Degree Requirements

The Graduate school of the Environment and Energy degrees encourage an independent and creative approach to the development of curricula. Students are responsible for identifying a faculty member who is willing to serve as their advisor. They must form a supervisory committee and submit a program of study to the graduate coordinator for approval within the first credits of course work or by the end of the second semester, whichever comes first. The supervisory committee will consist of the advisor and at least two other members, conforming to university policy on master's and Ph.D. thesis committees. Course requirements may be fulfilled by completing courses from a variety of academic units at the university. The program requires a minimum of 32 graduate credits distributed in four categories to provide the depth and the breadth in knowledge related to environmental problems. Course selection should reflect a coherent Individual Program Focus, which is stated and briefly described in the program of study.
The thesis normally involves original research with independent acquisition and interpretation of data with a goal of peer-reviewed publication. Projects are generally less extensive and can include a broader range of activities.
Ph.D. students fulfilling the research requirement will be required to take a comprehensive exam administered by their committee.
Students choosing to do a thesis will present their results in a public seminar and defend their thesis before their committee. Students will be graded pass/no credit on their research skills component.
The graduate degrees allow students to expand their knowledge of the environmental disciplines beyond their undergraduate training. The degrees offer a professional credential to students who might not have the time or background to enroll in a graduate degree program requiring a thesis or dissertation. Students desiring admission to the MS or PhD programs in Environmental Science, engineering and management, as well as energy engineering who do not currently meet admission requirements can demonstrate their ability to do degree work through successful completion of the certificate with excellent academic achievement.