The Graduate Curriculum

The Environmental Science curriculum is designed to provide the interdisciplinary training needed to help students excel in education and research roles while allowing each individual the flexibility to customize her/his program of study.

Descriptions of specific graduate-level courses are available through the following link to the current ISU course catalogue.

Environmental Science Graduate Courses

General Guidelines

All Environmental Science majors and co-majors are required to register for and attend ENSCI 690, Seminar in Environmental Science, when it is offered.  ENSCI 690 is a compulsory curriculum element.

If you cannot enroll in ENSCI 690 in a given term due to a conflict with another required course or for some other reason, you must seek an enrollment exemption for that term.

The exemption is obtained by preparing a written memo that outlines the nature of the conflict.  The memo must be signed by both the student and her/his faculty advisor and submitted to the EnSci Chair/DOGE.

Beginning in the Spring 2012 term, all MS and PhD programs of study for majors and co-majors must list the individual sections of ENSCI 690 taken or planned to be taken at the time of submission. The EnSci DOGE will be screening each POS for this standard.

Additionally, all Environmental Science majors must make a public presentation of their graduate research project prior to the completion of their degree.  This presentation may take the form of a seminar within the framework of EnSci 690 or a separate research seminar associated with the final MS or PhD defense.

The POS Committee and POS

The Program of Study (POS) Committee is a panel of faculty members, selected by each individual graduate student to supervise her/his academic program.  The chair of the committee will normally be an individual's major professor. The student, in consultation with her/his POS Committee, formulates a Program of Study (POS).  The POS is a list of courses that constitutes the essential conditions for obtaining a graduate degree.   Establishing a POS Committee and POS are two of the most important steps in making progress towards graduation.   For more information, please consult the ISU Graduate College Handbook or contact the Environmental Science program coordinator at enscigradoffice@iastate.edu.

Requirements for MS Degree, Thesis Option

Majors and co-majors pursuing the MS in Environmental Science with the thesis option must successfully complete at least 30 graduate credits of course work and research, not less than 22 of which must be earned at Iowa State. Students must also write a thesis that demonstrates the ability to conduct independent and creative research.

The following minimum numbers of credits in the indicated areas are required to complete the MS with thesis:

• 12 credits of Environmental Science courses,
• 6 credits of courses related to the student's area of focus,
• 6 credits of thesis research (EnSci 699), and
• at least 6 additional elective credits (courses or research) to total at least 30 credits.

Requirements for MS Degree, Non-Thesis Option

Majors and co-majors seeking the MS in Environmental Science with the non-thesis option must complete at least 33 graduate credits of course work and, in place of a thesis, must also complete a "Creative Component."   The Creative Component may take the form of a special report, a capstone course, an annotated bibliography, a research project, or some other product.  A student wishing to pursue the non-thesis MS must gain approval from her/his POS Committee to do so and must consult with the committee to determine the form of the Creative Component.

The following minimum numbers of credits in the indicated areas are required to complete the non-thesis MS:

• 18 credits of Environmental Science courses,
• 12 credits of courses related to the student's area of focus, and
• 3 credits of EnSci 599, Creative Component.

Requirements for PhD Degree

Majors and co-majors seeking the PhD in Environmental Science must successfully complete at least 72 graduate credits of course work and research, not less than 36 of which, including all dissertation research, must be completed at ISU.  

The following minimum numbers of credits in the indicated areas are required to complete the PhD:

• 18 credits of Environmental Science courses,
• 12 credits of courses related to the student's area of focus,
• 15 credits of dissertation research (EnSci 699), and
• at least 27 additional elective credits (courses or research) to total at least 72 credits.

Requirements for Minors

Environmental Science no longer offers a graduate minor concentration.  Current students with approved minors for existing programs of study should direct curriculum questions to the EnSci program coordinator:   enscigradoffice@iastate.edu.

Examinations

All MS and PhD students must pass a final oral examination to graduate.  PhD students must also pass a preliminary oral examination for admission to candidacy.  For more information on examinations and graduation requirements, please consult the ISU Graduate College Handbook or contact the Environmental Science program coordinator at enscigradoffice@iastate.edu.

EnSci Graduate Program Office

Charles R. Sauer
Program Coordinator
657 Ross Hall (office)
603 Ross Hall (campus mail box)
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa  50011-1200  USA

voice:  515.294.6518
fax:  515.294.6390
e-mail:  enscigradoffice@iastate.edu