Accelerated Master's Degree Program
The Accelerated MS program in the Geology and Geophysics Department allows a student
to receive a BS and an MS degree in five years. Students in the program work with
a faculty advisor and tailor their undergraduate 4000-level elective credits to develop
a foundation for their MS thesis, complete GEOL 3909 and 3999 to jumpstart their MS
thesis work, and enroll in and complete 6 credit hours of graduate coursework during
their final two semesters of undergraduate coursework.
Admission Requirements
- To apply to the program, the overall GPA and G&G GPA must both be at least 3.5.
- The applicant must have completed 60 hours overall and must have completed or be enrolled
in the following courses:
GEOL 2081 (4 credits), GEOL 3032 (4 credits), GEOL 3041 (4 credits), GEOL 2061 (4 credits), GEOL 3071 (4 credits)
Application Procedure
- Students are encouraged to select a faculty advisor whose research areas align with their interests.
- Students should submit the G&G Accelerated Master’s Program Application form, along with the required statement of purpose and a letter of recommendation from the selected advisor. The application deadlines for starting in the Fall and Spring semesters are April 15 and November 15, respectively. If these dates fall on a weekend, applications are due the preceding Friday.
- Students should submit the completed application to the Undergraduate Advisor in E240 Howe Russell.
- Students will be notified of the decision on their application by the end of the semester
in which they submitted it.
Suggested Timeline for the Accelerated MS Program
| Semester 6 | Summer | Semester 7 | Semester 8 | Semester 9 | Semester 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application/Admission Landmark | Apply to Accel. MS program by April 15 for Fall admission and by Nov. 15 for Spring admission; you will be notified by the end of the semester. | Apply to the LSU Grad School | Complete bachelor's degree; admitted to G&G Accel MS program and to Graduate program for Semester 9. | Start as a graduate student; write and defend a thesis proposal. | Defend thesis and graduate with MS degree. | |
| Advisor/Committee | Student selects an MS advisor | MS Committee is selected | ||||
| Current Undergraduate Courses | Continue undergrad coursework | GEOL 3666 | Continue undergrad coursework | Continue undergrad course work, complete BS degree | ||
| Research Courses (3909 and 3999 must support topic selected for 8000) | Recommended GEOL 3909 (3 hours) | GEOL 3909 (3 hours) | GEOL 3999 (3 hours) | 3 hours of GEOL 8000 | 3 hours of GEOL 8000 | |
| Graduate Courses | 3-hour course for graduate credit | 3-hour course for graduate credit | 9 hours of graduate course credits | 9 hours of graduate course credits | ||
| Difference in Undergraduate Courses | +3 | 6 | -3 | -3 | ||
| Graduate Course Credits | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 12 |
*The undergraduate program is up to Semester 8; the graduate program is during Semesters 9 and 10.
Notes:
During semester 6:
- BS student seeking admission to the Accelerated MS Program apply for admission to the Accelerated MS Program and select a graduate faculty member from the department who will act as the advisor for the MS thesis.
- A decision on the application will be made by the end of Semester 6.
During Semester 7:
- BS students formally apply to the G&G Graduate Program through the LSU Graduate School
- BS students take GEOL3909 (Research for Undergraduates). This research is intended to build a foundation for future MS thesis research.
- BS students select three hours of graduate coursework from the 4000-level or 7000-level geol courses. Complete the Department’s “Application for the Accelerated Master's Degree Program” that must be completed by undergraduates before taking any course for graduate credit, otherwise the course will not receive graduate credit.
During Semester 8:
- BS students take GEOL3999 (Undergraduate thesis) as one of the technical electives for the bachelor's degree. This is to further build on the research experience.
- BS students select three hours of graduate coursework. Again, the graduate school form must be completed to receive graduate credit for the course.
- It is expected that during Semester 8, the BS student will be admitted to the LSU Graduate School
- The MS student will complete the graduate program during Semesters 9 and 10; he/she will be required to take 9 hours of graduate courses and 3 hours of thesis credits during each of these two semesters.