Graduate 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 28. 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.}

_{Project Dragonfly students hike down the Red Mountain on the Baja Earth Expedition.}

Miami University Undergraduates Application Steps for Earth Expeditions course

1. With your undergraduate advisor, discuss how an Earth Expeditions course relates to your undergraduate plan of study.
2. 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
3. Wait for notification via email from Project Dragonfly of your approval to take graduate-level courses. 
4. Submit the Earth Expeditions Application form by January 28. To complete the form, please have ready or prepare the following:
   1. Your updated résumé or CV
   2. Your answers to these questions:
      1. Essay 1: Share some of your local or global travel experiences, particularly those in outdoor settings. (250 word limit)
      2. 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)
      3. 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)

Miami graduate students may apply to Earth Expeditions for graduate credit.*

_{Cincinnati resident Amy Geibel on the Mongolian steppe atop a hill overlooking a group of gers, or round houses that are easy to assemble, disassemble and move. Amy earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Miami, taking Earth Expeditions courses in Mongolia, Guyana, and Baja.}

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 & Media page.