Section A. Degree Programs

2 General Procedures and Policies for all Geology Graduate Students

2.1 Summary Table of Milestones and Degree Requirements

2.1 Administration Policies

2.1.1 Appointment letter

Your Offer Letter is essentially a contract. It specifies your funding sources and terms. It also lists any deficiencies in coursework you may need to make up before you can graduate. Your contract is unique to you, so another student’s contract does not apply to you.

Your offer letter serves as your initial Appointment Letter. The university issues updates to these on an annual basis.

2.1.2 Final Transcripts

Your final academic transcript from your previous university must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.

2.1.3 Required Training

WVU has online certification courses for plagiarism, chemical lab safety, etc. Sometimes, you will be prompted by an email to your MIX account or by a request from a faculty or staff member to take a tutorial. If you receive a request to complete one of these online courses, please do so as soon as possible.

• All graduate students must complete the Plagiarism Avoidance Tutorial hosted by the WVU library system before beginning the geology graduate program. You can take the quiz multiple times, so keep trying until you get 100%.

The record of the completed tutorial should be provided to the geology Graduate Secretary (Hope Stewart) in either hard copy or email form.

• Students who may work in a chemical lab must take online Lab Safety Training

Take the test and save/email results page to our chemical safety officer Dr. Dorothy Vesper. Consult Dr. Vesper before taking the online test.

2.1.4 Evaluation of Milestone Events and Exams

Milestone events and exams are determined to be a pass or fail based on the closed vote of the committee. Votes must be pass or fail; abstentions are not permitted.

• Passing votes must be unanimous for the Ph.D. Preliminary Exam
• Passing votes must be unanimous or nearly unanimous (with only 1 dissenting vote allowed) for the Thesis defense and Dissertation Committee tests (for the proposal and oral test, and the final dissertation defense).

One reexamination only is allowed for each of the preliminary, proposal and comprehensive exams (no retake is allowed for a defense). Deadlines for the re-take are at the agreement

of the exam/research committee and the GGPC but must be within 2 months of the original exam/event. Milestone deadlines specified for the degree (see Sections 3 and 4 for milestone deadlines) still apply to exams taken a second time.

2.2 Course Related Policies

2.2.1 Plan of Study

All students are required to complete a Plan of Study within their first month in the program. The purpose of the Plan of Study is to identify the courses and requirements the student must meet to obtain their desired degree. This initial form outlines the courses you plan to take and makes sure those courses cover all requirements for the degree. The plan of study is usually modified a few times prior to graduation. As a general rule, be proactive and keep up-to-date on deadlines regarding submission of the plan of study and other documentation needed to graduate.

Masters students will initially develop this with an Advising Committee. PhD students will develop this in conjunction with their advisor.

The original signed Plan of Study is given to the Graduate Secretary (Hope Stewart) for placement in the student file. The Plan of Study can be revised at any time with the agreement of the student and the appropriate advising/research committee. The final Plan should reflect the actual courses taken by the student and be signed by their research committee.

Plan of Study forms are prepared and updated on the geology network. When you need to make changes, please contact a member of the GGPC regarding who is currently making the edits on the forms. Example forms can be found on the WVU Geology web site.

2.2.2 Courses and Course Load

Full-time students with financial support normally maintain 12 hours for each of fall and spring semesters; 9 credits is the minimum.

• Students using university resources are required to enroll for each least 1 hour of graduate credit.
  
  
• International (non-U.S.) students may have additional VISA requirements and should check with WVU’s International Student’s & Scholars Services (IWSS).

Course information is found in the following locations:

• Approved Geology courses are listed in the WVU Graduate Catalog Course Inventory. For courses outside of the department, see those departments in the Graduate Catalog.
  
  
• Pre-approved courses outside of geology (for MS students) can be found in the graduate catalog

• Courses offered each semester can be found at STAR

Many new, temporary or occasional graduate courses are taught under #93 course numbers (# = 4, 5 or 6). These classes will show up under STAR for the specific semester but do not show up in the graduate catalog. These classes are typically advertised by email and/or signs in Brooks Hall.

