12 credit hours per semester. For all other students with tuition scholarships, the required course load is 9 credits per semester. However, current practice is that a student who has completed all course requirements for the degree and is working full-time on a master's thesis (Course Complete, or CC) or PhD dissertation (All But Dissertation, or ABD) may register for 1 credit per semester, subject to approval by the primary adviser and Graduate Director. These students are considered full-time by the University once they have filed the appropriate full-time equivalency form with the Graduate School. Students wishing to take more credits may petition through the Graduate Committee, with an explanation of their needs, but additional financial assistance is subject to the availability of tuition scholarship funds.

A cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) is required in graduate courses. The GPA is obtained by dividing qualified graduate grade points by the corresponding total credit hours. Excluded from the calculation are research credits and courses taken under non-standard grading options (e.g., audit, S/U, P/NP). This information can readily be accessed through the BU Brain Self Service website. Students who do not maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 are placed into probationary status and are required to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or better or they will be dropped from the program.

Students may petition the Graduate School through the Graduate Committee for transfer credit for graduate courses taken elsewhere. Up to 6 credit-hours of transfer credit may be approved for the MS student. Transfer credits are not normally accepted for PhD students. The petition for transfer credit should be drawn up in consultation with the primary adviser and according to the restrictions and regulations described in The Graduate School Manual. Please note that transfer credits may not be used to satisfy the residence requirement.

Students may petition the Graduate Vice Provost for graduate credit for up to two high-level undergraduate (400-level) courses. Petitions may be granted if: a) the course is required by the Graduate Committee to overcome deficiencies and/or augment a student's background in a specialization in which no appropriate graduate course is offered; and b) the work completed by the student is at a level substantially higher than for undergraduates enrolled in the course, with a supporting statement from the instructor.

The University requires that Incompletes must be made up by the end of the following semester. Incompletes not made up will be given final grades of WF (withdrew, failing).

Non-matriculated students may apply for matriculation into the graduate program. If admission is granted, up to a maximum of 12 course credits may be applied toward the degree requirements pending the approval of the Graduate Committee.

Funding

For complete details on funding refer to the Funding Policies and Guidelines within The Graduate Student Manual. Initial awards of assistantships (e.g. teaching assistantships and research assistantships) are competitive and based on academic performance, letters of recommendation, and needs of the Department. All awards are given for a maximum of 2 semesters at a time. Renewal of awards for subsequent years is contingent on demonstrated performance, length of funding eligibility, and availability of funds. Full-time assistantships require 20 hours/week on average, with some workloads fluctuating seasonally, as with field trips, etc., and depending on the nature of the assignment. Students are notified of their assignment at or before the start of the semester or as soon as possible thereafter (the final assignment may change from the initial assignment due to class enrollments and schedule conflicts, for example). All enrolled students not holding assistantships, who have not used up their eligibility, are eligible for support as funds become available.

MS students in Earth Sciences can be funded for up to two years (4 semesters). PhD students in Earth Sciences can be funded for up to four years (8 semesters) beyond their MA/MS degree. PhD students entering with the BA/BS degree and proceeding directly into the PhD program may be funded up to five years (10 semesters). Funding for the full time depends on maintaining satisfactory progress toward the degree, as defined in this handbook, and is contingent on the availability of funds. Funding for PhD students beyond these limits may be possible in rare cases.

A tuition scholarship usually accompanies assistantship awards. The usual support is 12 credits for first-year MS students or first-year PhD students entering from another institution and 9 credits or the minimum credits necessary for all others; however, the level of the scholarship is dependent on availability of funding.

New York State Residency

All domestic graduate students are highly encouraged to obtain New York State residency during their first year. The University tuition scholarships will only cover out-of-state tuition for the first year in graduate school. If you have not obtained New York State residency, then you will be responsible for the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition in the second year and beyond. International students are not eligible for New York State residency, and as such, their tuition scholarships will cover out-of-state tuition for the duration of their award.

