How to Get a Master's Degree in Environmental Science
With a Master of Science (MS) or Master of Public Administration (MPA) in environmental science, you can gain the knowledge you need to operate as an expert in the field, research in advanced capacities, or eventually teach in higher education. As you begin your degree search, it's important to carefully research your options and learn more about the degree in general before you commit to one program.
How to Earn a Master's Degree in Environmental Science
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Long before your first day of school, you should begin the research process. From learning about the different types of degrees you can earn, to getting the facts about accreditation, to browsing online resources designed to help connect you with accredited colleges and universities, the research process takes time.
The results of the time you spend researching can be found in the confidence you feel when you apply to your top schools with a full understanding of your options. Although it's a multi-step process, take the time to fully research environmental science master's degree programs. First, you need to learn about the degree itself.
Step 1: Learn About Different Environmental Science Master's Degrees
Far from a one-size-fits-all degree, the environmental science master's degree is customizable to your career goals. Whether you want to go into research, teaching, or the workforce, choose an environmental science degree that works for you. Consider the two major types of environmental science degrees:
- Master of Science: This academic degree can prepare you for professional or academic careers. Considered a research-heavy degree, the environmental science MS prepares you to move into the workforce or to continue your education at the PhD level and eventually teach in higher education or continue your research in the field.
- Master of Public Administration: This professional degree prepares students to work as experts in the field. An MPA in fire service and administration, for example, is considered preparation for fire service work at the management level.
The degree type you choose should be based on your career goals. Master's degree programs in environmental science generally require two years of full-time study. Working adults with full-time job commitments may take longer to complete the degree, particularly if they limit study to night and weekend classes.
Step 2: Think About Environmental Science Coursework
Coursework in an environmental science degree program varies greatly depending on the specialization you choose. You should expect most environmental science degrees to be heavy on math and science requirements. Required coursework likely include at least a few of the following basic elements:
- Geology
- Hydrology
- Oceanography
- Meteorology
- Ecology
- Policy Making
Environmental science degrees with an engineering specialization generally include even more high-level math and science work, while environmental science degrees with a business specialization generally focus on high-level business concepts. Once you've considered the degree distinction and coursework possibilities for your environmental science major, it's time to narrow your focus with a specialization.
Step 3: Choose Among Environmental Science Specializations
Environmental science as a degree means different things to different people, and choosing the right specialization is essential to your happiness in the major. Here are just a few possible specializations within an environmental science degree:
- Wildlife & Forestry
- Disaster Preparedness & Executive Fire Leadership
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Science & Engineering
- Fire Science
- Occupational Safety & Health/Environmental Management
As you can see, choosing a specialization in environmental science means making a big distinction in the future of your education. For more information on college majors and minors, including environmental science, see WorldWideLearn.com's guide to college majors.
Step 4: Consider Campus and Online Master's Degrees in Environmental Science
Once you've thought about degree types and potential specializations, it's time to think about how you want to earn the degree itself. You might prefer the traditional environment of a campus master's degree or the flexibility of an online master's degree program. In the end, it's up to you and your learning style. Consider the positive aspects of each learning style:
- Campus environmental science degree: Complete your degree program on campus, enjoying face-to-face interaction with professors and peers. Campus environmental science students generally value group work, hands-on research, and personal interaction.
- Online environmental science degree: If you're often away from home, you can earn a master's degree online from anywhere in the world. This learning style is ideal for independent workers, self-motivated students, and adults with full-time jobs who might be wondering how to make the attendance commitments for a campus degree.
As you can see, your learning style, work schedule, and personal preferences all play a part in which type of degree earn, whether you choose to earn a master's degree online or on campus. For more information on online degrees, check out WorldWideLearn.com's guide to online degree programs.
Step 5: Create Your List of Environmental Science Master's Degree Programs
At this point, you should have considered degree types, majors, your personal learning type, and coursework within the environmental science major. Now, it's time to start thinking about individual programs. Use these resources as you begin your search:
- U.S. News and World Report has a listing of top earth sciences graduate schools. Sort by rank or name, and click on individual schools to learn more about each program.
- WorldWideLearn.com maintains a listing of online master's degrees in environmental science as well as campus-based environmental science master's degrees. Use the site to make first contact with potential programs and learn about individual schools.
- Find more information on certification training from the Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST).
- For more information on choosing forestry as a major, see the Society of American Foresters' education page.
