Each student should demonstrate a competency in the following areas of environmental science: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, engineering principles, and ecology. The selection of courses may vary according to the students’ background. Some or all of the following course categories may be appropriate to be determined in consultation with the gatekeepers for each course category.
Previous Curriculum:
Curriculum for students who began Fall 2024
Each student should demonstrate competency in the following areas of environmental science: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, engineering principles, and ecology.
Students may seek waivers via gatekeepers based on their background or former academic training. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
NOTE: Each listed course is worth 3 credit hours unless indicated otherwise.
SPEA-E 526 Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science | Prerequisite: differential and integral calculus |
SPEA-E 527 Applied Ecology |
|
SPEA-E 536 Environmental Chemistry | Prerequisite: undergrad chemistry course with lab |
SPEA-E 538 Statistics for Environmental Science |
|
Additional Quantitative Core course (may not double-count for other requirements) | Pick one from the list below |
Quantitative Core options (choose one):
| SPEA-E 518 Vector-based GIS | |
| SPEA-E 529 Application of GIS | *Prerequisite: E518, other introductory GIS course with lab, or equivalent practical experience |
| SPEA-E 539 Aquatic Chemistry | *Recommended: E536 |
| SPEA-E 554 Groundwater Flow Modeling | |
| SPEA-E 555 Coding Series (1 credit hour each) | *Must complete all three courses in series |
| SPEA-I 515 Data Science for Public and Environmental Affairs | |
| SPEA-P 507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | *Prerequisite: E538 or V506 |
| SPEA-P 539 Management Science for Public Affairs | *Prerequisite: E538 or V506 |
| SPEA-P 541 Benefit-Cost Analysis | *Prerequisite: V517 or instructor permission |
| SPEA-P 562 Public Program Evaluation | *Prerequisite: V506 or equivalent coursework |
| SPEA-R 564 Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Design and Implementation | *Prerequisite: V517 |
| SPEA-R 625 Environmental Economics and Policy | *Prerequisite: V517 |
| SPEA-R 674 Energy Economics and Policy | *Prerequisite: V517 |
| *GEOG-G 532 Physical Meteorology and Climatology | |
| *GEOG-G 551 Physical Hydrology |
*Registration in courses outside of O’Neill requires an Outside-Program Course Request Form approved by the appropriate Faculty Program Director. Please refer to the page outlining the policy on outside course substitutions.
Economics, Management, and Policy Core Competencies (6 credit hours) Each student should demonstrate competency in these areas of environmental management. The selection of courses may vary according to the student’s concentration and professional objectives. Courses should be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor; an advisor may approve other relevant courses not listed here.
SPEA-E 543 Environmental Management |
|
SPEA-R XXX All SPEA-R courses
| *Note: Any SPEA-R courses are automatically pre-approved |
SPEA-V 517 Public Management Economics |
|
SPEA-S 596 Sustainable Development | *Prerequisite: V517 or equivalent coursework |
Tool Skill courses provide students with quantitative and analytical tools to enhance problem-solving abilities. Strategic choices in tool courses can deepen or broaden your skill set; discussions with advisors, including the program director, may be appropriate. The course list below includes many of the most commonly used tools courses, but other courses may be approved by an advisor, including appropriate topics courses (E555 and V550). Unlike the core quantitative course requirement, Tool Skill courses may also count as concentration electives and/or capstone classes.
SPEA-E 518 Vector-based Geographic Information Systems |
|
SPEA-E 529 Application of Geographic Information Systems | *Prerequisite: E518, or other introductory GIS course with lab, or equivalent practical experience |
SPEA-E 554 Groundwater Flow Modeling |
|
SPEA-E 555 Introduction to Coding for Environment and Policy (1 cr.) |
|
SPEA-E 555 Python Programming for Environment and Policy (1 cr.) |
|
SPEA-E 555 Using R for Environment and Policy (1 cr.) | *Prerequisite: E555 Intro to Coding for Env. and Pol. |
SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis | *Prerequisite: E538, V506, or consent of instructor. A firm foundation in math and/or science is useful. |
SPEA-P 507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | *Prerequisite: E538 or V506 |
SPEA-P 539 Management Science for Public Affairs | *Prerequisite: E538 or V506 |
SPEA-P 541 Benefit-Cost Analysis | *Prerequisite: V517 or consent of instructor |
SPEA-P 562 Public Program Evaluation | *Prerequisite: V506 or equivalent coursework |
MSES students must complete a concentration. They may select one of the four concentrations described in the pages that follow. Topics courses and independent study credits may be included in any concentration with the approval of a concentration advisor. MSES students also have the option of pursuing a specialized concentration or thesis.
