Environmental Science

Coordinator: Roman N. Zajac, Professor, Ph.D., University of Connecticut

The purpose of this program is to provide graduate-level education for careers in environmental science as well as for other areas requiring knowledge of environmental principles. It is intended to meet the needs of those who wish to enter this dynamic and expanding field, those who are active environmental scientists and managers, and also those who plan to pursue graduate training beyond the master’s level. An interdisciplinary program composed of courses in ecology, geology, chemistry, and legislation, it provides the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to meet the increasing demand for scientists with an environmental background. Field and laboratory work provide practical experience for students enrolled in the program, while ongoing faculty projects provide opportunities to perform research on various environmental problems and issues.

Scientists knowledgeable in environmental issues are needed by employers in the following major areas:

government agencies, particularly in the areas of environmental protection and management
water, sewer, and power-generation utilities
analytic laboratories
environmental and engineering firms
industries in the field of pollution control
private industry and management
non-governmental organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and conservation groups
educational institutions such as museums and science centers

Admission Policy

Candidates for admission to the environmental science program are expected to have a bachelor’s degree in the sciences with courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and calculus. Also suggested are a course in introductory statistics and a course in physics. Students who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in science or who lack the minimum program prerequisites must complete them before enrolling in certain specific graduate courses, as will be determined in consultation with the program coordinator.

It is expected that prerequisites be completed either prior to enrolling in graduate courses or within a year of admission into the program. This period can be extended only with the consent of the program coordinator. Students who must take a course in organic chemistry as a prerequisite may choose to take CH 600 - Introduction to Environmental Chemistry to fulfill this requirement. It should be noted, however, that CH 600 is taken on an excess-credit basis and does not count toward fulfilling the program requirement of 42 graduate credits.