2.2.3 Course Credits toward Degree

All course work applied towards the degree must be at the graduate level (numbered 400 or higher). No more than forty percent of course credits counted toward any graduate degree may be at the 400-level. ( Degree Program Credit Limitations)

Graduate credit is obtained only for courses in which the grade earned is A, B, C, P or S. Courses taken as audits or courses in which the grade earned is D, F, or U do not count toward a graduate degree. ( Degree Program Credit Limitations)

2.2.4 Geology Colloquium

The graduate colloquium (GEOL 699) is offered all semesters. Students take this as 1 credit per semester during two different semesters for MS students and four semesters for PhD students.

Students taking the colloquium for credit are required to sign-in with the advising faculty member. All graduate students are expected to attend the colloquium regardless of if they are currently taking it for credit.

2.2.5 Withdrawing From Courses

Graduate students are not permitted to withdraw from classes unless they have permission from their advisor as well as the Graduate Program Committee. Students interested in doing so must provide a written statement explaining the rationale for the change.Minimum GPA

Students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of a 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in coursework applied to their graduate program a.

Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 will be put on probation for one semester. If they remain below 3.0 for a second semester, they will be dismissed from the program.

2.3 Other Procedures

2.3.1 Milestone Tracking Forms

The Milestone Sign-Off sheet provides formal documentation that specific requirements for the degree have been successfully met. These milestones include (as appropriate): Preliminary exams, proposal defenses, comprehensive (candidacy) exams, and final defenses.

Copies of these forms are present in the presentation room (325 Brooks) and the conference room (324 Brooks). In addition to the student signature, this form is signed by the committee chair and all committee members.

The signed form is put on file in the main office. Students may wish to keep a copy of the form in their personal file as a formal record of your progress. Example forms can be found on the WVU Geology web site.

2.3.2 Annual Progress Assessment

All graduate students will have their progress reviewed each spring during residence, as a condition of continued financial support. Assessments will be done in coordination with the student's graduate advisor and the Geology Grad Program Committee and will be used in determining continuation of financial support.

Guidelines for what constitutes “good progress” is defined in the graduate catalog and below (separately for MS and PhD programs).

Students will be notified of the review process for each year early in the fall semester.

2.3.3 Research Committee Composition and Research Plan (MS-Research and PhD Only)

The student must identify a willing Advisor who is a Regular member of the Graduate Faculty.

Details regarding committee requirements should be reviewed in the Graduate Catalog General Requirements, and are summarized below:

• The research committee must consist of no fewer than three members for a MS and four members for a PhD.
• No more than one person may be a non-graduate-faculty member.

• Doctoral dissertation committee must have at least one member from outside of G&G

• Any outside faculty member must hold the equivalent degree as the one being sought by the student.

• The majority of the committee members must be faculty members in G&G (Geology Program Rule)

Students will complete a Research Plan to the GGPC at least one month ahead of the proposal. This plan will indicate their (1) advisor; (2) tentative research topic; and (3) list of Research Committee members. This plan will become part of the student’s department file.

2.3.4 Waiver of Geology Deadlines

Students who for reasons related to health, financial support, or other circumstances cannot meet any of the Geology Program deadlines may petition the Geology Graduate Program Committee for a postponement in advance of the deadline. The request should indicate the circumstances and the proposed new deadline. The request must have the support of the student's Ph.D. advisor. Students are reminded that postponement of deadlines may delay their graduation. Waiver requests are addressed on a case-by-case basis; they are not always approved.

2.3.5 Advisor Responsibilities and Complaints Procedures

Advisors are expected to make every effort to facilitate the progress of their students through the program in a timely manner. The primary way of doing this is through providing feedback on student proposals, abstracts, manuscripts, theses, and dissertations. Faculty members are requested to return reviews of documents within two weeks but the exact timing will depend on size and complexity of the document, current workloads and travel, and advance notice. It’s always best to work together to devise a plan for how and when the review will be accomplished to facilitate its forward progress. Students should be aware when turning in documents that faculty are not on payroll over the summer and documents will take longer to review during this time.

