Environmental Science and Policy, MS

This master's program meets the increasing need for trained environmental professionals who can address the problems of land and water management, land use and urbanization, wetland loss, microbial ecology, bioremediation, conservation biology, and ecosystem preservation. These professionals will also contribute to the analysis and resolution of global problems such as deforestation, insufficient world food supplies, population growth, planetary health, and global climate change. Areas of specific departmental focus include ecosystems, conservation, environmental biocomplexity, molecular ecology, sustainability science, environmental policy and management, and human/environmental interactions.

Environmental problems are defined in the real world and do not necessarily conform to traditional academic disciplines. As such, solutions require creative combinations of diverse interests and subjects. Effective training requires rigorous, problem-focused transdisciplinary action in a setting in which research is an essential element supporting instruction.

This has been designated a Green Leaf program.

Admissions

University-wide admissions policies can be found in the Graduate Admissions Policies section of this catalog. International students and students having earned international degrees should also refer to Admission of International Students for additional requirements.

Eligibility

Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent with a GPA of 3.00 in natural or Earth sciences, engineering, resource planning, environmental studies, or a field that leads to an environmental focus.

Application Requirements

To apply for this program, prospective students should submit the George Mason University Admissions Application and its required supplemental documentation, and:

• Three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a former professor or, if not available, from someone with a PhD.
• Statement of interest indicating: Desired concentration, potential areas of environmental focus/research interest, interactions with potential faculty advisors, and career goals.
• Students choosing the Thesis Track must contact a potential George Mason faculty advisor (appropriate for research interests). The availability of an advisor in the student's area of interest is a prerequisite for admission. The advisor will provide a completed Prospective Advisor Form to be included in the admissions application. More details can be found here.

The GRE is not required for admission into this program.

Policies

For policies governing all graduate programs, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

Transferring Previous Graduate Credit into this Program

Previously earned and relevant graduate credits may be eligible for transfer into this program; details can be found in the Credit by Exam or Transfer section of this catalog.

Course Selections

Some program requirements may be fulfilled by completing courses from a variety of academic units at Mason. A student's course selections should reflect a coherent individual program focus, which is stated and briefly described in the program of study. Course selections should also support the research component of the student's degree program (if applicable) and should be developed in close consultation with the supervisory committee. The supervisory committee approves a coursework program (the program of study) individually for each student.

In special cases, the graduate program director may permit the substitution of an alternative course in place of a required one.

Supervisory Committee

Students must form a supervisory committee and submit a program of study to the ESP Graduate Office (espgrad@gmu.edu) for approval within the first 9 credits of coursework or by the end of the second semester, whichever comes first.

The supervisory committee consists of the advisor and at least two other members, chosen in consultation with the advisor, and must conform to AP.6.9 Requirements for Master's Degrees.

Banner Code: SC-MS-EVSP

Degree Requirements

Total credits: 30-33

This is a Green Leaf program.

Students must complete the Core Courses and then choose either the Environmental Science and Public Policy (Thesis Track) for a total of 30 credits, or the Environmental Science and Public Policy (Non-thesis Track) for a total of 33 credits.

Core Courses

Thesis or Non-Thesis Tracks

Environmental Science and Public Policy

Thesis Track

Non-Thesis Track 

Bachelor's Degree (selected)/Environmental Science and Policy, Accelerated MS

Overview

This bachelor's/accelerated master's degree program allows academically strong undergraduates with a commitment to advance their education to obtain a Green Leaf-designated bachelor's degree and the Environmental Science and Policy, MS degrees within an accelerated timeframe. Upon completion of this 141-credit accelerated program, students will be exceptionally well prepared for entry into their careers or into a doctoral program in the field or in a related discipline.

Students are eligible to apply for this accelerated program once they have earned at least 60 undergraduate credits and can enroll in up to 18 credits of graduate coursework after successfully completing 75 undergraduate credits. This flexibility makes it possible for students to complete a bachelor's and a master's in five years.

For more detailed information, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies. For more information on undergraduates enrolling in graduate courses, see AP.1.4.4 Graduate Course Enrollment by Undergraduates.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in the Graduate Admission Policies section of this catalog.

Important application information and processes for this accelerated master's program can be found here.

The GRE exam is not required for this accelerated master's program.

Students should submit three letters of recommendation (at least one from a former professor or someone with a PhD), a recent resume, a statement of interest/research goals and interests (including information on the candidate's proposed MS research), and a letter from their advisor (Prospective Advisor Form) stating that the advisor agrees to take on the candidate as an MS student, how the candidate would be a good fit for them and why candidate's research topic would be suitable.

Students with an overall GPA of at least 3.20 who are pursuing any Green Leaf-designated major or minor may apply to this accelerated master's program after completing two semesters of chemistry (including CHEM 211 General Chemistry I (Mason Core) and CHEM 212 General Chemistry II (Mason Core) and three semesters of biology, including a course in ecology, or the equivalent, for example:

Graduate Advisor

By at least the beginning of their senior year, students should seek out a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy who is willing to serve as their advisor. This advisor will aid the student in choosing the appropriate graduate courses to take and help to prepare the student for graduate studies. Admission into a research-oriented master's concentration is dependent upon securing the agreement of a faculty advisor. Faculty from a variety of departments and colleges at George Mason University (called "program faculty") can serve as master's advisors. Potential students are encouraged to speak with the graduate program coordinator in the department to obtain guidance on this issue.

Accelerated Option Requirements

After the completion of 75 undergraduate credits, students may complete 3 to 12 credits of graduate coursework that can apply to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In addition to applying to graduate from the undergraduate program, students in the accelerated program must submit a bachelor's/accelerated master's transition form (available from the Office of the University Registrar) to the College of Science's Office of Academic and Student Affairs by the last day to add classes of their final undergraduate semester.

Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in all graduate coursework and should consult with their faculty advisor to coordinate their academic goals.

Reserve Graduate Credits

Accelerated master's students may also take up to 6 graduate credits as reserve graduate credits. These credits do not apply to the undergraduate degree, but will reduce the master's degree by up to 6 credits. With the maximum 12 graduate credits counted toward the undergraduate and graduate degrees plus the maximum 6 reserve graduate credits, the credits necessary for the graduate degree can be reduced by up to 18.

Graduate Course Suggestions

The following list of suggested courses is provided for general reference. To ensure an efficient route to graduation and post-graduation readiness, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor before registering for graduate-level courses.