Masters in Environmental Science in USA

Northeastern’s new MS in Environmental Science and Policy, a joint program between the College of Science and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities’ School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, provides interdisciplinary training and environmental problem-solving expertise to the next generation of environmental professionals.

Many critical challenges of our time relate to the complex and multi-layered interactions between humans and our environment. Human society is becoming increasingly aware of its reliance on natural ecosystems and the services they provide—such as food production, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling—and yet human activities continue to compromise the delivery of these services at an accelerating rate. Striving toward sustainability and resilience of coupled human-natural ecosystems is among the greatest challenges confronting our society because it mandates a major shift in the prevailing way of life, reaching into the institutional systems that involve production, transportation, urban and suburban development, and governmental regulation.

Passionate about science and interested in policy? Passionate about policy and interested in science? Passionate about both? We’ve got you covered. The MS in Environmental Science and Policy is an integrated curriculum of science, policy and law, communication skills, and professional advocacy that will make you an effective agent of change in the public, private, or non-profit sectors.

The MS in Environmental Sciences is an interdisciplinary degree combining science and non-science courses from across the University. The degree provides applied, cross-disciplinary training preparing students to solve environmental problems using the scientific method combined with a knowledge of environmental regulations and policy. Students gain knowledge through research and coursework in quantitative research methods, natural sciences, and political science, planning or geography. 

Today’s complex environmental problems involve vast amounts of data. In the Master of Science (M.S.) program in Environmental OMICS at St. John’s University, you develop the ability to analyze big data sets related to the environment. This understanding prepares you for careers helping industries use environmentally sustainable processes, manufacture safer products, and better manage their corporate responsibility. 

Because protecting environmental resources is the cornerstone of environmental social justice, the M.S. program aligns with the mission of St. John’s. 

Environmental OMICS is the branch of environmental science that applies OMICS technologies to address environment-related scientific questions. OMICS refers to the technologies used to explore the functions of the various types of molecules that make up the cells of an organism. It aims at the collective characterization and quantification of pools of biological molecules that translate into the structure, function, and dynamics of an organism or organisms. For example, within the field of environmental OMICS, one might study an organism’s genome in relation to dietary and environmental exposures using a combination of field, bench, and computational research approaches.  

The MS degree in Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science may be earned for a program of study comprising at least 30 hours of work including credit for graduate thesis work, which constitutes a major portion of the degree program.  Areas of emphasis for graduate work include nutrient dynamics in agricultural and forest ecosystems, soil chemistry and plant nutrition, crop physiology and management, diversified cropping systems, weed ecology and management, and plant pathology.  Graduate training programs emphasize agricultural sustainability and are built from foundations in soil science, agronomy, plant physiology, ecology, microbiology, plant pathology, and statistics. Prospective graduate students should have completed coursework in chemistry, mathematics, and biology, and in subject matter areas closely related to the interests of the student and her/his advisor.

We accept applications throughout the year.  Prior to applying, please directly contact faculty whose interests are similar to yours to discuss possible research and coursework.

The Master of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies is a program offered in the evenings and on weekends. The program is designed for students with various academic backgrounds who are interested in a career that spans the human and natural environments -- the social and physical sciences -- and who desire the spatial analytical skills of geography. Graduate students develop an area of proficiency within the broad scope of environmental policy, planning, and management or within the geographic realm of spatial analysis. The program is both theoretical and practical; students gain knowledge, conceptual skills, and technical skills. The program provides a solid basis for a career, a career shift, career enhancement or preparation for post-graduate studies.

Combining lab and classroom experiences, the program offers an interdepartmental and multidisciplinary education to prepare you for the future. You will be able to expand on your undergraduate degree in environmental science, other natural or social sciences, engineering or health professions.

The master's degree is designed with your goals in mind and prepare you for supervisory roles and professional advancement. Courses emphasize a risk-based approach to the solving of environmental problems. Evaluating alternative energy systems, finding solutions to environmental problems and understanding the effects of global climate change and pollution control are just some of the issues you'll tackle, gaining the knowledge needed to be employed in key positions addressing environmental impacts.

Climate change, population growth, energy consumption, habitat loss, water depletion and degradation, air pollution, and species extinction have increasingly come to the fore in minds of citizens around the world. To manage the Earth’s environment effectively, there is a need to understand the processes that shape the planet’s surface, control the chemistry of its air and water, and generate the natural resources on which humans depend. Our unique program is distinct in its focus on the interplay between science and policy. This program is founded on the premise that rational solutions to complex, twenty-first century environmental challenges require an in-depth understanding of applicable scientific principles and an appreciation for relevant political, ethical, economic, legal, and historical contexts. Graduates of the program develop combined expertise in science and policy that empowers them to become change agents and leaders in public and private organizations responsible for safeguarding our environment. Many of the program’s students are currently employed in environmental fields but wish to enhance their knowledge or move in new directions. Others seek to transition into the arena of environmental science and policy.

The Master of Science in Environmental Sciences is a multidisciplinary program. In addition to courses in chemistry and geology, there are opportunities for study in economics, geography, health sciences, management, and public administration. Students are admitted from numerous backgrounds, but generally with bachelor's degrees in some scientific field such as chemistry, biology, or environmental science.  This program is designed to provide a broad background in sciences relevant to the environment, and is designed so that it can potentially be completed in two years.

The culminating experience in the M.S. in Environmental Sciences is either an internship coupled with an extended project and its defense, or a research thesis and defense of the thesis.

The master’s in environmental science at Florida Tech prepares graduates for career opportunities and advanced academic studies in the use, control, and preservation of environmental resources. Because today’s increasingly complex technological society has placed new demands on the understanding of human interaction with the environment, the need has never been greater for highly skilled scientists to develop data and information to help decision-makers craft policies on the use and protection of our natural environment. This master's-degree program is available in both thesis-based and non-thesis options.

Florida Tech’s environmental science program provides a thorough background in the biological and chemical fundamentals of natural environmental systems with specific areas of emphasis related to:

• Water and air resources
• Water and wastewater treatment
• Hazardous and toxic materials
• Harmful algal blooms

Graduates with a master’s in environmental science are the scientists and problem-solvers who lead collaborative teams from consulting firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to solve today’s environmental issues.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences is a broad and diverse department offering flexible M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The mission of the department is to establish and implement research and educational programs that enhance environmental stewardship in the management and use of natural, agricultural, and urban systems in a socially responsible manner. The department is composed of approximately 24 faculty, 60 affiliates, and 160 graduate students. Offering education and research in a variety of disciplines, the department provides a systems-level perspective that few other departments can offer. Further illustrating the breadth of natural resources and environmental sciences, research areas include but are not limited to:

• agronomy/agroecology
• aquatic chemistry
• conservation ecology
• ecosystem science
• environmental education
• fish and wildlife ecology and management
• forest ecology
• humans dimensions of the environment
• landscape ecology
• microbial ecology
• natural resource economics
• natural resource policy
• plant ecology
• physiology and genetics
• restoration ecology
• quantitative and spatial analysis
• soil science and conservation
• sustainability

An interdisciplinary M.S. degree program in Environmental Health and Safety is offered through the Department of Industrial Engineering in collaboration with the School of Medicine. These programs of study are individually structured to fit the student’s interests and career objectives.

The program will consist of a 36 credit hours in the areas of environmental health and safety.

Upon completing the MSEA Degree, students will be able to:

1. Apply technical and analytical skills and scientific evaluation methods to help solve problems affecting the environment. 
2. Demonstrate written, oral, and visual communication strategies required to work effectively across science, business, and government.
3. Possess business and management skills and professional ethics to be effective in a business environment.