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Online Graduate Certificate Geologic Hazards Geological Engineering

About the Certificate

The graduate certificate in Geologic Hazards is designed to provide students with formalized graduate-level education in the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of geologic hazards that can affect infrastructure, natural resources, and public safety. The program equips students with the knowledge and technical skills needed to assess a wide range of geologic and geotechnical hazards, including landslides, earthquakes, slope instability, subsidence, erosion, and other natural processes that influence the built and natural environment. Graduates gain valuable expertise that is applicable to careers in consulting, government agencies, environmental management, infrastructure development, and hazard mitigation.

The certificate curriculum begins with two foundational courses that establish a strong background in geological engineering, geology, and geotechnics. Students then customize their studies by selecting two additional elective courses from a diverse range of civil and geological engineering offerings focused on hazard assessment, monitoring, detection, and risk analysis. This flexible curriculum allows students to tailor the program to their professional interests while developing specialized knowledge in advanced methods for evaluating geologic hazards and designing engineering solutions that improve resilience and reduce risk.

The graduate certificate program is open to all persons holding a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. degree in geology, geophysics, geological engineering, geotechnics, or civil engineering or who are currently accepted into a graduate degree program in one of these fields at Missouri S&T. Once admitted to the program, the student must take the four designated courses (provided in the curriculum section). In order to receive a graduate certificate, the student must have an average cumulative grade point of 3.0 or better in the certificate courses. Once admitted to the program, a student will be given three years to complete the program.


Students admitted into the certificate program will have non-degree graduate status, however, they will earn graduate credit for the courses they complete. If the student completes the four-course sequence with a grade of B or better in each of the courses taken, they, upon application, will be admitted to their choice of non-thesis M.S. degree programs in either geological engineering or geotechnics. The certificate credits taken by the students admitted to the M.S. degree program will count towards their master's degree. Students who do not have all of the prerequisite courses necessary to begin the courses in the certificate program will be allowed to take ''bridge" courses at either the graduate or undergraduate level to prepare for the formal certificate courses.

For online students applying to a graduate certificate program. (No GRE/GMAT required.)

Certificate Applicant 

The following are the courses offered in the program. Courses are 3 credit hours each, unless stated otherwise. The University reserves the right to change or cancel courses as needed. 

Total Courses: 4 (12 credit hours)

Required course:  
Engineering Geology And Geotechnics  
   
Choose one of the following courses:  
Geotechnical Construction Practice  
Applications in Geological Engineering  
   
Choose two courses from the following:  
Remote Sensing Technology
  
Applications of Geographic Information Systems  
River Mechanics and Sediment Transport  
Rock Engineering  
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering  
Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, 
   or Advanced Engineering and Environmental Geophysics,
   or Transportation Applications of Geophysics
  
Advanced Remote Sensing and Image Processing  
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering  
Discontinuous Rock  
Earth Dams and Related Problems  

Course availability may vary by semester (see course listings). Students should consult their academic advisor for appropriate alternatives or substitutions if needed.

Please refer to the Geological Engineering section of the graduate catalog for more information.

This program is 100% online: no campus visits required.

Courses are semester-based. Students typically take one or two classes per semester and finish the program in one year.

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Calendar system: Semester-based 
  • Typical program length: 1-2 years
  • Typical course load: 1-2 courses a semester (fall and spring)

Courses are offered asynchronously, meaning they do not have regular meetings. They may consist of various media and content — such as online discussions, videos, quizzes and recordings — that students review and complete at the time of their choice.

Learn more about our graduate programs at Missouri S&T by attending one of our virtual information sessions.

Attend Info Session

Pathway to a Master's Degree

Are you a working professional who wants to earn your master's degree, but you don’t have time to take the GRE/GMAT? Then start in a graduate certificate program. Graduate certificates were designed as a pathway to a master's degree.* The admission requirements are more relaxed and credit earned will count toward your degree. Once you successfully earn your graduate certificate, you can continue with the corresponding master's degree without having to take the GRE/GMAT.


Related Degrees

This graduate certificate may act as a pathway to the following master’s programs:

*Completion of a graduate certificate program does not automatically guarantee admission into a corresponding graduate degree program. To continue in a master’s degree program, you must apply.

Questions?

Missouri S&T Online Education

We are here to answer any of your questions about Missouri S&T’s online education programs.

Email Us  Request Info

Sylvia Skouby
Associate Director for Online Admissions

573-341-6903  |  stgrad@mst.edu

Earth Sciences and Engineering

Katherine Grote, PhD
Associate Professor of Geological Engineering and Online/Distance Coordinator

573-341-4100  |  grotekr@mst.edu
Department Website: ese.mst.edu

Amanda Goscicki
Office Support Assistant and Graduate Programs Support

573-341-4628  |   agoscicki@mst.edu