Each student must complete at least 45 credit hours of interdisciplinary graduate coursework and independent research. Of that total, 15 credits (three to four courses) are core courses and at least 20 additional credits (four to five courses) must be in a chosen area of concentration. Graduate seminars, comprehensive exams for non-thesis students, and thesis research for students on the thesis track complete the academic requirement.

MSES Graduate Handbook

CURRICULUM TRACK:

1. Environmental Archaeology (* requires 30 graded hours): Courses selected primarily from Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Environmental and Plant Biology, Geography, Geology, History, and Political Science.
   
   
2. Life Sciences: Courses selected primarily from Environmental and Plant Biology and from Biological Sciences.
   
   
3. Environmental Monitoring: Courses selected primarily from Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Geography, Geological Sciences, and Biological Sciences.
   
   
4. Physical and Earth Sciences: Courses selected primarily from Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Geography, Geological Sciences, and Industrial Systems Engineering.
   
   
5. Environmental Policy and Planning: Courses selected primarily from Business Management, Civil Engineering, Economics, Industrial Systems Engineering, Geography, and Political Science.

Thesis research topics cover a broad range of subjects reflecting the diversity of students' backgrounds and interests. Recent topics include the following:

• Applications of hydrogeology to restoration of watersheds
  
• Population dynamics and community structure of eastern hardwood forests
  
• Urban and regional scale air quality