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 data management 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. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MSSG degree must complete:
- A minimum of 14 courses (minimum of 39-41 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (coursework at the 500-level or above).
- A minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
- A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of part-time graduate study at Rice University.
- A 3-6 month internship. Instead of a thesis, at the conclusion of their internship, students must present their internship project in both oral and written form as part of the Professional Master’s Project (NSCI 512). Part-time students who already work in their area of study may request approval to fulfill the internship requirement by working on a specific, pre-approved project with their current employer.
- The requirements for one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization). The MSSG degree program offers three areas of specialization:
- Energy Data Management, or
- Geology, or
- Geophysics.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
- A minimum GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree.
Note: Some of the listed courses are not offered every year, and some may also have prerequisites or require instructor permission.
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 program's academic advisor, or where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. 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 | ||
| Core Science Courses | ||
| ESCI 549 | DATA MANAGEMENT AND DATA GOVERNANCE | 3 |
| ESCI 558 | 3D SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA INTERPRETATION 1 | 3 |
| ESCI 615 | DECISION MAKING AND ECONOMICS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | 3 or 4 |
| or ESCI 545 | HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS ANALYSIS | |
| ESCI 636 | WELL LOGGING AND PETROPHYSICS | 3 |
| Cohort Courses | ||
| NSCI 501 | PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S SEMINAR (2 semesters required, 1st semester) | 1 |
| NSCI 501 | PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S SEMINAR (2 semesters required, 2nd 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 | ||
| A three to six month internship is required 2 | ||
| Area of Specialization | ||
| Select 1 of the following Areas of Specialization (see Areas of Specialization below): | 18-19 | |
Energy Data Management | ||
Geology | ||
Geophysics | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 39-41 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | ESCI 558 requires a prerequisite of ESCI 442 or ESCI 642 that may be taken concurrently. See a faculty advisor for more information. |
| 2 | Practical experience is offered via a three to six month immersion. The internship will be under the guidance of a host company, government agency, or non-profit organization. At the conclusion of the internship, students must present a summary of their internship project in both oral and written form for the cohort course Professional Master's Project (NSCI 512). Part-time students who already work in their area of study may fulfill the internship requirements by working on an approved project with their current employer. |
Areas of Specialization
Students must complete a minimum of 6 courses (minimum of 18-19 credit hours, depending on area of specialization) to satisfy the requirements for one area of specialization.
Area of Specialization: Energy Data Management
Students must complete a minimum of 6 courses (minimum of 18 credit hours) to satisfy the requirements for the MSSG degree program's Energy Data Management area of specialization.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements (for the Area of Specialization: Energy Data Management) 1 | ||
| ESCI 530 | DATA SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOSCIENCES | 3 |
| ESCI 570 | COMPUTATIONAL AND DATA SCIENCE IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | 3 |
| ESCI 571 | DATA SCIENCE METHODS AND DATA MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| Elective Requirements (for the Area of Specialization: Energy Data Management) | ||
| Select a minimum of 3 courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) from the following: 2,3 | 9 | |
| ENGINEERING ECONOMICS | ||
| GRADUATE TOOLS AND MODELS - DATA SCIENCE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS | ||
| ENERGY ECONOMICS I | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| ENERGY POLICY | ||
| MANAGING ENERGY TRANSITIONS | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| GEOPOLITICS OF ENERGY | ||
| INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW | ||
| OPERATIONS STRATEGY | ||
| SOCIAL ENTERPRISE | ||
| PROBABILITY | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | COMP 533 is an acceptable substitute for ESCI 570. COMP 543 is an acceptable substitute for ESCI 571. Students should only take the accepted COMP substitute courses if the ESCI courses are not offered. |
| 2 | Note: Some of the listed courses are not offered every year, and other coursework may be offered that satisfies the stated requirements upon approval. Depending on the student’s background or interest, course substitutions for any required or elective course may be approved by the program’s academic advisor. Students should consult with their academic advisors before enrolling. |
| 3 | Students following the Energy Data Management Area of Specialization may take departmental (ESCI) coursework listed in other Areas of Specialization for the MSSG degree with the approval of the Area of Specialization Advisor. |
Area of Specialization: Geology
Students must complete a minimum of 6 courses (minimum of 18-19 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 (for the Area of Specialization: Geology) | ||
