Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Planetary Sciences

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is a small program within a large research university with opportunities for scholarship in many research areas that lead to a Ph.D. degree. These include geobiology (e.g. microbiology, paleolimnology), geophysics (e.g. mineral physics, seismology, tectonics), geochemistry (e.g. sedimentary chemistry, stable and radiogenic isotope chemistry, stratigraphy), and planetary science, to name a few.

As a Northwestern graduate student you will join a disciplinarily diverse community. You will have the opportunity to explore various subdisciplines through your course and fieldwork, and through conducting research in the department's state-of-the-art analytical, computational, and observational facilities, including the Integrated Labs for Earth and Planetary Sciences (ILEPS). Due to the modest size of our department, you will have access to, and work with internationally renowned faculty, including your dissertation advisor. You will also have opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary programs, such as IDEAS and live in a vibrant community in close proximity to Chicago.

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.