Information for Prospective Graduate Students

The Department of the Geophysical Sciences provides a vibrant venue in which to pursue graduate research in several broad subject areas that span the study of the Earth, its life, and its cosmic environment.

Students in our PhD program design independent research along with a team of faculty advisors. Our graduates have gone on to become leaders in their fields and to pursue successful careers at major universities, colleges, research institutes, and museums, and in business.

Many students in our program interact with faculty and researchers in other units at the University of Chicago, including the Department of Physics, the Department of Chemistry, the Enrico Fermi Institute, the James Franck Institute, the Committee on Evolutionary Biology, and the Energy Policy Institute.  Other Chicago-area institutions that contribute extensively to graduate training in Geophysical Sciences include Argonne National Laboratory and the Field Museum of Natural History.

All admitted graduate students annually receive a full-tuition scholarship as well as coverage of the required Graduate Student Services Fees and individual insurance premiums. Admitted graduate students also annually receive primary funding via a research training assignment, pedagogical training assignment, or fellowship stipend. Enrolling in a program of study includes additional costs beyond the tuition listed here. For a full list of direct and indirect expenses associated with the cost of attendance, please visit the Cost of Attendance page of the Graduate Financial Aid Office website.

The University of Chicago Admissions page has information for undergraduate and graduate students on: University Catalogs (Undergraduate and Graduate Programs and Courses), Life as a UChicago Student, Practical Matters (such as housing options and student organizations), About the University, Learn About Hyde Park, and much more.