The Masters of Science in Environmental Studies is is an interdisciplinary field of knowledge that encompasses aspects of scientific, political, social, and economic disciplines. A working knowledge of these fields is necessary for the analysis, remediation, and protection of a multitude of environmental problems on local, national, or global scales. The Environmental Studies program permits students to become conversant with the breadth of environmental problems and possible solutions, while achieving a strong, experience-based concentration in one of the specific disciplines within the field.
There are two basic curricular concentrations open to the student who wishes to pursue the Master of Science degree in environmental studies. A student can elect a concentration in the global physical environment or in the global human environment. In the latter, specializations in environment and health and business/environmental are available.
Opportunities exist, within each concentration, for the student to make program selections that reflect areas of faculty and student interest. For example, such selections could focus on:
- The physical, chemical, biological and biochemical aspects of pollutant detection;
- The cultural, societal, epidemiological, public health, paleontological, and paleopathological effects of environmental perturbations;
- The economic, governmental, and social interactions consequent to environmental concerns.
It is also possible for a student to elect sufficient courses from all areas to achieve a broader focus upon Environmental Studies Master of Science, leading to certification for teaching purposes. It is anticipated that the future development of the program will lead to the establishment of additional distinct areas of concentration.
Admission
The requirements for a student's admission to the Masters program are a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies or a related field and demonstrated promise of successful achievement in the field. Work experience in related environmental fields will be considered with regard to the above requirements. Students are admitted as regularly matriculated students or on an initial provisional basis as non-degree students. Graduate
Record Examination scores are not required. Applicants should contact the program director for further information.
Courses required include basic microeconomics, political science, one year of introductory biology, one year of statistics and/or calculus, one year of chemistry and one year of physics for science majors. Computer literacy is also required. Work experience in related environmental fields will be considered with regard to the above requirements. Graduate record examination scores in the verbal and quantitative tests are required.
To assure a more uniform level of preparation, all entering students are evaluated as to their need for an introductory course in Environmental Studies, or for background courses necessary to undertake specific graduate courses. This will serve to bring definition to the content of the areas of concentration as well as to introduce, in a uniform fashion, the tenets of the larger field of study.
Students are required to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better to remain in the program. A degree will not be granted to any student who receives 6 credits of C.
Additional opportunities are provided for the student in the form of technical field and laboratory experiences, as well as special topic courses that might not be available on a regular basis.
Note: It is not necessary for an undergraduate student at Adelphi University to complete the bachelor’s degree before entering the graduate program. By careful scheduling of courses it should be possible for a student to complete both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees within 5 years.
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