Each teaching or graduate assistant must obtain a NY State driver's license within 3 weeks of the beginning of the term if possible. A NY State driver’s license is required of assistants on departmental fieldtrips, as for any driver of New York State vehicles. Note: NY State insurance (NY State is self-insured) may not cover drivers lacking NY State driver’s license. Additionally, all graduate students must complete the Binghamton University's Limited Use Vehicle Training Program.

Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Termination

A leave of absence is allowed in cases of severe personal hardship and requires justification. Leaves of absence may be requested from the Graduate Office only in advance of the beginning of the semester, preferably at least one month prior. Up to one year of leave may be granted. The period of leave of absence is counted against time limits for completion of degree requirements. Leave of absence is not granted for temporary absences for research purposes. Such periods must be covered by registering for at least one credit of continuous registration. Students who complete all course requirements and leave the University to complete thesis/dissertation research must also register for continuous registration (see above).

Students who find for reasons of personal urgency that they must leave in mid-semester must formally withdraw from the courses for which they have registered. Such withdrawals are initiated at the office of the Registrar. If a student who withdraws intends to return at a later date, he/she may petition for leave/inactive status for the next semester(s).

Lack of satisfactory progress towards the degree at any time may result in a recommendation for termination from the program. Failing to maintain continuous registration will result in automatic withdrawal from the program. To resume the graduate program, the individual must reapply for admission. Students on probation for academic reasons who fail to show significant improvement will be dropped permanently from the program.

Transfer from MS to PhD Program

Students may petition the Graduate Committee to be advanced from the MS to the PhD program. Only exceptional students will be allowed to do so directly. In most cases, the student will be required to complete all MS requirements including a thesis before being admitted to the PhD program. The MS thesis is viewed by the Department as important in evaluating a student's ability to perform independent research for the PhD dissertation. The petition to the Graduate Committee must provide an explanation of the intended program; a letter of recommendation and evaluation by the student's primary adviser is also required. Satisfactory completion of an MS program does not guarantee admission into the PhD program. Admission is on a competitive basis with other PhD applicants.

Provisional Status

Well-qualified students may be accepted into the graduate program on a provisional basis if deficiencies exist in their undergraduate or MS record. Deficiencies are specified by the Graduate Committee, which also recommends courses and deadlines to remedy deficiencies. Deficiencies are normally satisfied during the first year of graduate work. Upon fulfilling the recommendations of the Graduate Committee to make up for the deficiencies, the provisional status is removed and the student is admitted on a regular basis. During the provisional period, the student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, or he/she will be dropped from the program. If deficiencies are not met in the given time the student may be dropped from the program.

Policies on Use of Equipment and Facilities

The facilities and equipment of the Department that are used principally for instruction are also available for student research in most cases. Use of facilities and equipment implies acceptance of responsibility for replacement or repair in the event of damage or loss. Specialized research equipment is accessible only with permission from the faculty member or technical staff in charge. Students who will be working in laboratories will be required to complete the Lab Safety/Hazardous Waste Training in person by signing up at the B-Engaged website. If you are a returning student and have taken the in-person training before you are eligible to take this training online. The module will be assigned and emailed directly to you via “BComply Mailer” when your renewal is due. Those using X-ray sources or lasers will also need to register for the Radiation Safety Training for X-Ray Emitting Equipment or Laser Safety Training, respectively at the B-Engaged website.

MS Degree Program and Requirements

All MS students must complete the Graduate School’s residence requirement which is defined as successful completion of 24 credit hours of Binghamton University graduate online or onsite coursework. This is not to be confused with New York State residency. Thesis Research (599) and S/U credits cannot be applied towards the residency requirement. In addition to the Graduate School's residence requirement, there are specific requirements for MS students in the Department of Earth Sciences. These include the Course Requirement and the Thesis Requirement.

