Environmental Science M.En.
Master of Environmental Science (M.En.) Degree
The Master of Environmental Science (M.En.) is a professional degree program that emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental problem solving and sustainable practices. The program is designed to prepare students, upon graduation, for immediate employment as an environmental professional.
Master of Environmental Science emphasizes:
- Problem-solving skills
- Interdisciplinary training
- Teamwork and management
- Effective communication
- Quantitative analysis
Professional Science Masters
The IES Masters of Environmental Science degree is designated as a national Professional Science Master's (PSM) program based on it its professional skills, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary breadth. PSM programs prepare students for science careers in business, government, or nonprofit organizations, where workforce needs are increasing.
Combined Bachelors and Masters in Environmental Science
The combined M.En. program allows students to complete an M.En. degree with 1 year of additional study beyond the bachelor's degree, and is available to qualified, tuition-paying students with any undergraduate major. Please contact the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability Director for more information at levyj@miamioh.edu.
Students complete 20 semester hours of core courses. These courses provide students with a core set of competencies widely applicable to professional careers in environmental science and sustainability:
- Problem-solving methodology
- Effective communication
- Teamwork
- Project management
- Quantitative skills
The Professional Service Project component (IES 610, IES 610.G) is designed for students to develop their skills and experience by working with real clients.
Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 while in residence.
Students take all of these courses.
Students complete 12 semester hours of courses in an area of concentration. These courses supplement the core courses by providing depth in 5 professional areas of specialization:
- Applied Ecology and Conservation
- Land and Water Resources
- Energy and Environment
- Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control
- Sustainability in Management and Planning
The concentrations allow students to choose courses to build on existing strengths from undergraduate or employment experience or a student may opt to develop a new area of specialization to meet their individual career goals.
The professional experience requirement is designed to provide an opportunity for students to apply their core and specialized training to a capstone experience by choosing among 3 options.
Complete 1 of the following:
- Internship (3 months or 400 hours)
Work with an employer for at least 3 months or 400 hours. - Practicum
Work to provide a client with a solution and deliverables for an applied problem. - Thesis
Develop a new scholarly contribution to environmental science and sustainability.
About 60% of students choose an internship, 30% complete the practicum experience, and 10% conduct research leading to a thesis.
Professional Service Project
The Professional Service Project (PSP) is a requirement of the Masters of Environmental Science core curriculum (IES 610 and IES 610.G) and is designed for students to develop their skills and experience by working with real clients. The PSP is a cornerstone of our program. Graduates of the Masters of Environmental Science program frequently tell us that both the PSP experience and the problem-solving methodology were important parts of their future success as professionals.
See Past Professional Service Projects
IES PSPs 1971-2022 Percentage of Topics
Climate Action Plan PSP, CAP Outline Recommendations
Client: Climate Action Task Force Co-chairs and Susan Meikle, Communication Subcommittee head
Team: Shaily Amirbakzadeh, Lauren Kleve, Leah Kmiecik, Kinshuk Tella, Maddy Votypka
Resilience Assessment Recommendations
Clients: Climate Action Task Force Co-chairs and Susan Meikle, Communication Subcommittee head
Team: Ben Bierley, Michelle Engel, Zihan He, Sophie Bazan, Stephanie Gibson
Recycling Program Recommendations for Commercial Housing Properties in the City of Oxford
Client: City of Oxford, Ohio Environmental Commission
Team: Anna Abey, Emily Anzalone, Katie Lockhart, Jared Nally, Sam Schultheis, Madalyn Warnimount
Learning Outcomes
- Apply general principles of problem-solving methodology to specific environmental problems;
- Manage interdisciplinary team projects for clients;
- Communicate scientific and environmental information to non-specialist and government audiences;
- Apply statistical design and analysis to environmental measurements;
- Synthesize knowledge from a disciplinary concentration in environmental science and sustainability with its application to a professional experience.
Students Solving Real-World Problems
Each year, Masters of Environmental Science student teams provide help to 3 clients that have requested assistance in solving environmental problems or to improve the sustainability of their organizations and practices. A client can be a community, organization, or individual in the tri-state area (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky).
These teams of graduate students from diverse backgrounds work for academic credit under the supervision of environmental professionals and Miami University faculty.
Becoming a Client Organization
To qualify, projects must deal with real-world environmental or sustainability problems and be of such a scope that they can be completed within 6 months. If you are interested in cooperating with a student team on such a project, please email us at ies@MiamiOH.edu.
Apply to the Environmental Science MEn
Institute for the Environment & Sustainability
The Institute for the Environment and Sustainability is an umbrella organization for undergraduate and graduate education and research on the environment and sustainability at Miami University.
Contact Us
118 Shideler Hall
250 S. Patterson Ave.
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-8183
ies@MiamiOH.edu
The M.En. degree was designated as a national Professional Science Master's (PSM) program based on it its professional skills, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary breadth.
Learn more at the Professional Science Master's website.
