M.Eng. Program in Earth Science and Engineering

The individualized nature of our program means that we can support students with a range of career goals. The program is suitable for students who are interested in furthering their studies in EAS, sometimes because they became interested in the field late in their undergraduate career and need to develop more depth in the discipline, or to strengthen their computational/analytical skills. It also can allow students with a strong existing EAS background to explore an interdisciplinary project or participate in an immersive research project that goes beyond what is typically possible during the undergraduate experience.

The M.Eng. Program differs from a Master of Science (MS) in the timeline and potential funding sources. MS degrees typically take two years, and students can sometimes also be funded on research grants or teaching assistantships. M.Eng. degrees are for one year and are funded by the student. 

We offer M.Eng. degrees with a range of concentrations, with the goal of matching research areas that interest prospective students with the core competencies of our faculty.  The 30-credit M.Eng. program is intended to extend and broaden this background to develop competence in a defined number of subject categories.  Students typically take between 3-4 courses a semester, with the remaining credit hours involving their research project. The following concentration areas cover many of the focus areas explored by our students, but we have the flexibility to accommodate other concentrations within the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences as well.

Concentration Areas

Atmospheric Science

Meteorology, applied climatology, air quality, aerosols, and climate change

Remote Sensing

Remote sensing involves utilization of satellite- and airborne-based remote sensing approaches for time series analysis, land-use change, and understanding of subsurface phenomena.

Mineral and Energy Resources

Interdisciplinary approach focused on the geological nature, origin and distribution of resources, mineral deportment, geochemistry, exploration geophysics, waste and tailings, process engineering, economic and climate impacts.

Geohydrology

Porous media flow, geology, geochemistry, and numerical modeling

Hazards

Interaction between society and natural and anthropogenic hazards, observations and modeling of the systems that generate these hazards, assessment of risk

Applied and Environmental Geophysics

Geophysics, geology, porous media flow, and computer methods

Program Strengths

• Flexible coursework options, based on student’s background
• Individualized project, with opportunities to present research results within the department and College.
• Opportunities to strengthen laboratory, computational, and/or theoretical skills
• Connections to career-building and networking programs across the entire College of Engineering 
• Connections to a world-class network of students and alumni from the department, as well as within other departments at Cornell

Who is a good fit for this program?

Students with an undergraduate degree in a related field. New graduates, currently employed or transitioning workers. Current Cornell students can also consider the “early admit” M.Eng. program, where they complete the M.Eng. in just one additional semester. Learn more about the "early admit" option.

Our students come from a wide variety of places: engineering, science, and math. The ability to craft a degree program that meets an individual’s background and needs provides opportunities for traditional and non-traditional students to succeed within the program.

Students have entered the program because they want:

• an immersive experience to get to the next level of their education
• a hands-on, project-based program
• to be taught by some of the leading experts in their fields
• to inform their choice of field in an MS/Ph.D. Program, and improve their likelihood of admission

Why Cornell?

• Our faculty are world-renowned in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and have connections to faculty in Astronomy, Plant and Soil Sciences, and other departments at Cornell. 
• Students in our program are not only taught by these distinguished faculty but also work alongside them on their projects. 
• Our facilities are first class. 
• Cornell has a reputation for hands-on learning and an interdisciplinary mindset, as shown by the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, of which many of our faculty are affiliated. 
• Facilities are available to foster all kinds of work, from computational tools, and leading-edge research labs. 
• The Cornell University LinkedIn network had over 57,000 members.  

Requirements

1. The curriculum must include a minimum of 30 credit hours in technical coursework at the 5000 level or higher. No more than 2 credits may be graded on an S/U basis. At least 21 of the credits must be from Cornell.
2. Students must take at least 15 credit hours from engineering programs outside of EAS. The department maintains a list of approved courses, and other courses may be considered at the discretion of the MEng director.
3. A total of 6 credit hours of EAS 5000 are required. This is a project design class offered by the student's MEng advisor. Work done under EAS 5000 must furthermore involve a distinct design component.

Additional rules apply, and students are encouraged to meet early and often with the M.Eng. director to review them.