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The department offers a program leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree with a major in hydrology. The faculty offers competence in hydrogeology, hydrogeochemistry, hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, environmental hydrology, ground-water hydrology, surface-water hydrology, vadose zone hydrology, mathematical and statistical methods in hydrology (including stochastic and numerical modeling), water resources systems, and water resources policy.
The programs are designed for students with interests in the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the hydrologic cycle, as well as water resources systems, environmental studies, or water policy and the social sciences related to water resources. Students may concentrate in one or a combination of these fields but should acquire some proficiency in all aspects of hydrology and water resources. Research-based M.S. study programs are individually planned to meet the student's special interests and professional objectives.
M.S. applicants need not have completed an undergraduate degree in hydrology and water resources; however, previous study in this field or a related field is beneficial. The programs have been designed to enable students who have completed fundamental undergraduate mathematics and science course work to enter directly.
All M.S. students are expected to acquire basic computer programming skills and complete a field methods course. To meet the professional development requirement, M.S. students are required to attend departmental seminars and colloquia at the beginning of academic residency and to enroll in one advanced seminar course (696-series) at or near the end of their academic residency.
Each M.S. student must complete fundamental, or core, courses in hydrology and water resources unless equivalent graduate courses have been taken elsewhere. A Master's Thesis is required; the Master's Thesis Publication option is also available. A Master’s Final Oral Examination is required.
Applications for Fall Semester admission must be completed by January 15.
Applications for Spring Semester admission must be completed by August 1 (for any student requiring a visa) or October 1 (for any student not requiring a visa).
If GRE scores are close to the minimum required, we recommend you apply. Other factors in your application may help mitigate this requirement.
Required: Applicants should upload required documents to the Graduate College application, including a Statement of Research Interests; a Resume or Curriculum Vitae; Three Letters of Recommendation (instructions provided); copy of Transcripts for all colleges and universities attended; Diploma Certificates (international applicants). All of these documents may be uploaded and attached to the Graduate College online application.
At the Graduate College website, click on Apply-Now to begin your application.
Undergraduate course prerequisites in science and mathematics include:
Physical Geology: 1 semester
College Chemistry: 2-semester sequence, Inorganic/Analytical
College Physics: 2-semester sequence, 1 course in Mechanics; 1 course in Electricity/Magnetism or Optics/Thermodynamics
Fluid mechanics: 1 semester
Mathematics: Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Vector Calculus, Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations
Engineering Statistics or Probability Theory: 1 semester
Required test(s): GRE
Required GRE Subject tests: None
Recommended tests:
Recommended GRE Subject tests:
Minimum GRE Verbal:
Minimum GRE Quantitative: 155
Minumum GRE Written: 4.5
Minimum GMAT:
Minimum MAT:
Minimum TOEFL: 550
Minimum IELTS: 7
Graduate Assistantship in Research
Graduate Assistantship in Teaching
Fee Scholarships
Fellowships
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
4832
1699
Minumum credits: 30
Core coursework: HWRS 517A Fundamentals of Water Quality
HWRS 518 Fundamentals in Subsurface Hydrology
HWRS 519 Fundamentals in Surface Hydrology
HWRS 528 Fundamentals: Systems Approach to Hydrologic Modeling
HWRS 575 Economic Evaluation of Water and Environmental Policy
HWRS 576 Natural Resource Law and Economics
LAW 641 Water Law
Language requirements: None
Other requirements: 1) Advanced Elective Requirement:
Advanced elective course work must be approved by the department. While the study of hydrology and water resources is interdisciplinary in nature, not all crosslisted courses may be used in the Master's Plan of Study. (Crosslisted courses are those in which HWR is not the home department, i.e. course instructors reside in another department.) The majority of course work must be completed with primary HWR department faculty members.
2) Field Methods Requirement:
HWRS 513A Field Methods
3) Professional Development Requirements (two requirements):
(a) Enrollment in HWRS 695A section 001 for one semester. This unit is not included in Master's Plan of Study.
AND
(b) Paper or poster presentation of Master's Thesis research at an approved regional or national conference. No academic credit is awarded for paper or poster presentation.
In lieu of a conference presentation, a student must enroll in an HWRS 696-series seminar course that requires oral presentation as part of the course format. An HWRS 696-series seminar course may be included in the Master's Plan of Study as an advanced elective course.
4) Final Examination Requirement:
A final oral examination with the thesis director and two other approved faculty members is required. While the initial presentation may be open to the public (at the discretion of the student and his or her committee members), the examination by faculty committee, or defense of thesis, is closed.
5) Thesis Archival
Electronic submission of the Master's Thesis to the Graduate College and archival with ProQuest UMI is required. The department does not maintain a separate archive, although members of the student's faculty committee may request a copy of the manuscript.
There is no Minor for students at the Master's level.