M.S. in Environmental Science Curriculum

Students doing environmental science field research

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.

+-Required Foundation Courses

required courses for environmental science masters

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.

+-Research and Thesis Track

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)

+-Non-Thesis Portfolio Track

In addition to the 7 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.

+-Non-Thesis Capstone Track

student presenting environmental science research

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 publically present at the Department’s Environmental Colloquium.

The following courses are required for the non-thesis capstone track and will help you develop your project:

GEV 9000: Directed Research (2 credits)
GEV 9005: Capstone Project (1 credit)

+-Elective Courses

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 8 credits of which must come from laboratory courses. Up to nine 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 nine 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, 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

Electives in Other Departments

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)