We are one of the smallest geosciences departments in the world to offer full MS and PhD programs. Our department typically supports only 4-8 graduate students at a time, and only one or two new students are admitted each year. The good news is our small size means graduate studies with EEPS more closely resembles an apprenticeship than standard graduate schools, with tremendous levels of personal attention. Our graduate students work very closely with their faculty advisors, as well as with other researchers and students, so the fit of their research interests and skills to those of individual faculty is paramount.

EEPS offers both Masters and PhD degrees. All of our graduate degrees are comprehensive; we do not offer individual degrees sub  disciplines such as those listed above. Completing a graduate degree in EEPS provides individuals with professional- level research and publication histories that cross boundaries in the geosciences, and these histories clearly identify their expertise without the need for a more limited formal degree title.

Some of what we’re looking for is obvious; a proven track record of success with academics, a valuable background in research, and excellent communication skills. We’re very interested in how you as an individual can bring diversity to our department, your problem-solving skills, and your ability to deal with the challenges you’d face as a graduate student. But the single most important thing you’ll be evaluated on is your potential fit to the ongoing research needs of an individual faculty member. More on that in the next question.

Our faculty are internationally-recognized experts in their fields; but the small size of our department means they conduct research only in specific directions. You need to show that your interests and skills are well-suited to an individual faculty member’s work. You also need to know whether that faculty member will be accepting any new students for their research group; graduate study takes years, and they may currently not have room for a new student. Contact in advance with a potential advisor among EEPS faculty is the single best way to improve your potential for a successful admission.

For an application to be considered complete, it must include….
• Biographical information. You’ll be asked for a variety of contact information, including your most up-to-date email address, your current address, and your phone number. You will also be asked to list your citizenship and status, the degree you’re hoping to pursue, a short summary of your prior academic history, and your history with CWRU.
• Letters of recommendation. We request that you have three individuals write letters o your behalf, describing your suitability for graduate study in our department. You will still be considered for admission if only two letters are submitted, but getting all three letters submitted guarantees full consideration.
• A resume or CV. This should describe your employment and academic history, listing relevant experiences and their chronology. You should also include your most up-to-date contact information, including any personal social media sites.
• Transcripts from your prior undergraduate and/or graduate studies. Please note that while we do not require official transcripts at the time your application is submitted, official transcripts WILL be required before you enroll if you are admitted.
• A “statement of purpose” essay that describes how well-suited you are for graduate studies with EEPS. This statement/essay is your chance to convey who you are trying to become through graduate study, how you know you’re ready to handle the unique challenges of graduate study, and why EEPS is the right place to transform you into the professional you want to be. There are some specific prompts you’ll be asked to address; more details on that can be found below.
• Students whose prior college-level academic experiences were primarily taught in a language other than English may be required to take a test to prove their proficiency with that language.

The application instructions will include four specific prompts for you to address
in your essay. These can be summarized as follows….
1) EEPS) is small, diverse, interdisciplinary, uniquely productive and highly collaborative, blending the work of individuals at all levels of  science both within the University and world-wide. Please describe how your motivations for pursuing a graduate degree in such an environment will help you meet your career goals.
2) The small size of EEPS means that agreement between an applicant’s preferred research direction and existing faculty research is a critical factor in the admission process. Please describe your preferred research directions and how they directly relate to those of one or more individual EEPS faculty.
3) Graduate-level coursework requires focus and progress in the face of intellectual challenges and demanding deadlines. Please describe an experience where you demonstrated your dedication, mature decision-making, and perseverance to overcome adversity in a timely fashion.
4) Professional scientists use their strong desire for answers as a guide to framing significant, unsolved questions. Please describe a time when your curiosity led you to solve a problem by applying creativity on top of your baseline understanding of the situation.

This statement/essay is important- it is the only part of the application process that is truly personal, offering the graduate admissions committee key insight into your fit to our department’s needs and goals. There are strict word-limits on the essay and you should be prepared to put significant effort into it.

The typical academic year at Case starts in late August, and applications must have been completed by January 15 of the same year to be fully considered for support. For example, if you’re interested in starting graduate studies with EEPS in the fall of 2025, you should start your application in the fall semester of 2024, and should make sure your application is complete by January 15 2025. EEPS typically begins reviewing applications in February, negotiating with the University for appropriate levels of support. Decisions are typically made by mid March but can stretch into April. The online system is typically purged of old applications in late August or early September, so the best time to apply is always during the fall semester. Spring semester admissions are rare for EEPS but can be considered at an applicant’s request, and typically do not involve financial support.

Most accepted students will receive support in the form of teaching assistance ships, and transition to research assistance ships only after passing qualifying exams for their degree.  The support package typically includes tuition remission (for required graduate coursework) and a stipend (to help cover living expenses). Students are offered modest health care insurance coverage as well, but it can be declined if they already have other coverage. Admissions without support are rare for EEPS but can be considered at an applicant’s request.

GRE’s are no longer required for admission to EEPS; but scores can be considered during application review if you provide them. All instruction in EEPS is done in English, so proficiency with that language is important. Tests of proficiency (such as the TOEFL and its equivalents) may be required for an applicant that has a limited history of college-level education in the English language.

The departmental budget for EEPS is limited and we accept few new students, so application fee waivers are rarely granted.  Please note that application fee waivers are not provided to applicants directly; they can only be requested by a faculty member who has already agreed to be an applicant’s research advisor if admitted. This is another potential reason applicants should make contact with potential faculty advisors. Requests made to department administrators, the School of Graduate Studies, or sent to multiple faculty will not be considered.

We do not currently offer any low-residency or virtual programs.  All graduate degrees require in-person coursework and research.