MA vs MS Degrees

M.A. Degree in Energy and Earth Resources

The Master of Arts degree in Energy and Earth Resources (EER) is intended for those that seek to build critical knowledge and skills with qualitative underpinnings for their graduate work and who desire to take courses and conduct a thesis project along the lines of the types carried out in policy, law, business, humanities, liberal arts, and some technical fields.

Admission Requirements Specific to the M.A. Degree

Bachelor of Arts or Science or subsequent graduate degree that included successful completion of a course in or advance credit for economics or calculus. The Graduate Advisor will determine the eligibility of international students whose previous degrees and course requirements do not conform directly with the U.S. model.

Students who enter the EER program seeking the Master of Arts degree and decide they would prefer to seek the Master of Science degree, but do not meet these admission requirements for that degree, may petition the Graduate Advisor to complete them as additional credit hours. These credit hours may not count towards the Master of Science Degree. Students who enter as Master of Science degree candidates may switch to the Master of Arts degree during the course of their studies with permission of the Graduate Advisor.

M.S. Degree in Energy and Earth Resources

The Master of Science degree in Energy and Earth Resources (EER) is intended for those that seek a quantitative underpinning for their graduate work and who desire to conduct a thesis project that is research based along the lines of those prepared in science and engineering. It is the preferred degree with some employers in the energy, mineral, and water resources fields.

Admission Requirements Specific to the M.S. Degree

Bachelor of Science degree or Bachelor of Arts or subsequent graduate degree that included successful completion of a course in or advance credit for calculus and at least 24 hours of credit in science, engineering, economics, mathematics, computer science or statistics. The Graduate Advisor will determine the eligibility of international students whose previous degrees and course requirements do not conform directly with the U.S. model.

Students who enter the EER program seeking the Master of Arts degree and decide they would prefer to seek the Master of Science degree, but do not meet these admission requirements, may petition the Graduate Advisor to complete them as additional credit hours. These credit hours may not count towards the Master of Science Degree. Students who enter as Master of Science degree candidates may switch to the Master of Arts degree during the course of their studies with permission of the Graduate Advisor.

Nine credit hours from courses of a quantitative or analytical nature. These courses will include quantitative and/or analytical methods and approaches applicable to understanding energy and earth resources and technologies and must be approved by the student’s thesis supervisor and the Graduate Advisor.

The thesis supervisor must be a faculty member in an M.S. degree granting department or an EER Graduate Studies Committee member from a research organization conducting research appropriate for this M.S. degree.