The Department offers two courses of study for the doctoral degree: Ph.D. in Geosciences and Ph.D. in Applied Geosciences. The fundamental requirement for the Ph.D. is demonstration of outstanding scholarship and research ability in a field of Geoscience. A Ph.D. committee must have at least five qualifying members. The committee must include the major advisor, at least one more faculty from Geosciences, and at least one member of the UM faculty from outside the Department of Geosciences. Additional members beyond the latter three may be added from Geosciences, other departments at UM, or from other institutions provided their credentials are approved by the graduate school. Not more than one member may be emeritus or research faculty of the Department. This committee is responsible for evaluating the student's research, for providing supplemental instruction in their research specialties to complement the primary training of the student, for administering the comprehensive exam, and for assessing the dissertation. Committee members should therefore be selected by the pertinence of their expertise in the intended course of study. Ph.D. degree seeking students who fail to establish and maintain a committee after two years will be dismissed.