| ESCI 626 | INTRODUCTION TO SEISMIC INTERPRETATION: STRUCTURAL STYLES AND SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY | 3 or 4 |
| or ESCI 663 | STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF TECTONIC SYSTEMS | |
| ESCI 627 | SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY | 3 |
| or ESCI 504 | SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | |
| or ESCI 516 | TOPICS ON CARBONATES | |
| Elective Requirements (for the Area of Specialization: Geology) | ||
| Select a minimum of 4 courses (minimum of 12 credit hours) from the following: 1 | 12 | |
| SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| CARBONATE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| APPLIED SEDIMENTOLOGY II | ||
| TOPICS ON CARBONATES | ||
| SEMINAR: QUANTITATIVE PETROLEUM SYSTEMS ANALYSIS 2 | ||
| HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION | ||
| HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS ANALYSIS | ||
| SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA PROCESS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SEISMIC INTERPRETATION: STRUCTURAL STYLES AND SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY | ||
| SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY | ||
| EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF TECTONIC SYSTEMS | ||
| MANAGING ENERGY TRANSITIONS | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18-19 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Note: Some of the listed courses are not offered every year, and other coursework may be offered that satisfies the stated requirements upon approval. Depending on the student’s background or interest, course substitutions for any required or elective course may be approved by the program’s academic advisor. Students should consult with their academic advisors before enrolling. |
| 2 | ESCI 527 is taught at the University of Houston campus. |
Area of Specialization: Geophysics
Students must complete a minimum of 6 courses (minimum of 18 credit hours) to satisfy the requirements for the MSSG degree program's Geophysics area of specialization.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements (for the Area of Specialization: Geophysics) | ||
| ESCI 640 | GEOPHYSICAL DATA ANALYSIS: DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING | 3 |
| ESCI 641 | GEOPHYSICAL DATA ANALYSIS: INVERSE METHODS | 3 |
| Elective Requirements (for the Area of Specialization: Geophysics) | ||
| Select a minimum of 4 courses (minimum of 12 credit hours) from the following: 1 | 12 | |
| SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| CARBONATE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION | ||
| HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS ANALYSIS | ||
| SEISMIC REFLECTION DATA PROCESS | ||
| SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY | ||
| EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS | ||
| GIS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS | ||
| STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF TECTONIC SYSTEMS | ||
| MANAGING ENERGY TRANSITIONS | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Note: Some of the listed courses are not offered every year, and other coursework may be offered that satisfies the stated requirements upon approval. Depending on the student’s background or interest, course substitutions for any required or elective course may be approved by the program’s academic advisor. Students should consult with their academic advisors before enrolling. |
Policies for the MSSG Degree
Professional Science Master's Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the Professional Science Master's Program publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here: https://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2019_20/Professional_Science_Masters_Handbook.pdf
Admission
Admission to graduate study in subsurface geoscience is open to qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree (BA or BS degree) in a related science or engineering program that included coursework in general chemistry, general physics, calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. Completed coursework in geology and/or geophysics is preferred, as well as completed coursework in computer skills and some programming. Scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. 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.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Subsurface Geoscience website: https://profms.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the MSSG Degree
Fifth-Year Master's Degree Option for Rice Undergraduate Students
Rice students have an option to pursue the Master of Science in Subsurface Geoscience (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 MSSG degree program during their junior or senior year. Upon acceptance, depending on course load, financial aid status, and other variables, they may then start taking some required courses of the master's degree program. A plan of study will need to be approved by the student's undergraduate advisor, the Professional Science Master's (PSM) program director, and the MSSG program director.
As part of this option and opportunity, Rice undergraduate students:
- must complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree and the master's degree independently of each other (i.e. no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both degrees).
- should be aware 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).
- more information on this Undergraduate - Graduate Concurrent Enrollment opportunity, including specific information on the registration process can be found here.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Subsurface Geoscience website: https://profms.rice.edu/