Summary of MS Degree Requirements

24 credits of graded coursework
5 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599 - primary advisor)
1 credit of Seminar - Thesis (GEOL 599 - Graduate Director)
MS Thesis proposal
MS Thesis
MS Thesis defense and oral examination

Typical Timeline for MS Degree Completion

1st semester:

3 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 12 credits

2nd semester:

3 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 12 credits
Completion of MS thesis proposal and submission to primary advisor and thesis committee

3rd semester:

4 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599 - primary advisor)
1 credit of Seminar - Thesis (GEOL 599 - Graduate Director)

4th semester:

1 credit of Thesis Research (GEOL 599 - primary advisor)
Completion and Submission of MS Thesis
Public defense and oral exam of MS Thesis

Course Requirement

The department requires that all MS students complete a minimum of 30 course credits. This includes at least 6 formal 4-credit graduate courses (5XX) for a total of 24 credits. These are commonly courses offered within the Department; however, relevant courses offered from other departments or independent research (GEOL 597) can be counted in consultation with the primary advisor. An average of B (3.0) or better must be maintained, and only grades C- or higher can be counted in these six courses. In doing so, the Graduate School’s residence requirement will be met. An additional 6 credits of Thesis (GEOL 599) are required. Typically, MS students register for 12 credits of coursework in each in the first two semesters, 5 credits of GEOL 599 in the third semester, and 1 credit of GEOL 599 in their fourth semester.

All MS students are expected to attend the Wednesday seminar series hosted weekly by the Department throughout their time in the program. Regular attendance provides the student with an opportunity to gain a broader perspective of the Earth Sciences, see how effective presentations are given, build community and collegiality, and learn how to ask probing scientific questions, amongst other skills. MS students will register for 1 credit of Seminar - Thesis (GEOL 599) with the Graduate Director their third semester. During this semester the student will be required to present their research, although students are encouraged to present other semesters as well. This could include presenting research conducted as part of their BS degree. This is an opportunity to present your research plan and any preliminary results that have been collected. It also provides an opportunity for faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students to give you feedback on your research. If the student is unable to present during the third semester, a presentation given in another semester will count for this requirement.

Thesis Requirement

MS students are required to complete a thesis involving independent research in their chosen area of specialization. Associated with this is the requirement to register for no less than 6 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599). The thesis requirement includes a thesis proposal, 5 credits of Research - Thesis (GEOL 599) with a primary advisor, 1 credit of Seminar - Thesis (GEOL 599) with the Graduate Director (see above), a submitted thesis, and a final public defense and oral examination. The MS thesis is intended to demonstrate the capacity for independent work of high quality.

Primary Advisor and Thesis Committee:

Early upon entering the program, the MS student should discuss thesis possibilities with potential faculty advisors having specializations related to the student's area of interest. After deciding upon a topic, the student, in consultation with the primary advisor, prepares a thesis proposal during the second semester, or earlier if possible. The student must also select two additional faculty members from the Department to serve on the thesis committee.

MS Thesis Proposal:

The MS thesis proposal should be about 5-10 double spaced pages long including relevant figures. While there is no specific format, it should include the following:

- a statement of the objectives/research goals
- a description of the relevance and significance
- general background on methods, previous work, etc.
- a timetable of the intended work plan
- a reference list

Upon completion of the thesis proposal and approval from the primary advisor the student will share the proposal with their two additional committee members. The student and primary advisor will inform the Graduate Director of its completion and who the members of the thesis committee are for documentation purposes.

It is encouraged that the MS thesis proposal be submitted to the committee by the midpoint of the second semester in the program (March 15th for fall start dates, November 1st for spring start dates) so that they have ample time to provide feedback before the main phase of research begins (typically after the second semester). If the proposal is not completed and approved by the end of the second semester the Graduate Director must be informed, and a plan should be put into place for its timely submission.

MS Thesis:

While the formatting of the thesis must follow the guidelines provided by the graduate school, the structure of the document is to be agreed upon by the MS student and primary advisor. For example, the thesis can be structured as it would be for a manuscript submission to a peer-reviewed journal, or as a more traditional thesis. The defense draft of the thesis, complete in all respects, should be as near to the final draft format as possible with respect to figures, tables, references, abstract, table of contents, pagination, grammar, etc. prior to sharing with the committee. Early drafts should be reviewed by the primary advisor, and other committee members as needed, to improve as much as possible the style and content. In order for a student to defend an MS thesis, all members of the thesis committee must agree that the thesis is ready for defense. Obviously, that means that they need a chance to read it. The committee members should be given at least two weeks to read the thesis before a thesis defense can be scheduled.