Use the pages above to begin to get an idea of the range of colleges and universities that offer environmental science master's degrees. Compile a list of programs, including any school that seems promising to you as a student.
Step 6: Determine Environmental Science School Accreditation
Accreditation in the U.S. is a third-party peer-review process that helps to ensure the quality of the education you receive in an environmental science program. Colleges and universities volunteer to undergo review to determine if certain criteria are being met, and accreditation agencies make their findings public. There are many benefits to accreditation:
- Students at accredited schools may be eligible to participate in federal financial aid grant and loan programs
- Hiring managers and other schools recognize the degree training you receive at an accredited institution
- You enjoy the peace of mind that your campus or online master's degree education is valued and valuable
As you can see, determining a school's accreditation is essential to your satisfaction in whatever environmental science program you choose. Fortunately, it's simple to determine if a prospective school is accredited. Simply search for each school on your list using the U.S. Department of Education's searchable database, and find out which of the schools on your list make the grade.
For more information on accreditation, see WorldWideLearn.com's accreditation answers page. Ensuring the accreditation status of each school on your list is a relatively simple process when you consider the benefits you can enjoy through the course of your academic career and later, when it's time to apply for jobs in the field. Even if a school's name sounds familiar to you, check to confirm that it holds current accreditation.
Step 7: Narrow Down Your List of Environmental Science Schools
At this point, you should have created a list of environmental science schools that meet your basic criteria for degree type and specialization. You've decided if you'd like to earn a master's degree online or on campus. You've even weeded out the schools that didn't hold current accreditation by using the resources above. Now, it's time to narrow your list down.
Your education should be personalized to your preferences. Take control of the process by considering each potential school using the following categories. Once you've considered multiple aspects of each potential program, you'll know much more about your future degree. Use these categories to start narrowing your options:
- Requirements: Each environmental application has its own requirements. You may need to provide transcripts from undergraduate years, GRE or TOEFL scores, resume or work experience materials, letters of recommendation, and more. The most selective schools generally require the most from applicants.
- Region: Consider the school's location particularly if you want to stay in the area after you've graduated or work there while you're in school. The local environment, employment rates, and other factors should help you determine if you'd rather live in a bustling city or a quiet college town.
- Program Rank: School rankings like those published by U.S. News & World Report are important to students and hiring managers alike. However, remember that rankings aren't the final word. Think about college rankings information along with other elements that would make the school attractive to you as a student.
- Funding: Learn about the financial aid promises each school is willing to make for potential students. One schools might offer teaching stipends and scholarships, while another may waive out-of-state tuition for students traveling from other states. The funding package you're offered says a lot about how the school values you as a student.
- Professors: You may be tempted to attend a school based on the strength of one faculty member. However, be sure to base your application on the general strength of a school's entire environmental science faculty. Because professors often leave for semesters at a time, you want to ensure you are happy with your choice if the top faculty member is not available.
- Extras: Consider the little perks offered by each environmental science department. You could be encouraged to travel and attend conferences, work in the community, or meet with an established career services department. Consider these extras at the point you need to eliminate a few schools from your list.
After you've considered each environmental science school in terms of each category, your top colleges and universities should begin to emerge. This step does take time, but it's good for your educational future to focus your list down to a manageable few.
Step 8: Apply for Environmental Science Master's Degree Programs
You've considered degree types and learning styles, accreditation and personal preferences. At long last, you should have focused your long list of potential environmental science degree programs down to the strongest options. Now, you can start the application process. As you begin, keep the following in mind:
- Meet Requirements: Each environmental science master's degree program asks for different requirements for students. Be prepared to provide everything from resumes and transcripts to letters of recommendation and graduate test scores. See individual schools for more details.
- Personalize: Make a bold statement by personalizing your environmental science application. Be sure to take each school's personality into account as you write each application letter of intent. This personalized touch helps you convince department chairs why you would be an ideal student.
- Observe Deadlines: Don't go to the trouble of carefully researching different schools only to miss an important deadline for one. Each environmental science department has different deadlines for transcripts, applications, and financial aid, and staying organized is key to your success.
If you keep the above in mind, you can help improve your chances of being accepted to one of your top environmental science schools. Researching schools beforehand helps you save time and money on applications, plus you are more likely to attend an environmental science degree program that matches your career goals.
Sources
- Accreditation Search, U.S. Department of Education
- Education Society of American Foresters
- Environmental Studies, The Johns Hopkins University
- Home Page Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST)
- Rankings: Earth Sciences U.S. News and World Report
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