The Earth Sciences PhD Geophyics concentration is housed in the Center for Earthquake Research and Information. Program objectives are: (1) understanding geophysical concepts and theories and in-depth knowledge in a chosen branch of geophysics; (2) experience formulating and conducting original research projects; (3) experience in data acquisition and analysis methods, and oral and written presentation of research results; (4) become competitive for professional positions in geophysics.
Course Work Requirements
The doctoral degree program includes the requirement of the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 72 hours of graduate credit beyond the Bachelor’s degree. The 72 credit hour total is subject to the following restrictions:
No more than 12 credit hours at the 6000 level may be counted toward the Ph.D. degree.
At least 12 credit hours must be in courses numbered CERI 8104-CERI 8702.
A maximum of 36 credit hours for CERI 9000 - Dissertation may be counted toward the Ph.D. degree. A minimum of 6 credit hours of CERI 9000 is required.
A maximum of 6 credit hours of CERI 8621 (Independent Study) may be counted toward the Ph.D. degree.
A maximum of 32 hours of graduate course credit completed at the University of Memphis or another accredited institution (including credit applied to a MS degree) may be applied to the 72 credit hour requirement subject to the approval of the students graduate committee. A minimum of 9 hours other than CERI 8621, 8701, 8702, 9000 must be completed at the University of Memphis.
The last 30 hours of credit must be earned at the University of Memphis.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution
September 2025
College of Arts and Sciences
107 Scates Hall,
MEMPHIS,
Tennessee,
38152, United States
A Baccalaureate or Master’s Degree: The applicant must provide an official transcript showing an earned bachelor’s or master’s degree, depending on program requirements. In cases, where a program’s accrediting body allows alternate admissions standards, exceptions may be made. If you are a UofM undergraduate student applying to Graduate School at UofM, you do not need to request that an official transcript be sent to Graduate Admissions. This office has access to your transcript. The degree must have been awarded by an accredited college or university. Only transcripts received directly from an issuing institution are considered official. Personal copies are not acceptable as official documents.
GPA: The applicant must have earned an acceptable grade point average, typically a minimum of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0, but departments may make exceptions for students whose overall GPA does not adequately reflect their ability to succeed in their chosen field.
International students must provide evidence of English Language Proficiency.
English proficiency test scores accepted by the University:
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
A degree from the University of Memphis is much more than a qualification. It is a community and an experience which prepares students for success.