MS Thesis Defense:

The MS thesis defense and oral examination can be scheduled only after all committee members have read the thesis and approved that it is ready for defense. The thesis defense is a public presentation, and as such must be advertised to the faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the Department at least 1week prior to the defense date. Anyone from outside the Department who is interested in the research is also welcomed to attend.

The primary advisor with consent of the thesis committee will arrange a time and place for the oral examination and distribute announcements to faculty and students through the department at least one week in advance of the defense. The student is allowed 20 to 40 minutes to present the results of the investigation. This is followed by questions from the general audience. After all questions have been addressed the examination will continue with just the thesis committee. Once the committee is satisfied, the student will be asked to step out of the room and a vote will be taken. The primary advisor communicates the results of the vote to the student and the Director of Graduate Studies indicating one of the following:

- PASS with no revisions
- PASS with minor revisions (the committee may allow the primary advisor to determine if all revisions have been met)
- PASS with major regions (the committee may want to see the revised thesis)
- FAIL with no recommendation for revision

MS Thesis Submission:

Final copies of the thesis are submitted to the Graduate School in electronic form and to the department as a bound paper copy. Guidelines on the preparation of an electronic file, procedures for submission, and deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Also be sure to consult the Graduate School website for important information relating to University requirements for graduation, including submission of the Graduate Application for Degree (GAFD). Students must provide a bound copy of the thesis to the department and may also wish to provide the thesis advisor with a bound final copy of the thesis.

NOTE: STUDENTS ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING REQUIRED THESIS COPIES AND PAPERWORK TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICE, AND FOR MEETING ALL OTHER GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES.

Final Disposition of Research Materials:

MS students are required to leave a suitably labeled set of representative specimens from any collections made during the thesis research, together with physical or digital copies of maps and other relevant materials, for permanent reference in the department. Materials acquired through departmental or grant support must be left with the primary advisor unless other arrangements are made.

PhD Degree Program and Requirements

All PhD students must complete the Graduate School’s residence requirement which is defined as successful completion of 24 credit hours of Binghamton University graduate online or onsite coursework. This is not to be confused with New York State residency. Pre-Dissertation Research (698), Dissertation (699), Continuous Registration (700), and S/U credits cannot be applied towards the residency requirement. In addition to the Graduate School's residence requirement, there are specific requirements for PhD students in the Department of Earth Sciences. These include the Course Requirement, Breadth Requirement, Comprehensive Examination, Research Skills Requirement, and the Dissertation Requirement.

Summary of PhD Degree Requirements

24 credits of graded coursework
8 additional credits of coursework or independent study (GEOL 5xx, GEOL 597)
1 credit of Independent Research (GEOL 597 - Graduate Director)
Comprehensive Examination (General Oral Examination, PhD Prospectus, and oral defense of a PhD Prospectus)
PhD Dissertation
PhD Dissertation defense and oral examination

Typical Timeline for PhD Degree Completion

1st semester:

3 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 12 credits

2nd semester:

3 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments) for 12 credits

3rd semester:

2 GEOL 5xx courses (or 5XX courses from other departments, or GEOL 597) for 8 credits
1credit of Independent Research (GEOL 597 - Graduate Director)
General Oral Examination

4th semester:

1 credit of Pre-dissertation Research (GEOL 698 - primary advisor)
Completion of PhD Prospectus
Oral defense of PhD Prospectus

Beyond the 4th semester:

1 credit of Dissertation (GEOL 699 - primary advisor) each semester
PhD Dissertation, defense, and oral examination

Course Requirement

The department requires that all PhD students complete a minimum of 33 course credits. This includes at least 6 formal 4-credit graduate courses (5XX). These are commonly courses offered within the Department; however, relevant courses offered from other departments can be counted in consultation with the primary advisor. Beyond these 6 courses, 9 more credits of graduate coursework (5XX or GEOL 597) are required. An average of B (3.0) or better must be maintained, and only grades C- or higher can be counted. In doing so, the Graduate School’s residence requirement will be met. Typically, PhD students register for 12 credits of coursework in each in the first two semesters and 9 credits of 5XX or GEOL 597 in the third semester. After successful completion of the General Oral Examination (see below) the PhD student will register for 1 credit of Pre-dissertation Research (GEOL 698) with their primary advisor each semester. After successful defense of their PhD Prospectus (see below) the PhD student will register for 1 credit of Dissertation Research (GEOL 699) with their primary advisor each semester.

