geological engineering master's student doing hands-on research

Geological Engineering Master's

Master of Science (M.S.)

Tackle challenges in petroleum and geothermal energy, mineral production, geoenvironmental concerns, and natural hazards.

Conduct geological engineering research in UND's state-of-the-art facilities. UND is home to the state's core library and the largest geoscience libraries in the Upper Midwest.

Program type:
Master's Degree
Format:
On Campus or Online
Est. time to complete:
2 years
Credit hours:
30 (thesis option) or 34 (non-thesis option)

Why earn a master's in geological engineering?

Application Deadlines
Fall:
March 1* | Aug. 1
Spring:
Sept. 1* | Dec. 1

*Priority deadline

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

The graduate geological engineering program at the University of North Dakota provides access to the region's most comprehensive set geological samples.

Areas of geological research emphasis include:

  • Hydrogeology and environmental geology
  • Economic geology of petroleum, coal and mineral resources
  • Sedimentology, stratigraphy and paleontology
  • Geomorphology and glacial geology
  • Petrology and geochemistry
  • Geophysics and tectonics
  • Interdisciplinary geological projects involving several research areas, including: integrated basin analysis, surface mining and reclamation, and underground coal gasification
  • Geomechanics
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Energy geotechnics

Choose from a non-thesis or thesis track. If you finish the non-thesis track, you'll be equipped to work in applied engineering fields. If you complete a thesis, you'll have the skills necessary to pursue a Ph.D.

Geological Engineering Master's at UND

  • Work side-by-side with faculty who have active research grants totaling more than $8 million from several government, industry and state sources.

  • Conduct research at North Dakota's Willard M. Laird Core and Sample Library. The library is a vast resource containing 40,000 cores from nearly every oil well drilled in North Dakota.

  • Get access to the F.D. Holland Jr. Geology Library. It is one of the largest geoscience libraries in the Upper Midwest.

  • Harold Hamm, Chairman and CEO of Continental Resources, provides financial support to assist students in earth sciences and provide the School with cutting-edge resources.

  • Enhance your professional skills at 60+ free workshops offered through the UND School of Graduate Studies. Our goal is to provide you with the workforce skills and job search strategies to succeed.

  • Study at a Carnegie Doctoral Research Institution ranked #151 by the NSF. Students are an integral part of UND research.

What can you do with a geological engineering master's?

97K

Median income for mining and geological engineers in the U.S.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

22K

Number of petroleum engineering jobs in the U.S., 2021

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Petroleum Engineers

Graduates of UND's graduate geological engineering program play critical roles in many industries, including mining, energy exploration, education and more. Experts are in demand in a range of jobs including:

  • Environmental engineering
  • Geological engineering
  • Petroleum geologist
  • Hydrogeology
  • Remote sensing/GIS
  • Mining
  • Mapping and surveying
  • Teaching engineering

Geological Engineering Master's Courses

GEOE 555. Advanced Rock Mechanics. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of rock mechanics, elasticity theory of rock, failure criterion of rocks, laboratory and field testing methods, field instrumentation, the applications of rock mechanics in mining, tunneling and rock slopes engineering, and the applications of numerical methods in rock mechanics. Prerequisites: GEOE 323 and ENGR 203. F.

GEOE 591. Advanced Hydrocarbon Extraction in Engineering. 3 Credits.

This course describes technologies that can be applied to further recover underground energy resource - oil/gas, for example, that cannot be produced by primary or second extraction. Development of these processes requires significant technological advances in our understanding of underground mining from hydrocarbon reservoirs and may be the stimulus for future technological development. Prerequisites: GEOE 301, MATH 166, MATH 266, CHEM 122, and CHEM 122L. F.

GEOE 417. Hydrogeology. 3 Credits.

Physical and chemical aspects of groundwater movement, supply, and contamination. Prerequisites: MATH 165. F.

GEOL 515. Advanced Paleontology. 3 Credits.

Selected topics include (but not limited to): Invertebrate paleontology; vertebrate paleontology; paleoecology; taxonomy; museum studies; western continental stratigraphy; critical boundaries. May be repeated. Prerequisites: GEOL 415, BIOL 150, or consent of instructor. Repeatable to 40.00 credits. On demand.

GEOL 500. Sedimentary Geology. 1-4 Credits.

Selected topics in sedimentary geology, such as sedimentary processes, carbonate petrology, clastic petrology, and basin analysis. May be repeated up to 12 credits. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Repeatable to 12.00 credits. F.

GEOL 506. Glacial Geology. 4 Credits.

Origin, growth, and movement of glaciers; landforms and deposits incident to glaciation. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory time per week. Prerequisite: GEOL 311.

UND Geological Engineering

Gain the Insights to Lead

UND's Willard M. Laird Core and Sample Library has over 80 miles of core samples for research.

Explore More Options

Check out the geological engineering faculty at UND or discover additional education opportunities.

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