Overview
The certificate program is designed for working professionals who want a specialization in this field. The goal is to provide first-rate continuing education to professionals or geology students who want to become experts in carbonate geology. To reach this goal we offer courses for a comprehensive education that covers carbonate sedimentology, seismic stratigraphy, petrophysics, and geochemistry for an advanced knowledge and understanding in carbonate systems.
The Certificate Program is offered in the Spring Semester and 1st Summer Session of each year. A successful completion of the program will require 16 course credits to be taken. There are ten electable 2- or 3-credit courses in the program. Participants will not write a thesis but the courses are structured in a way that classroom knowledge is directly used in subsequent laboratory classes and projects.
Requirements for Admission and Registration
A bachelor degree or equivalent degree is required for attendance. This requirement can be offset by 5 years of working experience in geoscience. No GRE or TOEFL test scores are required. Demonstration of English proficiency will be required for I-20 issuance for foreign participants. Registration for the Certificate Program will start in the spring and summer of each year and will be handled by the MPS Office of RSMAS.
Admission Requirements
An application for admission to the CERTIFICATE program consists of the following (Spring admissions only):
- Online CollegeNet application (link provided below),
- Transcript from institution in which a degree(s) was awarded and a transcript evaluation (for non-U.S. academic institutions)
- One letter of recommendation.
Admission Process
Unofficial transcripts are accepted for review purposes only. The office of the Certificate Program can use unofficial records to review an applicant's file and expedite this process. Please be aware, international applicants must submit official transcripts if he/she is enrolled in a non-U.S. academic institution, or received his/her degree(s) from an institution outside of the U.S.
A file is considered "ready for review" upon receipt of all items listed above. If admission to the Certificate program is granted, it will be contingent upon receipt of all items listed above (including official records transcripts) and the following for international applicants:
- Statement of Financial Responsibility Form (SFR) and corresponding bank letter
- Color copy of current visa (if available)
- Color copy of passport
- Copy of diploma and certified English translation
Permanent Residents must provide a color copy of his/her Permanent Resident card.
Application Instructions
Application: The application is available online and must be filled out completely using the link above. $85.00 USD application fee required. When submitting the application online, you will be required to make a payment via a credit card or a checking account debit transaction.
Personal Statement: Please make sure you address previous, relevant field, lab, and work experience in your personal statement, and how you envision the Certificate program contributing to your professional career and goals.
Transcripts: All applicants must request official transcripts be mailed or e-mailed directly from the relevant academic institution(s) (Office of the Registrar) to our office (MPS Office). Our mailing address is: RSMAS, MPS Office – S/A 132, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, and our e-mail address is: mps@rsmas.miami.edu.
Please be advised, "official" transcripts will only be accepted if they are sent to us directly from the institution. Transcripts sent by you or issued to you (even if they are in a sealed envelope) are not considered official.
Transcripts in a language other than English should be provided in that language but must be accompanied by a certified English translation. For applicants whose degree was awarded from a non-U.S. institution, submit a color copy of your undergraduate/graduate diploma, along with a certified English translation.
Students from China must request their official transcripts and diplomas (in English and Chinese) be sent directly to us by China Academic Degrees and the Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC) ( http://cqv.chinadegrees.cn/ )
Students from India must submit a copy of their diploma and request mark-sheets, indicating all subjects taken and marks obtained for all years of university study, issued by the university responsible for conducting the examinations (excluding the Indian Institute of Technology).
Letter of Recommendation: At least one letter of recommendation is required for admissions consideration, using the guidelines provided in the online application. Applications from CollegeNet may be submitted without letters of recommendation. Upon completion of the application, your reference(s) should receive an e-mail from CollegeNet, requesting the online submission of the required documentation (questionnaire + letter of recommendation).
The letter of recommendation can be an academic reference from employers and/or supervisors. Please do not request letters from friends, family, ministers, or coaches. If your references have trouble using the online submission portal, they may e-mail their letters (signed and on letterhead) to the MPS office at MPS@rsmas.miami.edu. We cannot accept letters that are not signed or that are sent directly by students.
GRE: Is not required for the Certificate Program.
TOEFL/IELTS (International Students ONLY): Is not required for the Certificate Program but common knowledge of English is required.
International Students who attended college/university outside of the United States: All applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States must submit official transcripts and diplomas (if available) from all colleges and universities attended to one of the three approved evaluation services listed below.
The evaluation report and copy of all the official documents used in the evaluation must be sent directly from one of the three approved evaluation services to the respective graduate department. Our mailing address is: RSMAS, MPS Office – S/A 132, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, and our e-mail address is MPS@rsmas.miami.edu. The evaluation report and supporting documents are required before the Admissions Committee can review the application.
Any documents received by the University will become the property of the University and will not be returned to the applicant or sent to a third party including the evaluation services.
APPROVED EVALUATION SERVICES:
- Josef Silny & Associates (JS&A)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
- World Education Services (WES)
I20 Requirements (International Students ONLY): International applicants should be aware that we will need a copy of your passport if accepted at RSMAS. This is required by the International Admissions office in order to process the I20. Therefore, on the application, please type in your name as it appears on your passport.
Certificate Requirements/Considerations: In order to be considered for our program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree. This requirement can be offset by years of working experience.
For more information, please contact:
Kandra Velez
Associate Director, MPS
Phone: (305) 421-4340
Address:
Master of Professional Science (MPS)
Room: S/A 132
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149-1031
Email: mps@rsmas.miami.edu
Website: http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete a minimum of 16 credits from the courses listed below: | 16 | |
| Earth Surface Processes | ||
| Field Evaluation of Fossil Platforms, Margins, and Basins | ||
| Heterogeneity of a Windward Margin | ||
| Seminar in Marine Geosciences | ||
| Carbonate Diagenesis and Petrography | ||
| Advanced Studies | ||
Other courses with advisor approval | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 16 | |
Mission
To advance students' knowledge and understanding of the physical, chemical, and dynamic processes that form carbonates. Certificate graduates will have acquired specialty knowledge in carbonate geology that can be applied to industrial and societal needs.
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will gain a broad knowledge of carbonate geology and an awareness of how scientific research is conducted in their subject areas.
2. Students will learn how to incorporate acquired knowledge and data into the workflow of applied projects.
3. Students will learn oral and written communication skills, and will be able to effectively communicate and defend their ideas and findings to peers, managers, and administrators
