MS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) is a 30-credit degree program. Depending on track, students enroll in 7-10 credits of required foundation courses, then complete the remaining credits as part of the research and thesis track, the non-thesis capstone project track, or the non-thesis portfolio track. In cooperation with the Program Director and your faculty mentor(s), you develop and customize your academic program.
DEGREE TRACKS
All students take 7-10 credits of required foundation courses, depending on their chosen track:
- GEV 7000: Research Methods in the Environmental Sciences (2 credits) Analytical and research techniques for environmental scientists – for thesis and capstone track students only.
- GEV 7010: Environmental Colloquium (1 credit) Attendance at departmental seminars and student presentations – for thesis and capstone track students only.
- GEV 7020: Advanced Environmental Issues Seminar (3 credits) Discussion and debate of current environmental issues – for all MSES students.
- GEV 7041: GIS for Environmental Systems (4 credits) Application of geotechnical skills to address environmental issues – for all MSES students.
- Note: GEV 7040 (Intro to GIS) is required for students without prior GIS experience as a pre-requisite for GEV 7041. If a student must take GEV 7040, that counts towards their free electives.
In addition to the 10 credits of required foundation courses, students on the Research and Thesis Track must take GEV 7030 and GEV 9040. Additionally, they take at least 5 credits of thesis work, but no more than 10 additional credits, depending on the research plan they work out with their advisor. Thesis courses include: GEV 9000, 9001, 9010, 9020, 9030 or 9040.
- GEV 7030: Proposal Development (1 credit)
- GEV 9050: Thesis Writing (1 credit)
- GEV 9000: Directed Research (2 credits; for students who need an introductory research course prior to their Thesis Advisory Committee)
- GEV 9001: Thesis Continuation (0 credits)
- GEV 9010: Thesis Research I (1 credit)
- GEV 9020: Thesis Research II (2 credits)
- GEV 9030: Thesis Research III (3 credits)
- GEV 9040: Thesis Research IV (5 credits)
In addition to the seven credits of Foundation courses, students selecting the Non-Thesis Portfolio Track will work with the MSES Director to develop a program of study that complements their career goals. Students will choose the final products of three or four elective courses and compile as an electronic portfolio that will be evaluated by a panel of faculty.
In addition to the 10 credits of Foundation courses, students selecting the Non-Thesis Capstone Track will work with the MSES Director to develop a program of study that complements their career goals. You will complete a capstone project in your final semester, which you will then publicly present at the Department’s Environmental Colloquium.
Students enrolled in the Research and Thesis Track take between 8 and 13 credits of elective courses, dependent upon their research plans.
Students enrolled in the Non-Thesis Portfolio Track take 23 credits of elective courses, at least eight credits of which must come from laboratory courses. Up to 9 credits may be taken from departments other than GEV.
Students enrolled in the Non-Thesis, Capstone Track take 17 credits of elective courses, at least 8 credits of which must come from laboratory courses. Up to 9 credits may be taken from departments other than GEV.
GEV Elective Lecture Courses (3 credits unless otherwise noted)
- GEV 7100: Remote Sensing for Environmental Analysis
- GEV 7101: Land Use and Environmental Assessment
- GEV 7102: Sustainable Environmental Systems
- GEV 7103: Environmental Policy and Law
- GEV 7104: Coastal Environments
- GEV 7105: Sustainable Urban Systems
- GEV 7106: Ecosystems Services
- GEV 7107: Advanced Environmental Geology
- GEV 7108: Climate Variability
- GEV 7109: Paleoclimates
- GEV 7110: Sustainable Development
- GEV 7111: Agricultural Sciences
- GEV 7112: Environmental Health
- GEV 7113: Soil Science
- GEV 7114: Air Pollution
- GEV 7115: Energy Systems
- GEV 7116: Coral Reefs
- GEV 7117: Water Resources
- GEV 7118: Energy Policy
- GEV 7119: Oceanography
- GEV 7120: Geology
- GEV 7121: Global Change Science
- GEV 7122: Ecosystem Ecology
- GEV 7123: Green Science
- GEV 7124: Biomimicry
- GEV 7125: Tropical Ecology
- GEV 7126: Process Geomorphology
- GEV 7127: Environmental Systems
- GEV 7128: Environmental Systems Management
- GEV 7129: Environmental Toxicology
- GEV 7200: Advanced Quantitative Analysis
- GEV 7201: Spatial Analysis of Environmental Systems
- GEV 7202: Geo Statistics
- GEV 7203: Environmental Modeling with GIS and Remote Sensing
- GEV 7204: Geospatial Project Management
- GEV 8300: Environmental Laboratory and Field Topics (1 credit topics include: Geospatial Field Methods, Environmental Public Health, Introduction to QGIS, Science Communication, and Wetland Field Research).
