Environmental Systems, M.S.

This program is administered by the coordinator of the environmental systems graduate program of the College of Natural Resources and Sciences.

The Energy Technology and Policy Concentration is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in issues ranging from renewable energy engineering to climate change mitigation, and from international development to energy policy in California. The program offers a rigorous curriculum for students who are interested in making a difference in these important areas of work.Career opportunities include, energy engineer, energy policy analyst, environmental projects manager, international development worker.

The Environmental Resources Engineering Concentration focuses on the design, testing, and analysis of natural and engineered systems applied to advanced water and wastewater treatment, water resources, and renewable energy. Career possibilities include, environmental engineer, water quality engineer, energy engineer, water resources engineer.

The Geology Concentration gives students a quantitative and qualitative background for research in applied geology during their first year. Students usually spend their summers on thesis research. The second year is devoted to research, data analysis, and writing the thesis. Career possibilities include, field geologist, engineering geologist, exploration geophysicist, hydrologist, and marine geologist.

Program Prerequisites

Students must meet general admission requirements and:

Hold an approved bachelor’s degree for the selected concentration
Submit a statement of objectives, including reasons for pursuing a master’s degree with a particular concentration

Concentration Specific Prerequisites

Energy Technology and Policy Concentration: An appropriate undergraduate degree and sufficient preparation is required. Prior coursework in areas including elementary statistics and probability, calculus, physics, and chemistry is expected. Engineering, math, and natural science students will benefit from having had at least 6 semester units of sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, or another related social science. Students who aspire to work inter-nationally should have at least one year of training in a language other than English, or equivalent experience. Students with deficient preparation will be expected to satisfy background coursework prior to beginning the program. Deficiencies may be made up concurrently with prior approval in some cases, but this may extend time in the program.

Environmental Resources Engineering Concentration: Applicants should have an undergraduate major in engineering (civil, mechanical, agricultural, chemical, industrial, environmental, or other) or a related physical science. Students with deficiencies in core competencies associated with Environmental Resources Engineering may be required to take prerequisite coursework.

Geology Concentration: Applicants should have an undergraduate major in geology or a related science. Applicants must have at least a year of college physics and a minimum of two semesters of calculus (three semesters desirable).

Requirements for the Degree (30 Units)

For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below see, “Master’s Degree Requirements”

Complete an environmental systems program of courses arranged with a graduate advisor and approved by the faculty graduate committee. The program must include the core courses (16 units) below plus an environmental systems concentration (14 units).

Core Requirements (16 Units)

Colloquium

SCI 698 - Graduate Colloquium in Environmental Systems Units: 1

Thesis / Independent Study

Complete a combination of thesis and independent study units for a total of 9 units.

All students are required to enroll in at least one unit of ENGR/GEOL 690 or 699 every semester. A written thesis or project and public oral presentation are required. Thesis or project research is the central component of the master’s degree, and these courses are intended to build students’ competence in developing and implementing fundamental or applied research, and successfully reporting results. This is accomplished through mentoring with their faculty advisor and committee members.

Students in the Energy Technology and Policy concentration enroll in ENGR 690 and ENGR 699 or thesis and independent study units aligned with their advisor/committee member’s departments.

Students in the Environmental Resources Engineering concentration enroll in:
ENGR 690 - Thesis Units: 1-6
ENGR 699 - Independent Study in Environmental Systems Units: 1-3
Students in the Geology concentration enroll in:
GEOL 690 - Thesis Units: 1-6
GEOL 699 - Independent Study Units: 1-5

Analysis

The analysis courses are intended to help students understand analyses for data relevant to their particular projects. They are diverse in content because of the diversity of projects undertaken by students within the program. All provide both theoretical background and laboratory experience.

Complete one course.

ENGR 322 - Environmental Data Modeling and Analysis Units: 4
GSP 510 - Research Methods in Geospatial Science Units: 4
STAT 630 - Data Collection and Analysis Units: 4

Methods

The methods courses are intended to help students understand appropriate methods for their particular projects. They are diverse in content because of the diversity of projects undertaken by students within the program. All provide the background required by students pursuing research appropriate for degrees in Environmental Systems.

Complete one option (2-4 units).

ECON 423 - Environmental and Natural Resources Economics Units: 3 and
ECON 423D - Environmental and Natural Resources Economics - Additional Depth Units: 1
ECON 550 - Economics of Energy and Climate Policy Units: 4
GEOL 554 - Advanced Geology Field Methods Units: 2

Concentrations (14 Units)

Complete one of the following concentrations:

Environmental Systems, M.S. Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will have demonstrated:

expertise in their selected specialty through their master’s thesis or project and be able to identify how their work will contribute to the field.
the ability to design an investigation or project according to standards of the discipline
the ability to investigate an original hypothesis or develop an original project using appropriate methods and scientific discipline
the ability to present the results of their investigation or project using accepted structure, format, and visual aids for scientific presentations in the discipline
the ability to write a thesis or project technical report using accepted structure, style, and format in accordance with the discipline.

Graduate Coordinator

Margaret Lang, Ph.D.

Graduate Office
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Forestry 101
707-826-3256

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