All PhD students are expected to attend the Wednesday seminar series hosted weekly by the Department throughout their time in the program. Regular attendance provides the student with an opportunity to gain a broader perspective of the Earth Sciences, see how effective presentations are given, build community and collegiality, and learn how to ask probing scientific questions, amongst other skills. PhD students will register for 1 credit of Independent Research (GEOL 597) with the Graduate Director their third semester. During this semester the student will be required to present their research, although students are encouraged to present other semesters as well. This could include presenting research conducted as part of their MS or BS degree. This is an opportunity to present your research plan and any preliminary results that have been collected. It also provides an opportunity for faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students to give you feedback on your research. If the student is unable to present during the third semester, a presentation given in another semester will count for this requirement.

To satisfy the Department’s Breadth Requirement, PhD students should demonstrate advanced knowledge that spans the various subfields of the Earth Sciences. This is accomplished by completing graduate level courses across the curriculum offered by the Department. Courses taken in another department at this University or courses taken at another University can be used in partial fulfillment of this requirement if deemed appropriate by the primary advisor. Such use of courses outside the Department must include a detailed course outline, a statement of the grade and credits obtained, a declaration that the course was taken for graduate credit, and relevant supportive material such as copies of the syllabus or catalog description, name of textbook used or assigned reading list, and summary of lab topics (if a lab course).

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination is designed to assess the breadth of the student's knowledge in various subdisciplines in the Earth Sciences and the ability of a PhD student to define and develop a research problem using the scientific methodology. The examination is administered in two parts: 1) a General Oral Examination, and 2) an oral defense of a PhD Prospectus. Students must take the General Oral Examination by the end of their third semester and must defend their PhD Prospectus by the end of their fourth semester. Discussion of the expectation of the Comprehensive Examination with the primary advisor, committee members, other faculty, and graduate student peers is encouraged.

General Oral Examination:

The objective of the General Oral Examination is to assess the breadth and depth of a student's professional knowledge. In general, this involves questioning that reflects the breadth of the student's coursework, disciplines that are relevant to the student's academic and research interest, and any other emphases deemed relevant by the examining committee. A student who successfully passes this examination is considered “course complete”.

This examination typically comprises up to 3 hours of questions from a committee of 4 faculty members and is open to other faculty. These four members include the primary advisor and three additional faculty members in the Department. An additional faculty member from outside the department may be invited to serve on the committee. The student, in consultation with their advisor, should submit a list of proposed examiners to the Director of Graduate Studies no later than three weeks prior to the examination date for record keeping. The proposed committee should reflect the breadth of the Earth Sciences; thus, the specializations of the faculty should not concentrate in one or two subdisciplines. Commonly this is best achieved by recommending a committee representative of the areas of academic work that the student has used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement. The primary advisor is responsible for arranging a time and place for the examination and informing other faculty with several days' notice.

The primary advisor is the chair of the examination committee. Each faculty member is allotted approximately a half hour for questions, although the exact format of the examination is at the discretion of the examining committee. Upon completion of the examination, the examining committee votes on the results of the exam. A majority vote of the committee determines one of the following results:

- PASS
- CONDITIONAL PASS, with the requirement that the student complete specified remedial work such as an additional course of specific independent research topic prior to defense of the PhD prospectus
- FAIL, with the opportunity to RETAKE the general examination before the end of the semester
- FAIL, with termination of the student's program

A second failure requires termination of the student's program. The committee immediately advises the student of its decision, and the advisor notifies the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the result of the examination.

