Online Education

Graduate Certificate in Petroleum Systems Geology and Geophysics

About the Certificate

The graduate certificate in Petroleum Systems is designed to provide graduate students in geosciences, geological engineering, and petroleum engineering with the key interdisciplinary backgrounds they will need to be successful in the oil and gas industry. The certificate requires our core Petroleum Geology course and allows students to choose an additional course from each of the three groups of Geophysics, Geology, and Petroleum Engineering offerings.

Required course: 

GEOLOGY 5513 Petroleum Geology (LAB 1.0 and LEC 2.0)
Principles of origin, migration, and accumulation of oil and gas. The laboratory introduces the procedures used for exploration, and development of hydrocarbon resources. Prerequisites: Geology 1110 or Geo Eng 1150; accompanied or preceded by both Geology 3310 and Geology 3620.

 

The Petroleum Systems Certificate Program is open to all persons holding a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. degree in Geology, Geophysics, Geological Engineering, or Petroleum Engineering or are currently accepted into a graduate degree program in one of these fields at Missouri S&T. Once admitted to the program, the student must take the four designated courses (provided in the curriculum section). In order to receive a Graduate Certificate, the student must have an average cumulative grade point of 3.0 or better in the certificate courses.  Once admitted to the program, a student will be given three years to complete the program.

Students admitted to the Petroleum Systems Certificate Program will have non-degree graduate status, however, they will earn graduate credit for the courses they complete. If the student completes the four-course sequence with a grade of B or better in each of the courses taken, they, upon application, will be admitted to the non-thesis M.S. degree program in Geology and Geophysics. The certificate credits taken by the students admitted to the M.S. degree program will count towards their master's degree. Students who do not have all of the prerequisite courses necessary to begin the courses in the Petroleum Systems Certificate Program will be allowed to take ''bridge" courses at either the graduate or undergraduate level to prepare for the formal certificate courses.

Students applying for a graduate certificate must submit the following:

  • Completed Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Transcripts

Online Application

  • When you start a new application, select "Graduate Online/Distance" and then select the certificate program.
  • Don't forget to list your current employer and company location on the application.
  • Statement of purpose should be 2-3 paragraphs explaining why you are applying for this program. 
  • Statement is to be submitted electronically on the online application; you'll copy and paste it into the provided text box.

Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for an admit decision. 

  • Upload your transcripts on the online application under your "Institutional Data." If you previously attended S&T, you must upload your transcript. An unofficial transcript can be requested through Joe’SS. How to Request Unofficial Transcripts (pdf)  
  • PDF scans are preferred.
  • The university requires official transcripts from all schools attended before a student may register for a second semester.
  • In order for a transcript to be counted as official it must be sent directly from the school to S&T, it cannot come from a student. 

Official transcripts should be mailed to Global Learning:

Missouri University of Science and Technology
Office of Global Learning
G8 Norwood Hall, 320 West 12th Street
Rolla, MO 65409

 

Pathway to a Master's Degree

Are you a working professional who wants to earn your master's degree, but you don’t have time to take the GRE/GMAT? Then start in a graduate certificate program. Graduate certificates were designed as a pathway to a master's degree.* The admission requirements are more relaxed and credit earned will count toward your degree. Once you successfully earn your graduate certificate, you can continue with the corresponding master's degree without having to take the GRE/GMAT.

*Completion of a graduate certificate program does not automatically guarantee admission into a corresponding graduate degree program. To continue in a master’s degree program, you must apply.

Questions?

Contact Us

Missouri S&T Online Education

Sylvia Skouby, Associate Director for Online Admissions

Phone: 573-341-6903
Email: stgrad@mst.edu

Geology and Geophysics

Dr. Stephen Gao
Professor, Geology and Geophysics
B-35 McNutt Hall
Rolla, MO 65409
Email: sgao@mst.edu 
Dept. Email: rocks@mst.edu
Phone: 573-341-6676

Missouri S&T Online Education

Sylvia Skouby, Associate Director for Online Admissions

Phone: 573-341-6903
Email: stgrad@mst.edu

Geology and Geophysics

Dr. Stephen Gao
Professor, Geology and Geophysics
B-35 McNutt Hall
Rolla, MO 65409
Email: sgao@mst.edu 
Dept. Email: rocks@mst.edu
Phone: 573-341-6676