Program Overview

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences

The curriculum for the M.S. in Environmental Sciences allows students to gain a strong scientific understanding of ways to study, evaluate, and interpret environmental realities and their impacts, as well as to manage and mitigate environmental problems. Objectives are to enable students to:

• develop a basic literacy in the natural and social sciences and the humanities as they contribute to an understanding of environmental issues;
• critically analyze environmental problems;
• identify, research, and evaluate environmental problems; and
• compare, contrast, implement, and manage short- and long-term solutions to environmental problems. The department recommends that students interested in the Environmental Sciences degree have prior knowledge of chemistry, algebra, statistics, and biology.

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements include:

• ENS 551: Environmental Natural Sciences (4 hours)
• ENS 552: Environmental Social Sciences and Humanities (4 hours)
• ENS 553: Research Methods in Environmental Studies (4 hours) General Environmental Sciences Concentration requires students to select electives in consultation with an academic advisor (24 hours).
• Closure options include:
  • ENS 510: Thesis (4 hours)
  • ENS 520: Graduate Project Total Hours required for the degree: 40 hours. The General Environmental Sciences Concentration provides students with competency in research and management of interactions among physical, chemical, and biological systems in the environment.