If students have any problems or conflicts with their advisors should reach out to the Geology Program chair of the Geology Graduate Program committee. In intractable situations advisors may be replaced by another member of the graduate student’s committee.

2.4 Graduation Process

Procedures for graduation are maintained by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Forms and Processes webpage. All of the forms mentioned in the table below can be found via the college link.

In geology, Hope Stewart tracks this process. When you’re getting close to graduation, you should check with her.

You will need to complete the tasks shown in the following table:

Table of Tasks to Complete to Graduate 

Task	Timing
Apply to graduate	Early the semester you plan to graduate. Deadlines for each semester are posted on the WVU calendar.
Thesis and Dissertation Defense Date Declaration form.	At least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense date
The “ Eberly Thesis and Dissertation Oral Defense Form” is separate from the Date Declaration form. You print this form and take to your defense meeting for the collection of committee signatures.	This form must be submitted to your departmental representative immediately after the defense and then returned to the Eberly College Graduate Records Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on the next business day following your defense.
WVU Electronic and Thesis and Dissertations (ETD). You'll find links to critical information regarding the ETD on the Graduate Forms and Processes page. In the ETD Submissions Packet, you need to bring the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Signature Form (Page 5) to your defense. This is particularly important since the responsibility to cross check final committee comments is left to your research adviser. Committee members (particularly external members) may be out of town and unable to sign before the ETD deadline.	Print this form off ahead of time, bring to the defense for signature and clarify with the committee how they wish to handle final corrections and review. Deadlines for ETD submission are posted on the WVU calendar.

3 Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in Geology

3.1 MS Degree: General Degree Requirements

The following procedures and policies are in addition to those provided:

• In section 2.0: General procedures and policies for all geology graduate degree programs
• In the WVU Graduate Catalog.

3.1.1 Select a Track (Research or Professional Studies)

Students identify their selected track (Research or Professional Studies) in their application; offers of admission are for specific track and are stated in the offer letter.

Student interested in changing tracks must request a change in writing to the GGPC including a plan for meeting the requirements of the requested track. This must be done before the end of the academic year.

3.1.2 Coursework

At least 60% of the course credits must be taken from GEOL and GEOG.

Courses outside of GEOL and GEOG to be approved by the student's advisor unless they are on the approved list of outside courses (see the graduate catalog for approved lists of courses).

3.1.3 Time Limits for MS

Master’s degree students are permitted to continue in a program for a maximum of eight years following their term of admission to the program. Students who have been inactive for two or more years or who exceed eight years following their term of admission are required to apply for readmission to the University and their graduate program. More details are provided in the WVU Graduate Catalog under Degree Regulations.

3.2 MS Degree Research Track

3.2.1 Overview of MS Research Track

The Research Track requires the student to complete independent scholarly research culminating in a thesis. This track is intended for students interested in a more-traditional research-based graduate degree.

This Track involves focused course work plus a relatively open-ended research project, of broader scope than the Professional Studies track, with original content and of approximately one-year duration. Students considering a future Ph.D. or seeking employment in geological research are advised to choose this option.

The Research Track requires a minimum of 24 formal course credits as specified in the Graduate Catalog plus 6 research credits (GEOL 697) and 2 hours of Graduate Colloquium (GEOL 699) for graduation. A thesis based on original research is required. The thesis is done under the supervision of a faculty Advisor and a Research Committee of three faculty including the Advisor.

