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The environmental studies M.S. requires 39 hours of GMC graduate credits, including two brief residency programs at our Poultney, Vermont campus. 21 of those credit hours represent a common core of courses that provides a background in the major fields associated with environmental studies.
Building on this core are two concentrations: Conservation Biology and Writing & Communications. Students may also chart their own course through a self-designed concentration, arranged in close consultation with a faculty advisor.
The following core credits are required of all students seeking an M.S. in Environmental Studies.
Core Courses
- Natural Systems Ecology
- Environmental Law & Policy
- Environmental History & Philosophy
- Environmental Leadership & Community Involvement
- Practicum
- Research Methods & Thesis Design
- Thesis
- Bioregional Theory & Practice
In consultation with an advisor, students will complete their degree by choosing courses from one of the following concentrations.
Conservation Biology Concentration
The Conservation Biology concentration, which builds on GMC faculty expertise in environmental science and policy, helps graduates advance in professional careers that require interdisciplinary understanding of the social and natural sciences as they apply to environmental management.
In addition to the twenty-four core credits required of all majors, students on the Conservation Biology track will take six credits of context courses, choosing from Conservation Biology, Environmental Administrative Law, Risk Assessment, and Conservation Genetics.
As they develop their theses, Conservation Biology students will also choose from among a number of applied courses, including the following:
- Forest Ecology
- Watershed Management
- Wildlife Law
- Biogeography
Writing & Communications Concentration
The Writing & Communications concentration takes advantage of the community of environmental writers who teach at GMC to offer a truly distinctive degree for students who wish to work as professional communicators in the environmental field.
In addition to the twenty-four core credits required of all majors, students on the Writing and Communications track will take six credits of context courses, choosing from Environmental Communications, Traditions of Natural History Writing, and Professional Writing and Advocacy.
As they develop their theses, Writing and Communications students will also choose from among a number of applied courses, including the following:
- Field Journaling
- Grant Writing Workshop
- Science Writing Workshop
- Web Design Workshop
Self-Designed Concentration
In some cases, students seeking an MS in Environmental Studies may find that neither of these concentrations quite meets their needs. Under special circumstances, they may be allowed to work with an advisor to craft an individually tailored curriculum. In addition to the core credits required of all majors, these students will take an additional fifteen credits, striving for balance between essential contexts and specific application.
Download a self-design concentration outline & agreement.
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