Graduate Program

Welcome to the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS)

Graduate studies in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) involve academic coursework and independent research. Students are prepared for careers as professional scientists in research or the application of the earth sciences to mineral, energy, and water resources. Programs lead to the M.S., Engineer, and Ph.D. degrees. Course programs in the areas of faculty interest are tailored to the student's needs and interests with the aid of their research adviser. Students are encouraged to include in their program courses offered in other departments in the Doerr School of Sustainability as well as in other departments in the University.

Applications for Autumn 2024-2025 are now open.

If you have additional questions, contact eps-admissions@stanford.edu. More university information and application system questions can be found on Stanford's Graduate Admissions website and the online application.

Stanford's graduate application

Start your application online on Stanford's graduate application page here.

Graduate degrees in Earth and Planetary Sciences

Our Department's Values

Our community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni is committed to a supportive training culture to provide a safe, inclusive, supportive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects all cultures and backgrounds. Our students arrive with different backgrounds and perspectives that are essential to the success of our department's scholarly and scientific strides. We aim to attract a broad talent pool to the field of Earth and Planetary Sciences and encourage applicants whose life experiences offer unique contributions to the Earth's sustainability and our Stanford campus.

When evaluating graduation applications holistically, we are guided by the following principles:

We recognize that students applying for Earth and Planetary Sciences hail from many backgrounds, but they all share common threads: an insatiable curiosity and a passion for science.
We have committed to a holistic admission strategy, evaluating scientific merit and intellectual curiosity while considering life experience, perseverance, and the context in which applicant pursued their academic goal.
We are committed to fostering positive advisor-advisee experience
We are committed to broadening participation in field-based science through virtual field trips and laboratories
We are committed to cultivating students' research skills and creative thinking as well as providing an environment that develops scholars, educators, and leaders who are guided by equity, access, and inclusion.