Petroleum Engineering M.S. Students
The Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering offers a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Petroleum Engineering under two options: Plan A (Thesis) and Plan B (non-Thesis). The goal of this graduate program is to help students develop advanced technical skills that increase their marketability in the industry. The research component of the MS Plan A also prepares students to pursue a PhD degree or an academic career.
For both Plan A and Plan B options, there are no set core courses and students are not required to have a background in petroleum engineering prior to joining the program. However, students with a non-petroleum engineering background must take courses that provide both specialization and a broad fundamental knowledge of the discipline.
All incoming M.S. students must have an adviser. Students are responsible for contacting faculty members in order to find an adviser. In addition to providing research mentorship, academic advisors review and approve the students’ course load to ensure it aligns with their degree requirements and academic goals.
To remain a graduate student in the M.S. program, students must retain a 3.0 GPA.
Plan A Thesis Requirements
The M.S. Plan A requires at least 26 credit hours of coursework and 4 hours of research credits. Students choose upper-level technical courses based on their interests and career goals. A written thesis is required for this degree. In addition, the candidate’s thesis committee will administer a final oral exam in defense of the completed thesis.
Credit Hours
- 4000-level* or above Course Credits: 26 Credit Hours
Plan B Non-Thesis Requirements
The M.S. Plan B is mainly a course-based program. Students must complete 28 credit hours of coursework, write a comprehensive report (or literature review) on a topic assigned by the adviser, and submit the report to their graduate committee for approval.
Credit Hours
- 4000-level or above Course Credits: 28 Credit Hours
Program of Study Requirements
All Petroleum Engineering graduate students must complete their Program of Study worksheet at the beginning of their second academic year of study or 3rd semester of enrollment. Students must have a Program of Study and a Committee on file with the Office of the Registrar. If at any time students need to make changes to their approved program of study, they must submit a Request for Change in Graduate Program form.
M.S. Plan A Thesis
All M.S. Plan A students must orally defend their thesis at a public final examination. At least two weeks before the examination, the student must provide each member of the graduate committee with a copy of the written M.S. thesis and provide the department an announcement of their defense for advertisement by bulletin board, e-mail, or other means. The results of the examination are reported on the Report of Final Examination form. Graduate committee members may request changes in the thesis, and they may postpone signing the form until they are satisfied that those changes have been made. Graduate student deadlines are provided by the Office of the Registrar:
https://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/graduate-students/graduate-student-deadlines.html
Publication of M.S. Plan A Thesis
After the defense, an electronic copy (in PDF format) of the thesis must be uploaded in accordance with the directions provided on the Registrar’s web site. This copy will be rejected if the format standards specified by the Thesis Format Guide are not met. This guide allows for a publication-ready format. An electronic copy must also be submitted to the department for the departmental library. Most students will want copies for their own use. Students should consult with their chair to determine if they also want a copy of the thesis or other research documentation.
Graduate Student Regulations and Policies
The School of Graduate Education Graduate Student Regulations and Policies apply for all Petroleum Engineering graduate students.