Environmental Science

Masters in Environmental Science

The University of Florida now offers an off-campus Master of Science degree (non-thesis or thesis option) with a concentration in Environmental Science taught at Research and Education Centers (REC) located statewide. The program is administered by the College of Agricultural and Life Science’s Soil and Water Science Department. Courses are offered via distance education to accommodate place-bound students interested in environmental issues related to the soil and water quality of urban lands, wetlands, forested lands, range lands, or agricultural lands.

• Prerequisites
• Program of Study
• General Course Listing

Prerequisites

To enroll in this program, a student should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in soil and water science, geology, natural resources, biology, ecology, hydrogeology, microbiology, environmental science, horticultural science, environmental engineering, agricultural engineering, or agronomy.

A student who does not meet these requirements will be expected to make up deficiencies early in their graduate program. Admission criteria include a B average or better for the last two years of the baccalaureate program and a satisfactory score (total 1000 in verbal and quantitative portions) on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

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Program of Study

A supervisory committee approves a program of study for each student. Courses needed to complete the program of study will be offered through the worldwide web (WWW) format. The student will develop a research project with an advisor from a REC or other academic institution and defend a thesis (except for those in the non-thesis option) as a requirement for the program of study. Non-thesis students are required to conduct a special project under the supervision of their advisor. All students are required to present a seminar on the main campus on a topic related to their thesis or special project.

The thesis M.S. requires a minimum course load of 30 credits, at least 24 of which must be regular course credits. The program may include up to 6 credit hours of Research for Masters Thesis (SOS 6971). At least 12 of these 30 credits, exclusive of SOS 6971, must be graduate-level courses within the SWSD.

The non-thesis M.S. requires a minimum of 34 letter-graded credits with a minimum of 17 letter-graded credits in SWS at or above the 5000 level. Credits taken outside the department must be at the 3000 level or above. The student is required to submit a major paper on a topic in SWS. This paper represents work sufficient for at least 2 credits of independent study (SOS 6905).

Graduate level courses with grades of B or better (up to 9 credits) from another accredited university may be accepted for transfer (approval by supervisory committee and Dean of the Graduate School).

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General Course Listing

• Soil Science for Environmental Professionals
• Wetlands & Water Quality
• Soil Microbial Ecology
• GIS in Land Resource Management
• Water Resource Sustainability
• Soil & Water Chemistry
• Environmental Nutrient Management
• Soil Contamination & Remediation
• Biochemistry of Wetlands
• South Florida Ecosystems
• Environmental Soil, Water & Land Use
• Fundamentals of Ectoxicology
• Hydric Soils
• Environmental Soil Physics

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