Master of Science in Subsurface Geoscience (MSSG) Degree
Program Learning Outcomes for the MSSG Degree
Upon completing the MSSG degree, students will be able to:
- Become proficient in applying geological and geophysical knowledge and methods.
- Develop business and management skills, and obtain practical skills valuable to the energy industry.
- Develop written, oral, and visual communication skills to bridge the gap between science and business.
Requirements for the MSSG Degree
The MSSG degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements for non-thesis masters degrees, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. Students pursuing the MSSG degree must complete:
- A minimum of 14 courses (39-41 credit hours) to satisfy degree requirements.
- A 3-6 month internship. Instead of a thesis, students must present their internship project in both oral and written form in the Professional Master’s Seminar. Part-time students who already work in their area of study may fulfill the internship requirement by working on an approved project with their current employer.
- The requirements for one area of specialization (see below for areas of specializations). The MSSG degree offers two areas of specialization:
- Geology, or
- Geophysics
- A minimum of 30 credit hours at the 500-level or above.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the PSM (Professional Science Masters) program director and the MSSG advisor (or official certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the MSSG Degree | 39-41 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| NSCI 501 | PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S SEMINAR (required for 2 semesters, fall semester) | 1 |
| NSCI 501 | PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S SEMINAR (required for 2 semesters, spring semester) | 1 |
| NSCI 511 | SCIENCE POLICY, AND ETHICS | 3 |
| NSCI 512 | PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S PROJECT | 1 |
| NSCI 610 / ENGI 610 | MANAGEMENT FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | 3 |
| Three to Six Month Internship | ||
| Practical experience is offered via a 3 to 6 month work immersion. 1 | ||
| Area of Specialization | ||
| Select 1 of the following area of specializations (see below for areas of specialization): | 30-32 | |
Geology Specialization | ||
Geophysics Specialization | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 39-41 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | A 3 to 6 month internship under the guidance of a host company, government agency or national laboratory is required. At the conclusion of this internship, students must present their internship project in both oral and written form as part of the NSCI 512 Professional Master’s Project Cohort Course. |
Area of Specialization: Geology
Students must complete a total of 10 courses (30-32 credit hours depending on course selection) to satisfy the requirements for the MSSG degree program's Geology area of specialization.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 7 from the following: | 21-22 | |
| GEOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES | ||
or ESCI 516 | TOPICS ON CARBONATES | |
| HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS ANALYSIS | ||
| 3D SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA INTERPRETATION | ||
| DECISION MAKING AND ECONOMICS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| INTERPRETATION OF REGIONAL 2-D SEISMIC DATA | ||
| SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY | ||
| EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS | ||
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 from the following (see also Additional Electives course list below): 1 | 9-10 | |
| SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| CARBONATE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| APPLIED SEDIMENTOLOGY II | ||
| SEMINAR: QUANTITATIVE PETROLEUM SYSTEMS ANALYSIS 2 | ||
| HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION | ||
| MODERN EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
| 3D SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA INTERPRETATION | ||
| SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA PROCESS | ||
| UNCONVENTIONAL ENERGY EXPLORATION | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF TECTONIC SYSTEMS | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30-32 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Substitutions for required or elective courses may be approved by the Track Advisor. |
| 2 | Taught at the University of Houston campus. |
Area of Specialization: Geophysics
Students must complete a total of 10 courses (30-31 credit hours depending on course selection) to satisfy the requirements for the MSSG degree program's Geophysics area of specialization.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 7 from the following: | 21-22 | |
| MODERN EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
| 3D SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA INTERPRETATION | ||
| SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA PROCESS | ||
| DECISION MAKING AND ECONOMICS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| INTERPRETATION OF REGIONAL 2-D SEISMIC DATA | ||
| GEOPHYSICAL DATA ANALYSIS: DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING | ||
or ESCI 641 | GEOPHYSICAL DATA ANALYSIS: INVERSE METHODS | |
| EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS | ||
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 (minimum of 9 credit hours) from the following (see also Additional Electives course list below): | 9 | |
| GEOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES | ||
| SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| CARBONATE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION | ||
| HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS ANALYSIS | ||
| SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF TECTONIC SYSTEMS | ||
| MANAGING ENERGY TRANSITIONS | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30-31 | |
Additional Electives for Both Specializations
The following courses are additional electives that can be used to satisfy the requirements in both specializations.1
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CAAM 378 | INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND OPTIMIZATION | 3 |
| CEVE 528 / ENGI 528 | ENGINEERING ECONOMICS | 3 |
| COMP 556 / ELEC 556 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS | 4 |
| ECON 601 | ENERGY ECONOMICS I | 4 |
| ESCI 652 | GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | 3 |
| GLBL 543 | ENERGY POLICY | 3 |
| MGMT 611 | GEOPOLITICS OF ENERGY | 1.5 |
| MGMT 661 | INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW | 3 |
| MGMT 670 | OPERATIONS STRATEGY | 1.5 |
| MGMT 676 | SOCIAL ENTERPRISE | 1.5 |
| STAT 518 | PROBABILITY | 3 |
| STAT 615 | REGRESSION AND LINEAR MODELS | 3 |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Please contact the department for additional courses that can satisfy the requirements listed above. Substitutions for required or elective courses may be approved by the Track Advisor. |
Policies for the MSSG Degree
Subsurface Geoscience Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, Subsurface Geoscience publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here:
http://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2017_18/Professional_Science_Masters_Handbook.pdf.
Admission
Admission to graduate study in subsurface geoscience is open to qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree in a related science that includes coursework in geoscience, general chemistry, physics, calculus, and differential equations. Department faculty evaluate the previous academic record and credentials of each applicant individually.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
For additional information, please see the Subsurface Geoscience website: https://profms.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the MSSG Degree
Fifth-Year MSSG Degree Option for Rice Undergraduate Students
Rice undergraduate students have an option to pursue the MSSG degree by adding an additional fifth year to their four undergraduate years of science studies. Advanced Rice undergraduate students in good academic standing may apply to the graduate program during their junior year. Upon acceptance, depending on course load, financial aid status, and other variables, they may then start taking required core courses of the Subsurface Geoscience program during their senior year. A plan of study based on their particular focus area will need to be approved by the PSM (Professional Science Masters) program director and the MSSG advisor.
As part of this option and opportunity, Rice undergraduate students:
- must complete the requirements for their bachelor's degree and the MSSG degree independently of each other (i.e. no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both degrees).
- should be aware that there could be financial aid implications, if the conversion of undergraduate coursework to that of graduate-level reduces their earned undergraduate credit for any semester below that of full-time status (12 credit hours).
For additional information, please see the Subsurface Geoscience website: https://profms.rice.edu/