Graduate Admissions Procedure

Earth and Environmental Sciences Ph.D. program

Ours is a full-time PhD program; students who can attend classes only in the late afternoons and evenings and on Saturdays or during the Summer Session may not matriculate in this Department. A terminal M.A. is not offered. All students must sign on for the full Ph.D. program (and will acquire the MA degree along the way). Applicants for the Ph.D. program must have completed at least a Bachelor's degree.

Students who want to do graduate work at the American Museum of Natural History must fill out 2 applications -- one for admission to our Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences and one for fellowship support from the American Museum of Natural History. The Museum application can be obtained from: mrios@amnh.org

Requirements:

Our Admissions Committee's job would be easier if every applicant had at least two courses with good grades in all of the basic sciences. But given the nature of our interdisciplinary program, our applicants enter with varied scientific backgrounds; deficiencies are dealt with during the student's first year.

Information for International Students:

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), except those who hold a secondary school certificate or university degree from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, and New Zealand, or where English is the language of instruction.

Advanced Standing:

Credit for work done elsewhere is given at the discretion of the University. A maximum of 30 points of advanced standing and two Residence Units may be credited towards the Ph.D. degree for graduate work completed elsewhere. (No credit is granted toward the MA). Advanced standing toward the PhD will be considered for all students who enter our program with an external Master's degree. A maximum of 30 credits is possible; advanced standing is considered after one year in residence at Columbia.

A completed application includes:

  1. transcripts of all previous post-secondary education;
  2. a personal statement of academic purpose;
  3. three recent letters of recommendation;
  4. GRE (Graduate Record Examination);
  5. if applicable, an acceptable TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score;
  6. and an application fee.

FINANCIAL AID :

A comprehensive program of financial aid, including fellowships in teaching and research, is available. The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences participates in the University's Faculty Fellowship program, described in full in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. In addition to tuition and fees, the stipend for Ph.D. students is $21,000 for the nine-month academic year 2008-09. Arrangements can usually be made to support a Faculty Fellow during the summer months through employment on research grants.

Those students who have been designated Faculty Fellows, are required to participate in the teaching and research program of the department. Specific assignments may include supervision of laboratories, assistance on field trips, or curatorial duties.

Applicants to the Ph.D program are eligible for the newly created IGERT Joint Program in Applied Mathematics and Earth & Environmental Science which awards fellowships for graduate students interested in acquiring exceptionally strong mathematical skills and a deep understanding of the key scientific problems that need to be addressed in the earth and environmental sciences. If you fit this description and are interested in this interdisciplinary opportunity, mention it in your personal statement in your application and check out the IGERT website for more details.

Deadlines:

Admission and Fellowship applications should be submitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Spring Term: only encouraged in special circumstances with the approval of the Dean.

Fall Term: January 3, 2008. Applications received after January 3nd will be considered for late awards at the discretion of the University.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Check the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Visit the website of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The application for admission can be completed online, downloaded, or requested from:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Office of Admissions
107 Low Memorial Library
535 West 116th Street, MC 4304
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027

(212) 854-4737

The American Museum of Natural History application can be obtained from: mrios@amnh.org

Information on the GRE or TOEFL is available from:

Educational Testing Service
20 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08540

(609) 771-7670

All other questions can be sent to:Mia Leo, Department Administrator

Mia Leo
Department Administrator
Columbia/Lamont
P.O. Box 1000
Palisades, NY 10964
Phone: (845)365-8550
Fax: (845)365-8163
Email: missy@ldeo.columbia.edu

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