COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Geoscience is designed to provide students with advanced interdisciplinary knowledge and practical scientific training related to geology, hydrology, environmental assessment, contaminant transport, and ecosystem analysis. The program combines environmental science, geoscience, ecology, environmental law, and applied research methods to prepare graduates for careers in environmental consulting, geological assessment, groundwater management, environmental remediation, sustainability, and environmental research. Students complete core courses that provide a strong scientific and analytical foundation in environmental systems and policy, including Environmental Law and Legislation or Marine and Coastal Law, Scientific Literature and Proposal Writing, Environmental Geoscience with Laboratory, Ecological Applications in Environmental Science with Laboratory, and Data Analysis in the Environmental and Biological Sciences. These courses help students develop expertise in scientific research, environmental regulations, ecological analysis, geoscience principles, laboratory methods, and statistical interpretation of environmental and biological data. Students pursuing the Environmental Geoscience concentration complete specialized required courses focused on wetlands ecology, subsurface assessment, contaminant transport, and groundwater systems. Required concentration courses include Wetlands Ecology with Laboratory, Subsurface Assessment, Contaminant Fate and Transport in the Environment, and Groundwater Hydrology. These courses provide students with detailed understanding of geological and hydrological processes, groundwater movement, environmental contamination, ecosystem interactions, and site assessment techniques used in environmental engineering and geoscience professions. Students can further customize their studies through elective courses in environmental reports and impact assessment, landscape ecology, field geology, selected topics in geology, environmental chemistry, environmental education, independent study, and professional communication. The program also includes a capstone requirement that can be completed through an Internship, a Research Project, or a Thesis sequence consisting of Thesis I and Thesis II. Students interested in advanced research or doctoral study are encouraged to pursue the thesis option under faculty supervision, while internship and research project tracks provide applied professional and field-based experience. Laboratory sessions, fieldwork, and geological investigations are important components of the program, giving students hands-on experience in environmental data collection, site analysis, and scientific problem solving. Graduates are prepared for careers in environmental consulting firms, geological and hydrological services, groundwater management, environmental remediation, environmental compliance, sustainability planning, government agencies, research institutions, and doctoral programs in environmental science, geoscience, hydrology, and related fields.