This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Program goal
The goal of the M.S. in Environmental Studies is to provide an interdisciplinary master’s degree program in environmental studies that emphasizes the critical links between environmental life sciences and public policy. This goal necessitates training that crosses disciplinary boundaries. Through a program of study combining environmental science, environmental technology and environmental policy, the successful graduate will gain a range of skills designed to facilitate a science-based understanding of the natural world and human interactions with it. The M.S. is specifically designed to prepare students for careers involving science and policy research through the completion of a culminating thesis project.
Student learning outcomes
- Multidisciplinary content: Graduates will acquire foundational knowledge from a broad range of disciplines that are directly relevant to environmental science and policy with particular emphasis on earth sciences ecology and environmental policy.
- Environmental data and technology: Graduates will master cutting-edge skills in data collection management and analysis. Special emphasis will be placed on geographic information systems and the R programming language.
- Application and communication: Graduates will develop a novel application to showcase their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Relevant examples may include a thesis project and publication, delivery of a technical report or database to a state agency partner, or a multimedia collaboration with the Science Museum of Virginia.
VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs
The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.
It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.
Degree candidacy requirements
A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.
Graduation requirements
As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. | Fall | Feb 1 | TOEFL (or IELTS or equivalent) for international students |
| Spring | Aug 15 |
Special requirements
- For students seeking consideration for fall admission and potential funding, preference is given to applications received by Feb. 1. See program website for details.
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, applicants must have successfully completed undergraduate training and hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution reflecting ability to perform at the graduate level.
While qualified students from any baccalaureate program will be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Environmental Studies (M.S.) program, due to the program goal of linking science and policy, students with narrow training in one field or the other may be required to complete some basic education in the alternate field prior to full admission. Moreover, admission to the M.S. program requires a sponsoring faculty adviser, who will function as a thesis adviser for the admitted student. Students without such sponsorship will be considered for admission to the Master of Environmental Studies (M.Envs.) degree program. If an appropriate adviser is identified following admission, the student’s program may be changed to the M.S. program.
Students admitted to the program are generally drawn from applicants with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent). Applicants holding an undergraduate degree from recognized foreign institutions should display an acceptable level of English proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 600 on the TOEFL paper-based examination or 100 on the Internet-based examination. The IELTS or equivalent is considered as well.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 33 graduate credit hours, approved by the program director, with an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 on all graduate course work attempted after acceptance into the program (At least one-half of required course work must be at the 600 level or higher).
- Complete five required core courses (13 credit hours)
- Complete an additional seven credit hours of approved graduate electives
- Develop a research proposal approved by a committee of three faculty members
- Qualify for degree candidacy based upon satisfactory completion of the above requirements
- Complete the proposed research culminating in a publication-quality thesis (minimum of 13 research/thesis credit hours)
- Successfully defend the research thesis
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core requirements | ||
| ENVS 521 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| ENVS 543 | Environmental Data Literacy | 3 |
| ENVS 601 | Survey in Environmental Studies | 3 |
| ENVS 603 | Environmental Research Methods | 3 |
| OVPR 601 | Scientific Integrity | 1 |
| Thesis | ||
| Select a minimum of 13 credit hours (M.S. degree only): | 13 | |
| Research | ||
or ENVS 698 | Thesis | |
| Electives | ||
| Choose any ENVS courses at the 500 or 600 level or select from electives below. 1 | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Courses must represent at least two of the disciplines below. Listed courses are options and are not comprehensive of all electives. Other electives may be allowed with prior permission of major adviser and program director.
Electives
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 510 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 514 | Stream Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 591 | Special Topics in Biology (applied and environmental microbiology) | 1-4 |
| ENVS 510 | Stream Surveys | 3 |
| ENVS 515 | Tropical Field Ecology | 4 |
| ENVS 518 | Healthy Food: Behaviors & Environments | 3 |
| ENVS 519 | Environmental Field Research | 1-3 |
| ENVS 531 | Landscape Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 532 | Urban Ecology | 3 |
| ENVS 541 | Principles of Waste Management | 3 |
| ENVS 550 | Ecological Risk Assessment | 3 |
| ENVS 555 | Hydrogeology | 3 |
| ENVS/ANTH 556 | Historical and Cultural Landscapes | 3 |
| ENVS 575 | Avian Ecology and Conservation | 4 |
| ENVS 591 | Topics in Environmental Studies | 1-4 |
| ENVS 602 | Environmental Technology | 1-3 |
| ENVS 627 | Infographics: Visualization of Scientific Data | 3 |
| ENVS/PADM 628 | Environmental Policy and Administration | 3 |
| ENVS/GVPA 640 | River Policy | 3 |
| ENVS 650 | Pesticides, Health and the Environment | 3 |
| ENVS/URSP 654 | Environmental Remote Sensing | 3 |
| ENVS 655 | Hydrogeology | 3 |
| ENVS 660 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| ENVS 670 | Pollution Physiology | 3 |
| ENVS 675 | Advanced Environmental Applications of GIS | 3 |
| ENVS 691 | Topics in Environmental Studies (environmental applications of GIS) | 1-3 |
| ENVS 692 | Independent Study 1 | 1-3 |
| ENVS 693 | Internship in Environmental Studies 1 | 1-3 |
| PADM 601 | Intro to Public Service and Administration | 3 |
| URSP 650 | Natural Resources and Environmental Planning | 3 |
| URSP 652 | Environmental Analysis | 3 |
The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 33.
Contact
Lesley Bulluck, Ph.D.
Associate professor and graduate program director
lpbulluck@vcu.edu
(804) 828-0072
Program website: ces.vcu.edu