Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Doctor of Philosophy in Planetary Sciences

The Doctor of Philosophy in Planetary Sciences in Earth Sciences is offered by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The graduate program at the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences aims to educate outstanding young scientists—primarily at the Ph.D. level—for careers in academia, government, and the private sector. Demanding and eye-opening, our program is ranked second in the country for its number of graduates who obtain tenure-track faculty positions in the earth sciences.


EAPS graduate students pursue degrees through programs in geology, geochemistry and geobiology; geophysics; atmospheres, oceans, and climate; planetary science; and the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Program in Oceanography. Through consultation with a department committee and a personal faculty advisor with mutual research interests, each student develops a specialized program of study and research tailored to his or her background, needs, and goals.

With the assistance of an academic advisor, each student follows an individualized program of study encompassing core subjects, basic science and mathematics, and subjects related to the student’s area of interest. Students typically receive their degree in five years, with the first two years spent in coursework and research, culminating in a General Examination—which must be completed before the end of the second year. Immediately after the General Examination, thesis research begins under the close supervision of one or more faculty members—chosen by the student—who are interested in and knowledgeable about the student’s area of research. Faculty supervisors may be members of EAPS or of other MIT departments. Each thesis is expected to meet high professional standards and make a significant original contribution to the student’s chosen field of science.





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