GEV Elective Lab Science Courses (4 credits)
- GEV 7040: Intro to GIS*
- GEV 8310: Advanced Topics in Environmental Lab Science I
- GEV 8320: Advanced Topics in Environmental Lab Science II
- GEV 8321: Microbial Processes
- GEV 8322: Ocean and Coastal Environments
- GEV 8323: Watershed Biogeochemistry
- GEV 8324: Environmental Systems
- GEV 8325: Environmental Ecology
- GEV 8326: Environmental Geology
- GEV 8327: Geomorphological Environments
- GEV 8328: Climatology
- GEV 8329: Global Change Research
- GEV 8330: Field Methods for Environmental Science
- GEV 8331: Field Research
- GEV 8332: Sustainable Environmental Systems
- GEV 8333: Water and Waste Water Management
- GEV 8334: Biogeochemistry
- GEV 8335: Hydrology and Water Resources
- GEV 8336: Aquatic Environmental Ecology
- GEV 8337: Terrestrial Environmental Ecology
- GEV 8338: Environmental Chemistry
*Required for students without prior GIS experience as a pre-requisite for GEV 7041
Chemistry Courses (3 credits)
- CHM 7515: Environmental Chemistry
- CHM 7595: Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CHM 7515: Advanced Biochemistry
- CHM 8643: Toxicology
Biology Courses
- BIO 7105: Vertebrate Ecology (4 credits)
- BIO 7151: Biogeochemistry Lecture (2 credits)
- BIO 7152: Biogeochemistry Lab (2 credits)
- BIO 7805: Biostatistics and Experimental Design (4 credits)
- BIO 7555: Molecular Ecology and Evolution (4 credits)
- BIO 7705: Plant Ecology (4 credits)
- BIO 7755: Plant Ecophysiology (4 credits)
- BIO 7955: Biodiversity and Systematics (4 credits)
- BIO 7970: Special Topics in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (2 credits)
- BIO 7980: Advanced Topics in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (3 credits)
- BIO 7980: Advanced Topics (Molecular Ecology) (3 credits)
- BIO 7980: Advanced Topics (Behavioral Ecology) (3 credits)
- BIO 7980/7982: Advanced Topics (Global Change Ecology, lecture/lab) (4 credits)
- BIO 8940/8941: Advanced Topics (Tropical Field Ecology, lecture/lab) (4 credits)
Public Administration Courses (3 credits unless otherwise noted)
- MPA 8100: Decision-Making
- MPA 8300: Leadership Ethics
- MPA 8400: Strategic Planning
- MPA 8500: Effective City Management
- MPA 8550: Urban Politics
- MPA 8600: Effective Nonprofit Management
- MPA 8800: Managing Public Networks
- MPA 8900: Public Policy
- MPA 8299: Special Topics in Public Administration (1 credit; suggested topics: land use and zoning, economic development strategies, program evaluation, performance measurement)
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - SANDRA DEMBERGER ’20 MS
Sandra Demberger ’20 MS works as a contractor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) where she serves on the Scientific Advisory Board. Previously, she was a Knauss Fellow with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program. In this role, she assisted with communications and conservation planning. During the fellowship, she was afforded extensive travel experiences to speak with conservation partners in California, Florida and Hawaii. Before earning her masters at Villanova, she worked with the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. There, she worked in the field monitoring marshes and living coastline construction and conducted outreach for technical audiences and the public. “This experience has proven extremely valuable as I work towards the next steps in my career,” she says.
Ready for the Next Step?
DEADLINES
February 1: For admission with funding consideration
August 1: For admission without funding for the fall
December 1: For admission without funding for the spring
If you have missed a deadline, please contact Dr. Stephen Strader to discuss your options.
RESEARCH IN ACTION
Philly Has an Air Pollution Problem. These Researchers Think Its Neighborhoods May Hold a Solution
This Environmental Science research team analyzed almost every possible urban configuration in Philadelphia neighborhoods to figure out the city's air pollution problems. READ MORE