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Overview

The Geophysical Sciences Program is an interdepartmental degree program at the University of Colorado that offers students flexibility to choose courses that meet their scholarly interests. Physics is one of the participating departments in the Geophysical Science Program.

Admission into the Geophysics Program from Physics

Students are initially accepted into the Graduate school in the physics department. The Committee has no part in this process, except for providing information about the program to those students who know from the beginning that they wish to pursue a degree in Geophysics. No student is admitted directly into the Geophysics Program on entry into the Graduate School, though the intent to pursue a degree in that program may be understood by all parties.

A student may apply for admission to the Geophysics Ph.D. Program by letter addressed to the chair of the Committee. The letter must be endorsed by an authorized member of the faculty of the physics department (usually the departmental representative on the Geophysics Program Committee), showing departmental approval of the transfer of the student into the Geophysics Program. This should precede submission of the candidacy application to the Graduate School, which is due 2 weeks before the comprehensive exam. (A guide to Graduate School deadlines and rules is online at the Grad School).

After review of the application and approval by the chair of the Committee, the student is notified by letter that he or she is accepted into the program. A copy of this letter will be sent to the Graduate Program Assistant of the physics department, who will change the program from the physics department to Geophysics (GEOP). After that point, the course and exam requirements of the Geophysics Program need to be followed.