The start of the 2025-2026 academic year marked the 20th anniversary of Penn’s Master of Science in Applied Geosciences (MSAG) program. Launched in fall 2005 by the Department of Earth and Environmental Science (EES), the professional master’s program has long offered early- and mid-career geoscientists the opportunity to expand their skills and advance in their field, graduating 184 students to date. This spring, the MSAG program will formally celebrate surpassing 20 years of excellence in applied geosciences education with alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
Over the last two decades, the program has offered a practical and interdisciplinary education for career advancement, adapting to the changing needs of students and industry. One significant shift was moving to a fully-online program in fall 2022. “Early career employees no longer want to take a full two-year career break to gain a master’s,” shares Dr. Siobhan Whadcoat, director of professional master’s programs in EES. “The part-time and fully remote degree provides the flexibility needed to gain a master’s without taking a career break.”
The program now offers shorter, more focused study options as well. “Early/mid-career geoscientists are being asked to work on a wider range of projects requiring experience and expertise in multiple areas; they are being required to take a more interdisciplinary approach to solving problems,” Dr. Whadcoat explains. “The course-taking and certificate options provided in the program are helping junior employees fill gaps in skills and knowledge needed for these roles.”
Two long-standing lecturers and advisors in the program, Maria-Antonia Andrews and J. Anthony Sauder, have seen how the MSAG program continues to address the fundamentals of engineering geology and environmental hydrogeology within the framework of contemporary and complex challenges.
“The geosciences field has moved away from its traditional focus on oil and mining toward an emphasis on protecting the environment, managing the risk of geological hazards worsened by climate change, and acquiring needed skills in data and mapping tools,” says Ms. Andrews.
“GIS, geophysics, models, and machine learning are advanced tools that assist the experienced geologist. The Penn program prepares students to use evolving tools effectively,” says Mr. Saunder.
“Our courses are mostly taught by experienced practitioners, which means that our students are engaging with these professionals in their field from day one in the program,” Dr. Whadcoat adds. “It also ensures that the content of our courses keep pace with the constantly evolving nature of the applied geosciences field.”
This spring, the program is excited to launch the online course Advanced Engineering Geology, a follow-on elective to the required course Engineering Geology and Applied Structural Geology. This marks the completion of adapting formerly on-campus offerings to the online curriculum.
Moving forward, the program will continue to adapt to the changing needs in the field. “Expanding the curriculum to address both the societal context of climate change and advanced computational tools like machine learning will align with the future direction of applied geosciences,” Ms. Andrews says.
To celebrate the 20 years of excellence, the program will hold a virtual MSAG alumni event in mid-March, bringing together leaders in geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, resource management, and more. “This event will have a variety of pieces to it,” shares Dr. Whadcoat, “including a ‘Where are they now’ alumni panel, short videos from alumni sharing how the MSAG program impacted their career journey, reflections on the last 20 years from long-standing instructors and program staff, and other fun celebratory items.”
Additionally, there will be a joint anniversary celebration in April, during the EES annual Graduate Student Research Conference, for the MSAG and the department’s other professional degree, the Master’s of Environmental Studies, which will mark its 30th anniversary in fall 2026.
Learn more about Penn’s Applied Geosciences Program, including the master’s degree, certificates, and individual course-taking options—all offered fully online.
Learn more about the department’s spring 2025 Graduate Student Research Conference.
