Graduate Student Guide
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences (the School). This document outlines the admissions process for prospective students, as well as the requirements and guidelines for current students. The School awards both master’s and doctoral research degrees. The School does not offer a non-thesis or professional degree, and all students must complete an original research project before graduating. This document answers common questions and outlines typical operating procedures. Additional information on policies related to the University of Maine’s Graduate Program can be found in the Graduate Catalog available on the Graduate School’s web site. Rules defined in the Graduate catalog have precedence should they contradict those outlined in this document.
Admissions deadlines
For consideration for Teaching Assistantships or University fellowships, apply by January 15. We can consider applications year round, but most admission decisions for the fall semester are made in February and early March. For consideration for Research Assistantships, contact individual faculty members with whom you would like to work to determine their schedules for admission decisions.
The below requirements are available in checklist form for the Master’s and doctoral degrees.
Typical Graduate Student Background
Applicants to our graduate program commonly have a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences or closely related discipline, but the multidisciplinary nature of our program allows for entry from other backgrounds as well. Students entering the graduate program in Earth and Climate Sciences typically have completed at least one year of chemistry, physics, and calculus, as well as several courses in Earth or environmental sciences beyond the introductory level. Students who have not completed these basic requirements may be admitted, but may be required to complete specific courses to fulfill deficiencies. Deficiencies are determined on an individual basis by the student’s chosen advisor, and depend on the research topic and subdiscipline chosen by the student.
The School has no formal minimum GPA requirement, nor do we consider the GRE in our admissions decisions.
Application Process and Funding through The School
Before submitting an application, students should contact individual faculty members within the School to determine if:
- their interests align with current faculty research programs
- if individual faculty are interested in mentoring additional students
- what resources are available to pursue research activities
New students will be admitted only if there is clearly defined financial support for individuals. This support typically comes from Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships. In some cases, students enter the graduate program with their own source of funding, such as National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Regardless of the source of financial support, a faculty member needs to advocate for a student before the student will be admitted into the Graduate Program in Earth and Climate Sciences. Typically, students are admitted only if a faculty member notifies the Graduate Coordinator that a student in the applicant pool should be accepted. Acceptance of students to The School’s graduate program is dictated by individual faculty and resources available to them.
Research Assistantships
Research Assistantships are usually supported by external funding awarded to faculty. Individual faculty who receive these awards select the individual who will work on a funded project. Research Assistantships are awarded on a rolling basis, depending on the timing of awarded funding. Students are encouraged to obtain a clear written statement from their advisor detailing the expectations for a Research Assistantship and arrangements for financial support.
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships are awarded to students who align with a faculty’s research interests and who have a background suitable for supervising introductory Earth Science laboratory sections. Students who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships should have a complete application submitted by January 15. To be considered for a Teaching Assistantship, please indicate your desire to be considered on the Admission Application (a simple checkbox).
Teaching assistantships are normally limited to two years of support for an M.S. student and three years of support for Ph.D. students. However, the School encourages shorter terms of Teaching Assistantships, with the balance of the student’s graduate tenure supported by Research Assistantships. Continuation on a teaching assistantship requires that a graduate assistant be present for all assigned laboratory sessions, attending lecture sections for their assigned class (at the instructor’s discretion), and completing any preparatory work or grading required for future classes. A Teaching Assistantship typically requires an average of 20 hours of work per week. If the demands placed on a Teaching Assistant routinely exceed 20 hours per week, please notify the School’s Chair or Graduate Coordinator.
Teaching assistants that do not perform satisfactory work (unable to communicate effectively with undergraduates, don’t have a mastery of introductory geology material, miss a laboratory session, fail to follow instructor requests) may lose this source of financial support. In addition, Teaching Assistants are expected to maintain good academic standing in the School. Receiving a grade below a ‘B-‘ or receiving multiple grades of ‘B-‘ in graduate classes will result in review of your academic progress with the students’ advisor and potential termination of an Assistantship.
Students working as Teaching Assistants are paid over a nine month period during the academic year. Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine if they are eligible for financial support or a tuition waiver during the summer months.
International Students
International students from non-english speaking countries must take the TOEFL (or IELTS) exam and typically achieve a score of at least 80 to be admitted to the graduate program. Additional information related to international students is distributed by the University of Maine Graduate School and the Office of International Programs.
General Policies
Each graduate student in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences is expected to participate in activities that broaden and enrich their experience while at the University of Maine. These activities include attending seminars sponsored by the School and supporting your fellow graduate students by attending proposal and thesis defense presentations. During each year of residence, students will give an oral presentation on their proposed research and/or preliminary results during a school seminar. Students are encouraged to attend seminars sponsored by other academic units, participate in graduate student government, present their research at the graduate student exposition, and participate in regional and national conferences.
Each graduate student will be assigned a desk and be given keys to appropriate laboratory and office space. Students will be assigned a mailbox located on the first floor of Bryand Global Sciences Building adjacent to the main office for the School (Room 111). All keys must be returned and desk space cleaned when finishing graduate studies and leaving the School.
A permit is required to park automobiles on campus. Parking information and permits can be obtained from Parking Services. Please consult the University of Maine’s Parking Services to review the options for purchasing a permit that best meet your needs.
Students should obtain a Maine Card from the Maine Card Services Center. This student identification card can be used as a debit card (on campus), is used to check out materials from the library, provides free access to bus services, allows selective access to buildings, etc.
Training Requirements
All graduate assistants at the University of Maine are required to complete on-line training courses that include:
- Basic Safety Training (must be completed every year)
- Information Security Awareness Training
- Sexual Assault Prevention Training
In addition to these on-line training courses, a one credit research conduct course (e.g. INT 601) must be completed early in the pursuit of a graduate degree. Your particular assistantship may require other training beyond the scope of these courses. Please check with your supervisor for additional details on the required training.