Professional Learning Opportunities

Join us! Our students come from diverse backgrounds and career stages, including recent graduates, mid-career professionals, and retirees. All courses are delivered online by Miami University instructors. Course topics include wildlife conservation, animal behavior, urban ecology, community engagement, environmental education, and more. And, we offer Graduate Certificates too! See more below.

Explore Our FAQs

Stand-Alone Graduate Courses

Continuing Graduate Status (CGS) Admission

All students who wish to take graduate-level coursework at Miami University without pursuing a graduate degree do so as Continuing Graduate Status (CGS) non-degree students. CGS admission is obtained in one of two ways:

1. If you graduated from Miami University with a graduate degree (master's or doctorate) or received CGS admission within the past five years, please complete the Miami University re-enrollment application and proceed to Step 2 under “How To Apply.”

2. If you are a first-time applicant for CGS admission, or if it has been more than five years since you received CGS admission, please follow our full application instructions, below.

Please Note:

The Miami University Graduate School charges a $20 CGS application fee. There is no charge to complete Miami’s re-enrollment application.
Applying for CGS admission is not the same as applying for admission to a graduate degree program. It does not qualify or pre-qualify a student for degree admission.
If you are interested in Earth Expeditions, the CGS application process is slightly different. Earth Expeditions applicants will receive instruction to apply to the Miami University Graduate School for CGS admission AFTER acceptance and placement in an Earth Expeditions course. The Earth Expeditions application is due annually on January 15.

If you are a first-time applicant for CGS admission, or if it has been more than five years since you received CGS admission, an application to the Miami University Graduate School is required. Once your admission decision is released, confirming your admission offer will create a student record for you with Miami University. All steps must be completed or you will not be able to register. Before starting your application, please know which term you will be able to start your coursework.

Create Your Account

Create your account to begin a new application to Miami's Graduate School following the steps shared, including activating and setting a password for your account.

When prompted to "Start New Application": select the year in which you will first take a course, then select "Graduate Non-Degree" from the dropdown menu. Click “Create Application” then “Open Application.”
Complete the remainder of the Personal Background page with your information, moving on to the next page.
On the Admissions Information page, select “No” for the “Are you applying for a workshop?” question.
Under the Program Selection section, choose the following options: “Non-Degree,” “CGS,” the academic term in which you will first take a course, and “Part-Time Study.”
Complete the remaining pages as directed. Be sure to review your information and make any necessary changes prior to submitting your application.

Once Graduate School Letter Is Received...

Complete the CGS Admission Confirmation Form.
Accept your offer of CGS admission following the instructions shared in your Graduate School admission letter.

Register

After completing the steps shared above, further information will be sent to you, including a link to the CGS registration form. All steps must be completed to alert us of your application and to create a student record with the university.

Graduate Certificate Options

Don’t need a full master’s or want to earn a certificate in addition to your master’s? Project Dragonfly offers the below options, which can be earned in a little over a year.

Global Culture and Conservation

This unique hybrid, field-based certificate offers unparalleled opportunities for deep cultural immersion and engagement with the rich interplay of spiritual ecology and local/traditional ecological knowledge. Through travel to some of the most culturally and biologically rich regions of the planet (India, Thailand, Paraguay, Belize, or Guyana), students will gain practical experience in understanding how diverse spiritual, cultural, and belief systems (like Hinduism, Buddhism, Guarani, Kriol/Maya, and Makushi cultures, among others) can successfully support and integrate with conservation efforts.

Applied Marine Conservation

This unique hybrid, field-based certificate offers unparalleled opportunities to engage in applied marine conservation and stewardship across some of the world’s most critical and iconic ocean environments (Australia, Baja, Belize, Galapagos, The Bahamas). Students will gain practical experience in social-ecological methods such as coral reef ecology, marine mammal surveying, and aquatic data collection, providing skills for communicating about and protecting marine biodiversity.

For Miami University Students

Current Miami University graduate students and select undergraduates* can apply by January 15 each year to take Project Dragonfly‘s Earth Expeditions graduate courses, which combine learning in a web classroom with travel to conservation hotspots in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Students in Earth Expeditions courses interact with leading educators, community leaders, and conservationists from around the world while also making a difference in their home communities.

Miami University Undergraduates Application Steps for Earth Expeditions Courses

*Miami undergraduate students who have attained junior or senior standing and have a GPA of 3.0 or above may request permission from the Miami University Graduate School to enroll in graduate-level classes. Once approval is granted, an undergraduate student can apply to Earth Expeditions by January 15. Although acceptance into individual courses is not guaranteed, we try to place successful applicants in preferred locations whenever possible. Students will be notified of course placement by March 15.

Note that costs shown on Earth Expeditions pages are for graduate students only. Course costs for undergraduate students are based on each student’s tuition rate. If you have questions regarding your tuition promise rate, please contact the Bursar.

With your undergraduate advisor, discuss how an Earth Expeditions course relates to your undergraduate plan of study.
Complete the Undergraduate Permission to Take Graduate Course form
Under Q8 list:
Subject: Earth Expeditions
Course Number: TBD
Section: TBD[Top two Earth Expedition Course Preferences]
CRN Number: TBD
Under Q10 list Katie Feilen, feilenkl@miamioh.edu
Wait for notification via email from Project Dragonfly of your approval to take graduate-level courses.
Submit the Earth Expeditions Application form by January 15. To complete the form, please have ready or prepare the following:
- Your updated résumé or CV
- Your answers to these questions:
  - Essay 1: Share some of your local or global travel experiences, particularly those in outdoor settings. (250 word limit)
  - Essay 2: How would you describe your ability to participate in strenuous field work and adapt under stressful situations (e.g., international travel, long work days, changing itineraries, group dynamics)? How do you function in a team, and how do you handle conflict and stressful situations? Please provide personal examples from your past experiences to support your responses. (250 word limit)
  - Essay 3: How does participating in an Earth Expedition fit into your academic course of study? How will this experience benefit your academic and professional goals? (250-word limit)

In addition to Earth Expeditions, Project Dragonfly has additional Dragonfly graduate courses that Miami undergrad and grad students can take for graduate credit. These include conservation-focused online courses with experiential learning at major zoological and botanical institutions across the country in cities such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, and more. Courses are available in summer, fall, and spring terms.

Dragonfly‘s field and online courses are open to Miami students, regardless of major or degree, with an interest in benefitting human and ecological communities through topics such as wildlife conservation and environmental education. These courses can be especially valuable for Miami zoology and biology students.

Contact program advisers Katie Feilen (feilenkl@miamioh.edu) or Jill Korach (korachjk@miamioh.edu) with questions or to set up a virtual or in-person meeting. And check out our students’ work on the Dragonfly News and Media page.

Important Notes:

Zoo and Aquarium Professionals: Project Dragonfly is an official AZA Learning Partner, recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as a high-quality resource for career development.
Current Miami University Students:
- Undergraduates: Students with 64+ credit hours and a GPA of 3.0+ may seek Graduate School permission to enroll in graduate-level courses. Visit the Graduate School website for details.
- Graduate Students: Miami graduate students may enroll in Dragonfly courses for graduate credit.