PhD Prospectus:

PhD students must prepare a detailed Dissertation Prospectus (research proposal) and submit it to the members of their dissertation committee. The members of the committee are responsible for reading the prospectus, critically commenting on it, and returning it to the student in a timely fashion if revision is necessary. When the prospectus is in a defensible form, an oral defense is scheduled. Note that this process commonly requires several weeks.

The dissertation committee is composed of the primary advisor and three other faculty members in the Department, or from other departments, chosen in consultation with the primary advisor. The list of committee members should be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies for record keeping. This committee does not need to be the same as the General Oral Examination committee.

The prospectus should demonstrate two related aspects of dissertation research: (a) that the student has developed the ability to define a scientific problem on which research can be completed for a PhD; and (b) that the student knows how to proceed with that problem. Six important elements need to be included.

1. An abstract that summarizes the essence of the proposed research.
2. Discussion and justification of the scientific problem to be investigated and its importance to Earth Sciences or beyond.
3. Summary of the current state of knowledge about the problem including a thorough review of relevant scientific literature.
4. A detailed outline of the research plan, describing the scope and procedures to be employed in the dissertation research. Justify how the research program will yield insight into the scientific problem. Include a proposed timetable.
5. Demonstration of the feasibility of the dissertation project. As with any scientific proposal, it is desirable that some preliminary feasibility work be conducted. Thus, the prospectus may offer some preliminary research results involving, for example, an application of proposed laboratory or modeling techniques, reconnaissance field investigations of the study area, or any other appropriate preliminary research.
6. Citation list of appropriate literature.

The proposal should be more than simply a list of proposed research techniques, although this is a necessary part of the document. Rather, the proposal must stress the significance of the scientific problem. The proposal must follow standard scientific journal format, such as that of the Geological Society of America Bulletin or the Journal of Geophysical Research. Total length, excluding figures and tables, should not exceed 15 pages. Figures must be carefully prepared and/or reproduced, legible, and fully attributed if copied or modified from other sources.

Prospectus Defense:

The oral defense of the PhD Prospectus consists of up to 3 hours of presentation and questioning. It is, in part, open to all faculty and students in the Department and beyond as relevant to the research. The student's advisor, who will chair the defense, is responsible for arranging a time and place for the examination and advertising it to the Department with several days' notice. The examination itself begins with a 20- to 40-minute summary of the proposed research by the student. This is followed by questions from the general audience. After all questions have been addressed the examination will continue with just the dissertation committee. In contrast to the General Oral Examination, the questions here are aimed at assessing the student's specific background to undertake the proposed research. A majority vote of the committee determines PASS or FAIL. A student who fails has 6 school weeks to retake the defense, and a second failure results in termination from the program. The successfully defended proposal is submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies as the Dissertation Prospectus.

Research Skills Requirement

PhD students in Earth Sciences must satisfy the Research Skills Requirement. As part of the discussions with the primary advisor and dissertation committee before and during the Comprehensive Examination, the student must identify a tangible research skill or skills that they will employ and master over the course of the research project. This may include development of a new or refined analytical technique, computer modeling, statistical data analysis, GIS-based spatial data integration and analysis, or another skill deemed relevant by the committee. While full implementation of this research skill will occur over the course of the research project, it must be identified and initial work with this skill must commence prior to admission of PhD candidacy (see below).

Dissertation Requirement

Candidacy:

Upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, Course Requirement, Breadth Requirement, and Research Skills Requirement, the student is admitted into candidacy for the PhD degree. At this time the graduate program must submit the Recommendation for Admission to Candidacy for Doctoral Degree (ABD Status) Form to the Graduate School and the student will be considered ABD (All But Dissertation) status.

Full-time research on the PhD dissertation may begin only after admission to candidacy, although considerable background work and preliminary research should be completed prior to this time. PhD research normally takes no less than one year and typically requires two or more years. The dissertation committee should be consulted regularly during the course of the dissertation research. Note that full-time assistantship/fellowship support may be limited by the Department or University to a period less than that required for completion of the dissertation.

