IX. Graduate Programs
Environmental Sciences
MES Program
The objectives of the MES (coursework Master’s) program is to provide a foundation on which students and professionals can study the most recent theoretical and technical advances in the environmental sciences through interdisciplinary (depth) and multidisciplinary (breadth) teaching and research. Through coursework and a project, the MES is designed to promote critical thinking and enhance oral and written communication skills so that graduates can excel in industry, government and other sectors of society (e.g., environmental risk assessors/managers, political advisors on policy/law issues in government, senior positions in national and international agencies, etc.).
Admission Requirements
This degree is subject to the same entry standards as the thesis-based MSc. Candidates for the MES degree by course work must complete a minimum of 4.0 credits, including one credit from the Environmental Sciences Research Project, ENVS*6500 (two semesters, 1.0 credit) and at least two credits from courses in one of the four fields (below).
Degree Requirements
The MES coursework program requires:
-
Completion of either 3.0 credits (six 0.5 credit courses in the project option) or 4.0 credits (eight 0.5 credit courses in the coursework-only option)
-
Of the 3.0/4.0 credits, completion of two courses (Advanced Topics in Environmental Science and Seminar in Environmental Science)
-
Completion and presentation of the results of a project (1.0 credits)
An acceptable MES consists of successful completion of course requirements and a defensible account of the student’s project. The project may be completed at the University or as part of a placement with an approved non-academic agency. The project may include analysis of a data set (derived from lab, field, or computer simulation) related to the specialization chosen by the student including analyses and interpretations of relevant data (the student may or may not be involved in collecting the data), or major, critical literature review. The content of the research project will be presented to the department as a seminar. Presentations are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.