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Monash University

Monash University Handbook 2011

Geosciences

Coordinators: Dr Ian Cartwright (MSc Preliminary) and Dr Peter Betts (MSc and PhD programs)

Candidates in geosciences may enrol for studies toward a masters on the basis of a research project alone or a combination of a research project and coursework (typically >70 per cent research). A wide range of coursework units in two or five-day formats suitable for masters candidates is offered by the member departments/schools of the joint La Trobe University/University of Melbourne/Monash University cooperative Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS). The PhD program is based on a thesis research project alone, but participation in seminar series is expected. PhD candidates may also take, not for credit, recommended short courses offered by VIEPS. Both masters and PhD candidates may take part in courses offered by other groups, such as the G3 centres for ore deposits studies (University of Western Australia and the University of Tasmania, and James Cook University), under arrangements of the Minerals Council of Australia-funded National Geosciences Teaching Network.

Masters and PhD projects are often, but not exclusively, associated with the recognised areas of research strength within the School of Geosciences:

  • geodynamics, tectonics and structural geology
  • three dimensional modeling, numerical modeling and simulation
  • physical volcanology, geochemistry and igneous petrology
  • basin studies, sedimentology and energy resources
  • hydrogeology and environmental geoscience
  • applied palaeontology and paleobiology
  • ore deposit geology and geochemistry and geophysics
  • structural geophysics, exploration geophysics, environmental geophysics, geothermal geophysics.

A wide range of geophysical, geochemical, and computing facilities is available to postgraduate candidates. These are either housed within Monash Geosciences (geophysics equipment; stable isotope, and ICP-MS based trace element analysis facilities and sample preparation laboratories) or are accessible within other VIEPS-member departments/schools (electron microprobe and analytical scanning electron microscope facilities; noble gas laboratory; multi-collector ICP-MS laboratory; and thermal ionisation mass spectrometry laboratory).