Outside Examiner:

Each PhD candidate must identify an additional (fifth) committee member who is either a tenured Binghamton University faculty member from outside the student's Department, or a tenured faculty member from outside the University. The role of the Outside Examiner is to act as the representative of the Graduate School to provide an independent assessment that the dissertation satisfies Graduate School standards. The examiner must have appropriate experience to evaluate the research but must not have been involved with supervision of the student's dissertation or have any conflicts of interest. Consult The Graduate School Manual for details and required forms regarding the outside examiner.

Approval of an outside examiner can take time, so forms should be completed and sent to the Graduate School no later than one month prior to the scheduled defense. The outside examiner must be given at least two weeks to review the dissertation defense draft (see below) prior to the final oral examination and defense.

Dissertation Format:

The PhD dissertation should report the results of a coherent, scientifically significant research program and demonstrate the candidate's ability to conceive, carry forward, and complete such a program. The actual dissertation manuscript must follow guidelines issued by the Graduate School regarding formatting, page size, etc.. The format for the body of the dissertation can be a traditional dissertation, with chapters progressively developing the theme and substance of the dissertation research. However, PhD students in the Earth Sciences may organize their dissertation into publishable chapters (or chapters ready for publication) linked by an introduction to the overall research problem and an overall conclusion. Thus, the dissertation might consist of units, each with its own abstract and bibliography, of manuscripts that have been submitted for publication, or even that have been published. For the purpose of the defense draft of the dissertation, the candidate is the sole author and must stand ready to defend all work included in the defense draft. Authorship decisions pertaining to publication of such units are left to the authors of the work.

Dissertation Defense Draft:

The dissertation draft intended for defense must be complete in all respects and must be reviewed and approved by each member of the dissertation committee before the final oral examination can be scheduled. Thus, all tables, figures, references, index, abstract, pagination, etc. must be complete when the defense draft is submitted. The dissertation should already have benefited from review by the primary advisor and other interested faculty (including, but not necessarily limited to, the dissertation committee). There must be unanimous approval by the dissertation committee that the draft is defensible before the examination can proceed.

Final Oral Examination and Defense:

The final PhD examination is a public event, open to all faculty, students, and any person wishing to attend. After appointment of the external examiner, the final examination (dissertation defense) should be scheduled and advertised to the faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the Department at least 1week prior to the defense date.

The PhD examination committee is chaired by the primary advisor and is composed of the dissertation committee plus the outside examiner. Any substitutions must be approved by the Graduate Committee at the time of request for scheduling the final exam.

The examination may take several hours. It begins with a summary by the student of the dissertation results, generally for no more than 45 minutes. This is followed by questions from the general audience. After all questions have been addressed the examination will continue with just the examination committee. The examination committee questions the candidate about the dissertation results. Once the committee is satisfied, the student will be asked to step out of the room and a vote will be taken. A unanimous vote of the dissertation committee is required. The primary advisor communicates the results of the vote to the student and the Director of Graduate Studies indicating one of the following:

- PASS with no revisions
- PASS with minor revisions (the committee may allow the primary advisor to determine if all revisions have been met)
- PASS with major regions (the committee may want to see the revised dissertation)
- FAIL with or without recommendation for termination

PhD Dissertation Submission:

Final copies of the dissertation are submitted to the Graduate School in electronic form and to the department as a bound paper copy. Guidelines on the preparation of an electronic file, procedures for submission, and deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Also be sure to consult the Graduate School website for important information relating to University requirements for graduation, including submission of the Graduate Application for Degree (GAFD). Students must provide a bound copy of the dissertation to the department and may also wish to provide the thesis advisor with a bound final copy of the thesis.

NOTE: STUDENTS ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING REQUIRED THESIS COPIES AND PAPERWORK TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICE, AND FOR MEETING ALL OTHER GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES.

Final Disposition of Research Materials:

PhD students are required to leave a suitably labeled set of representative specimens from any collections made during the thesis research, together with physical or digital copies of maps and other relevant materials, for permanent reference in the department. Materials acquired through departmental or grant support must be left with the primary advisor unless other arrangements are made.

Graduate School Student Handbook