Students obtaining a masters in Geology with a Research Track will be able to:

• Communicate geologic concepts orally and in writing
• Apply research skills to analyze geologic questions
• Propose, produce and defend original research in their field of study
• Explain geologic principles as they relate to their area of research

3.2.2 Progress toward Degree (MS Research)

Good progress toward the degree is defined by successful completion of milestones by the required deadlines. The deadlines include the following:

• Target Date: Indicates excellent progress.
• Deadline: Indicates reasonable progress. Students who do not meet this deadline will be placed on formal probation.
• Funding termination date: Students not meeting this deadline will no longer receive department funding and support.
• The MS thesis defense cannot take place during the same semester as the proposal defense.

Progress Schedule and Deadlines for MS Research Students

3.3 MS Degree: Professional Studies Track

3.3.1 Overview of MS Professional Studies Track

The Professional Studies Track requires students to complete a Professional Development credits/tasks in place of thesis-based research. This track is intended for students looking to obtain additional knowledge and skills for their professional careers in Energy Geology or Environmental Geology

This Track provides a non-thesis opportunity for students in the WVU Geology M.S. program. The Professional Studies Track is not recommended for students considering eventual doctoral research.

Students obtaining a masters in Geology with a Professional Studies Track will be able to:

• Communicate geologic concepts orally and in writing
• Demonstrate knowledge in either energy geology or environmental geology

• Apply geological knowledge and methods to (1) find, develop and produce energy resources particularly natural gas, natural gas liquids, and oil; OR, (2) to assess environmental issues

3.3.2 Professional Development Credits

All students enrolled in the Professional Development Track will complete 24 hours of coursework, as specified in the Graduate Catalog, and 8 credit hours as shown below:

Table of Required Coursework and Credit Hours

# of Credit- hours	Course	Course Number	Comments
1	MS Prof Studies Cohort Seminar	GEOL 593 b	Required of all students in their first fall semester
1	Geology Colloquium	GEOL 699	Required at least once.
6 credit-hours combined from the following categories
0-1	Geology Colloquium	GEOL 694	Taken 1-credit/semester. Can be taken twice.
0-6	Internship	GEOL 5933	45 hours of internship ~ 1 credit hour. Additional credits of internship can be completed but do not count toward the degree requirement.
0-6	Project with a faculty advisor	GEOL 680
0-6	Additional elective credit hours

3.3.3 Professional Development Experience

All students in the Professional Studies Track will complete at least one of the following experiences toward their degree:

• ASBOG Fundamentals Exam . This exam is the first exam from the National Association of State Boards of Geology and is used by many states toward licensure The exam is held twice a year (usually in March and October) and

requires registration several months in advance of the exam through one of >30 state geologist licensing boards that require the ASBOG FG exam. Students can take the exam in any state administering ASBOG exams (note that the exam is not given in West Virginia; the closest exam location is Harrisburg PA). Exam costs and fees will be paid by the student. Students who have completed this exam prior to enrolling in the Professional Master’s program must choose another Professional Development Experience. There is no course credit associated with this option.

• Project(s). Students may complete a research project with a faculty member in geology. A project is a 1-credit add-on taken in association with an existing graduate course as agreed upon between the student and instructor. Students interested in this option should (a) contact the professor of the class and decide on a project, (b) complete a Project Agreement; and (c) enroll for 1 extra credit via GEOL 680. Students interested in completing a project outside of a class or for more than 1 credit need to ask permission of the Professional Masters Director for approval. At the end of the project, the student will produce a project report and present their findings in a public colloquium. Students may select to do up to 6 credits of this option.
• Internship(s). Internships can be completed with host companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, or national laboratories. The student is responsible for finding their own internship(s). At the end of the internship, the student will produce a project report and present their findings in a public colloquium.

Up to 6 credits of internship can be applied toward degree requirements. When planning an internship, the student completes an Internship Agreement that specifies the details including the number of associated credit hours (one credit-hour = at least 45 hours of internship time). The internship will be evaluated via the Internship Evaluation/Verification Form to be completed by the internship supervisor.

