The Professional Science Masters graduate degree with a concentration in Environmental Assessment is designed for graduates of bachelor’s programs in physical/natural sciences, environmental studies, civil/environmental engineering, or related fields, or those who have at least 20 credit hours in these areas who are currently employed, or wanting to be employed, in private firms, public agencies, and not-for-profit organizations that address a range of environmental issues. Key foci in the science curriculum of this program are environmental impact assessment; soil, air, water, and ecosystems science; environmental health and policy; community and climate resilience; and an understanding of environmental law and policy and the regulatory environment.

The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) is a relatively new interdisciplinary graduate degree that combines advanced coursework in science with a set of professional skills courses (project management, technical writing/communications, financial management), and a capstone/internship experience. The environmental assessment-focused graduate program combines physical and natural science, resilience, and sustainability principles with project management and communications training to develop science professionals with the skills to accurately collect, synthesize, and clearly communicate data, develop and implement solutions, and successfully lead teams.

Admission to Graduate Studies

An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.

Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.

The admissions requirements for the Professional Science Master's in Applied Science with a concentration in Environmental Assessment include:

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. The student must have an undergraduate major in the natural, physical, or applied sciences, engineering, or related fields, OR coursework of at least 20 semester hours in the natural and applied sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, geology, physical geography, physics, statistics, and/or civil/environmental engineering). For those without the necessary background courses in undergraduate science, some additional coursework will need to be completed prior to the start of the graduate student program.
2. Statement of interest: This 1-2 page narrative should succinctly summarize your education, employment history, your long-term career goals, and how this degree program will help you achieve these goals.
3. At least two letters of recommendation from persons qualified to offer judgment on your work ethic and ability to undertake graduate-level work.
4. International students must also meet the English proficiency and financial support documentation. Admissions will not result in an F-1 Visa, as the program does not qualify for the F-1 Visa status. 

GRE not required.

All PSMs must include a core of business, communication, and project management skills.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
P.S.M. Core
ENTR 701	Building Entrepreneurial Competency	3
or PFS 802	Managing Teams and Leading People
or PUAD 854	Innovation and Organizational Change
PFS 804	Project Management for Professionals	3
PFS 730	Writing and Speaking for Decision Makers	3
or PFS 801	Interpersonal and Persuasive Communication Skills for Managers
PFS 803	Financial Management for Professional Success	3
or PUAD 837	Advanced Public Budgeting and Finance
Or other professional skills courses chosen in consultation with an advisor
Concentration
EVRN 616	Environmental Impact Assessment	3
EVRN 721	Environmental Regulation and Policy	3
Select two from:		6
EVRN 611	Water Quality, Land Use, and Watershed Ecosystems
EVRN 740	Soil Science for Environmental Assessment
or EVRN 760	Soil Ecology & Restoration
EVRN 750	Environmental Air Quality Assessment
Related Electives		6
Choose 2 courses 1
EVRN 510	Advanced Environmental Applications in Geospatial Techniques
EVRN 701	Climate Change, Ecological Change and Social Change
EVRN 730	Environmental Toxicology
EVRN 736	Environmental Remote Sensing
EVRN 737	Water Resource Sustainability
EVRN 743	Natural Hazards and Environmental Risks
EVRN 747	Fluvial Geomorphology
EVRN 748	Wetland Delineation
EVRN 753	Community Resilience
EVRN 755	Energy and Environment
Capstone
EVRN 814	Professional Science Masters Environmental Assessment Capstone I	1
EVRN 815	Professional Science Masters Environmental Assessment Capstone II	2
Total Hours		33

¹

Or other elective chosen in consultation with an advisor