The Ecology and Conservation concentration focuses on problem-solving techniques applied to current ecological issues. The diversity of the earth’s living species in both natural and managed ecosystems offer students a variety of study areas within ecology and conservation, including forest ecology and management, fisheries and wildlife management, soil and watershed management, endangered species, and wetlands. Courses should be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor.
As a reminder, MSES students should prioritize their core courses and appropriate course sequencing. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
REQUIREMENTS: (6 credit hours)
Field and Identification Core – Select two courses from the following list:
ELECTIVES: (9 credit hours)
Ecology and Conservation Electives – Take an additional three classes from the above list or from the additional electives listed below:
Concentration Advisor:
Vicky Meretsky |
The MSES Energy and Climate Change Science concentration trains students in the scientific and technological aspects of energy generation, utilization, and impacts of these practices as well as science and technology associated with the study of climate change and its impacts. Courses should be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor to ensure the best fit for student interests in this broad and dynamic field.
As a reminder, MSES students should prioritize their core courses and appropriate course sequencing. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
REQUIREMENTS: (3 credit hours)
The following course is required.
ELECTIVES: (12 credit hours)
Select four of the following courses. Two may be out-of-O’Neill courses.
Concentration Advisors:
Vicky Meretsky | |
Kim Novick |
The ECTRA concentration addresses the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment and the hazards and risks to human health and the environment associated with chemical pollution. Courses on the chemical/physical/biological fate of pollutants in soil, aquatic, and atmospheric systems are included. Additional courses study the hazards associated with chemicals used by modern society, technologies available to manage and remediate contaminated sites, the toxicological effects of chemical exposure, and methods to assess risks associated with chemicals in the environment. Courses should be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor.
As a reminder, MSES students should prioritize their core courses and appropriate course sequencing. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
REQUIREMENTS: (9 credit hours)
ECTRA Core – Select one course from each of the following three groups:
Environmental Chemistry (select one):
Toxicology (select one):
Risk Analysis:
ELECTIVES: (6 credit hours)
ECTRA Electives – Select an additional two courses from the above lists or from the additional electives listed below.
Concentration Advisors:
Joe Shaw | |
Marta Venier | |
Jonathan Raff |
The water resources concentration emphasizes scientific principles of water quantity and quality. Courses provide information and problem-solving skills using biological, chemical, and physical descriptions of water in the environment. Courses should be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor.
As a reminder, MSES students should prioritize their core courses and appropriate course sequencing. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
REQUIREMENTS: (9 credit hours)
Water Resources Core – Take three courses including at least one course from each section.
Physical and Chemical Aspects of Water (select at least one course):
Ecological Aspects of Water (select at least one course):
ELECTIVES: (6 credit hours)
Water Resources Electives – Select an additional two courses from the above lists or from the additional electives listed below.
Concentration Advisor:
Sarah Powers |
A student, whose educational and professional goals are not satisfied by O’Neill’s concentrations, may design a Specialized Concentration that best suits his or her needs in consultation with a faculty advisor with final approval required by the relevant faculty program director(s). The student, the student’s advisor, and the appropriate Faculty Program Director must sign a Specialized Concentration Form that specifies the courses that will comprise the customized concentration. This form is available in Forms section of the Current Student Portal. The completed Specialized Concentration Form must be submitted prior to enrolling in the courses outlined. The concentration must be declared within the first 24 credit hours of the student’s academic program.
MSES specialized concentrations consist of a minimum of 15 credit hours and are composed of E-series courses (excluding E555 Environmental Sustainability Science). At least two MSES concentration courses must focus on science content. MSES concentration courses beyond the minimum of two science-focused courses may include tools/methods courses such as E511 Sustainability Assessment, E512 Risk Communication, E518 Vector-based GIS, E529 Applications of GIS, E555 Conservation Planning and other E555 tools, methods, or coding courses. MSES core courses (E526, E527, E536, E538 and the quantitative course selection) do not count as part of MSES concentration requirements. Students must take O’Neill courses unless approved by a faculty advisor(s) and the appropriate Faculty Program Director(s). Students must name their Specialized Concentration. However, these names will not appear on their IU transcript. Instead, after “Major” the words “Specialized Study” will appear.
