Degree Requirements

Master of Arts

The Master of Arts degree in Energy and Earth Resources (EER) is intended for those who seek to build critical knowledge and skills with qualitative underpinnings and who desire to take graduate coursework and conduct a thesis project along the lines of the types carried out in the areas of  business, humanities, law, liberal arts, policy, and some technical fields. Our belief is that every EER student, regardless of concentration, needs to be able to understand Earth and its controls on resource distribution; gather and analyze large data sets and derive useful information; make energy and earth resource decisions in the context of commercial viability; and make energy and earth resource decisions in the context of risk and uncertainty.

Candidates for the Master of Arts degree must complete 30 semester hours of graduate-level coursework, three of which may be at the upper-division undergraduate level with approval by the graduate adviser.  All students must complete the following required courses: Geological Sciences 386R, Geology of Earth Resources/Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 5: Geology of Earth Resources), Energy and Earth Resources 396, Seminar in Energy and Earth Resources, or Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 4: Resource Economics and Econometrics), Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 2: Business, Finance, and Management), and Operations Research and Industrial Engineering 390R (Topic 17: Decision Analysis). The thesis (Energy and Earth Resources 698) counts for six of the 30 semester hours required for the degree. The program is offered with three concentrations: Resource Economics/Finance; Policy/Law; and Technology (Resource Science and Engineering).  Students must complete at least one course in each concentration and at minimum two courses in a single concentration. The thesis is designed to supplement the coursework in the concentration.  

Master of Science in Energy and Earth Resources

The Master of Science in Energy and Earth Resources degree is intended for those who 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 engineering and the sciences. Our belief is that every EER student, regardless of concentration, needs to be able to understand Earth and its controls on resource distribution;  gather and analyze large data sets and derive useful information; make energy and earth resource decisions in the context of commercial viability; and make energy and earth resource decisions in the context of risk and uncertainty. 

Candidates for the Master of Science degree must complete 30 semester hours of graduate-level coursework, three of which may be at the upper-division undergraduate level with approval by the graduate adviser.  All students must complete the following required courses:Geological Sciences 386R, Geology of Earth Resources/Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 5:Geology of Earth Resources), Energy and Earth Resources 396, Seminar in Energy and Earth Resources, or Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 4: Resource Economics and Econometrics), Energy and Earth Resources 396 (Topic 2:Business, Finance, and Management), and Operations Research and Industrial Engineering 390R (Topic 17: Decision Analysis).  Energy and Earth Resources 698, Thesis counts for six of the 30 semester hours required for the degree. The program is offered with three concentrations: Resource Economics/Finance; Policy/Law; and Technology (Resource Science and Engineering).  Students must complete at least one course in each concentration and at minimum two courses in a single concentration. The thesis is designed to supplement the coursework in the concentration.  

Dual Degree Programs

The program in energy and earth resources offers the following dual degree programs in cooperation with the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and the McCombs School of Business. More information is available from the graduate adviser in each program.

Field(s) of Study	Degree(s)
Business administration	Master of Business Administration
Global policy studies	Master of Global Policy Studies
Public affairs	Master of Public Affairs