Admission to the Program

In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for graduate study, students must have completed one year of calculus and one year of laboratory science (biology, chemistry, geology, or physics). A semester or more of economics is recommended. Admission is based on academic record, personal statement, and two letters of recommendation. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. 

Degree Requirements

• 36 credit hours of approved graduate work, including 6 credit hours of ENVS-681, ENVS-690, and ENVS-691 in lieu of a thesis
  Students are required to take ENVS-681 during the spring semester of their final year; they write a paper based on an internship, research, or independent study and present the paper during a venue approved by the graduate advisor. 
• One comprehensive examination; a maximum of two attempts is permitted. 

Course Requirements

Core (18 credit hours)

• CSC-610 Introduction to Geographic Information
      Systems (3) 
• ENVS-580 Environmental Science I: A Quantitative
      Approach (3) 
• ENVS-581 Environmental Science II: A Quantitative
      Approach (3) 
• ENVS-681 Environmental Research Seminar and
      Practicum (3) 

and 

ENVS-690 Environmental Science Research (3) 

or 

ENVS-691 Internship (3) 

• STAT-514 Statistical Methods (3) 

Electives (18 credit hours)

• 18 credit hours chosen in consultation with the graduate advisor from each of the two clusters below. A statistics course (STAT-515, STAT-516, STAT-520, or STAT-524) may be substituted for one of the courses; other courses may be substituted with permission of the graduate advisor. 
• 9 credit hours from the following environmental science courses: 

BIO-562 Aquatic Field Methods (3) 

BIO-563 Terrestrial Field Methods (3) 

BIO/ENVS-596 Selected Topics: Nonrecurring (approved topics) 

ENVS-520 Biogeochemistry (3) 

ENVS-572 Topics in Conservation Biology ( 

ENVS-575 Environmental Risk Assessment (3) 

ENVS-675 Water Resources (3) 

• 9 credit hours from the following environmental policy/economics courses: 

ECON-579 Environmental Economics (3) 

ENVS-582 Environmental Law (3) 

PUAD-606 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3) 

SIS-620 Studies in Global Environmental
Politics (3) (topics) 

SIS-649 Environment and Development (3) 

SIS-660 Environment and Politics (3) 

SOCY-689 Environmental Sociology (3) 

Combined Bachelor’s Degree and M.S. in Environmental Science

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs. Undergraduate students may complete up to 3 credits for every 9 credits required for the graduate degree that may be applied to the requirements for both degree programs.  The department that oversees the graduate program the student enters will determine if the courses the undergraduate student completes will satisfy master’s degree requirements. Bachelor’s/master’s students must complete at least 18 in-residence credit hours at the graduate level after the bachelor’s degree is earned and  maintain continuous, sequential enrollment in the two programs 

This program enables qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree in any field and an M.S. in Environmental Science. 

Requirements

• Undergraduates should apply for admission to the combined program by the end of the junior year. At a minimum, students must have an overall grade point average of 3.00 or higher, and have taken a year of laboratory science (BIO-110/210 General Biology I/II, CHEM-110/210 General Chemistry I/II, PHYS-105/205 College Physics I/II or PHYS-110/210 University Physics I/II) and a year of calculus (MATH-221/222, MATH-211/212). Applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores may be required for admission to the combined program. Students should discuss their interest in the program with the Environmental Studies coordinator before submitting an application. 
• All requirements for a B.A. or B.S. in any majo) at American University  

Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate-level course work to satisfy the requirements of both degrees; ENVS-580 Environmental Science I and ENVS-581 Environmental Science II are recommended. 

• All requirements for the M.S. in Environmental Science, including a minimum of 18 credit hours completed in residence in graduate status after the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Students must finish the master’s degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program.