Students who wish to pursue their own research may do so under the MSES thesis concentration. Note that a master’s thesis is generally not required for admission to doctoral programs, although research experience (for example, through graduate assistantships or research internships) is strongly recommended. Students interested in research experience and considering a future doctoral degree should talk with the MSES faculty advisors to determine what kinds of research experience will be most useful to them. It may also be useful to explore webpages of possible doctoral-program websites to determine the desired research experience for applicants in your chosen field.
Students pursue the MSES thesis concentration under the guidance of a major professor and thesis committee comprising at least 3 O’Neill faculty (including the major advisor). Students must find a faculty member willing to work with them as a major professor, and must do so early in their degree, preferably in their first semester. Because of the need for close faculty guidance, O’Neill can only support a few MSES thesis projects at any one time. Many more students obtain research experience (sometimes including co-authorship on journal articles) as GAs and research interns.
After the student has found a major advisor, the two work together to determine whom to ask to join the MSES thesis committee. Once the committee has been established, the student files a Nomination of Advisory Committee for the MSES Thesis form (available in the Forms section of the Current Student Portal) with the O’Neill Records Office (oneillrc@indiana.edu).
MSES thesis concentrations must have a minimum of 18 credits, comprising environmental science coursework and research credit (E625), and may have as much as 24 credits. The mix of research and courses is designed and agreed upon among the student, major advisor, and other committee members, and is recorded on an MSES Thesis Coursework form (available in the Forms section of the Current Student Portal) submitted to the O’Neill Records Office (oneillrc@indiana.edu) for approval by the MSES program director.
Students taking the MSES thesis concentration must still meet the requirements for at least 6 credits of Economics/Management/Policy coursework, which will typically fall outside the thesis concentration. The capstone requirement and experiential requirement are met by the thesis concentration: students do not need to take a specific capstone course nor are they required to complete an internship. This does not prevent MSES thesis students from taking a capstone course or undertaking an internship if they wish to do so. However, MSES thesis students who choose to take an internship would not register it with the Career Hub.
Once the thesis research is completed, the student writes up the results as a master’s thesis. MSES thesis formatting instructions are in the document MSES Thesis Components, Formatting, and Submission (available in the Forms section of the Current Student Portal). Students and major professors may also choose to publish the MSES thesis research as a journal article. The process of preparing a journal article is separate from the MSES thesis submission process, but the MSES thesis and the article may be quite similar in their content and formatting.
When the full MSES thesis is drafted, the student must successfully defend the thesis, providing a public presentation (typically 30-45 min) about the research and then making a closed-door defense to the thesis committee (typically 1-2 hr). If the thesis is accepted, the committee signs the MSES Thesis Acceptance form (available in the Forms section of the Current Student Portal). If revisions to the thesis are required, the committee may sign the acceptance form at the defense or may request to see the finalized revisions before signing.
After the MSES thesis is accepted and the acceptance form has been signed by the entire committee, the student sends a copy of the final version of the MSES thesis (which includes the signed acceptance form) as a Word document, to the major advisor. The advisor, in turn, transmits electronic copies of the final thesis to the MSES program director, the O’Neill Records Office, and to the librarian who is the head of the Business/O’Neill Information Commons using the appropriate form (available in the Forms section of the Current Student Portal).
This accomplishes two aims. First, it confirms to the Master’s Programs Office and to the O’Neill Graduate Records Office that the thesis research (and, usually, the concentration) is completed, and assigns final grades to any E625 research courses that were part of the thesis work. Second, it provides a copy of the MSES thesis to be added to the IU Library System and to be made available to the ProQuest, LLC Dissertation and Thesis portfolio. Researchers and other members of the public can search both the IU Library System and the ProQuest database to find the MSES thesis.
Students completing the MSES degree must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of three options. See the Policies & Procedures page for more details.
SPEA-E 589 | Practicum in Environmental Science |