4 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Geology

The following procedures and policies are in addition to those provided:

• In section 2.0: General procedures and policies for all geology graduate degree programs
• In the WVU Graduate Catalog

Requirement	Purpose	Format	Evaluated by
File Plan of Study	Outline program goals, courses, potential advisor	Advisory Committee product	Advisor
Preliminary Exam	To determine if the student has the potential to do doctoral-level research; tests communication, reasoning, and critical thinking skills	Preparation of written preliminary proposal with oral presentation and defense	Preliminary Committee of 3 faculty members selected by GGPC
Formulate research plan, assemble research committee	Start dissertation research, initiate search for funding	Interaction with advisor and committee	Advisor
Dissertation proposal and Comprehensive (Candidacy) Exam	Present detailed research goals and methods; tests background knowledge A successful completion of this exam admits the student to the Doctoral Candidacy c.	Written proposal; oral presentation and defense	Dissertation Research Committee
Dissertation defense	Present research results	Written dissertation, oral presentation and defense	Dissertation Research Committee

c From the WVU Graduate Catalog: “Admission to graduate study and enrollment in graduate courses do not in themselves imply acceptance of the student as a candidate for a doctoral degree. Admission to doctoral candidacy is accomplished only by satisfactorily passing a candidacy examination (which may have a different label in different programs) and by meeting other requirements specified by the program” http://catalog.wvu.edu/graduate/advisingcoursesdegrees/degree_regulations/#requirementstext

4.2 Coursework and Credits

The Doctor of Philosophy requires a minimum of 21 graduate course credits as specified in the Graduate Catalog plus 12 research credits (GEOL 697), and 4 hours of GEOL 697 (Graduate Colloquium) for graduation.

Courses are to be selected by the Ph.D. student in collaboration with his/her advisor, the initial advising committee (if needed), and then with his/her Dissertation Research Committee. The student should strive to finish coursework in the first 2 years of his/her program if they are full-time residents at WVU. GPA requirements are included in Section

2.0 for general degree requirements.

After being admitted to the doctoral candidacy, Ph.D. students must enroll for each least one credit during both spring and fall terms to maintain their candidacy status.

4.3 Residency

Ph.D. students normally are required to spend at least one academic year (two semesters) in residence doing full-time graduate studies at WVU. However, the WVU Graduate Catalog states, “an” individual student or graduate committee may propose an alternative plan by which the student can gain equivalent educational experience to meet the residency requirement. For example, the plan of study may require the student to spend time in residence at a national or foreign laboratory, institute, archive, or research center as partial fulfillment of the residency requirement." This means, for example, that Ph.D. students employed full time at a State agency such as the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, or at a U.S. governmental agency, like DOE or OSM, could be exempt from the residency requirement, with the permission of their Dissertation Committee. International students should check their specific VISA requirements regarding internships.

4.4 Ph.D. Degree Time Limit

Ph.D. students have a maximum of 5 years following their Admission to Doctoral Candidacy, to complete their other degree requirements and graduate. For rules regarding the Ph.D. time limit, refer to the most recent copy of the WVU Graduate Catalog information about Time Limits. 

4.5 Progress Toward Degree (PhD)

Good progress toward the degree is defined by successful completion of milestones by the required deadlines. The deadlines include the following:

• Target Date: Indicates excellent progress.

• Deadline: Indicates reasonable progress. Students who do not meet this deadline will be placed on formal probation.

• Funding termination date: Students not meeting this deadline will no longer receive department funding and support.

Table of PhD Milestone Targets and Deadlines

Milestone	Start Semester	Target date	Deadline	Funding termination date
Preliminary Exam	Fall	May 1, Year 1	Aug 1, Year 1 (for retakes only)
Spring	Dec 1, Year 1	May 1, Year 2 (for retakes only)
Proposal/ Comprehensive (Candidacy) Exam	Fall	May 1, Year 2	Dec 1, Year 2	May 1, Year 3
Spring	Dec 1, Year 2	May 1, Year 3	Dec 1, Year 3
Dissertation defense	Fall	May, Year 4	Support typically not available after 4 years
Spring	Dec, Year 4