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2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
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2020-2021 Graduate Catalog

Environmental Sciences MS

 ►  Graduate School Policies and Procedures  apply to this program 

Program Director: Gregory Simon
Office: North Classroom
Fax: 303-315-7526
E-mail: gregory.simon@ucdenver.edu
Web site: MS in Environmental Sciences website

Core Faculty of the M.S. in Environmental Sciences Program

Professors:
Anne Chin, Geography and Environmental Science
Pamela Jansma, Geography and Environmental Science

Associate Professors:
Peter Anthamatten, Geography and Environmental Science
Frederick B. Chambers, Geography and Environmental Science
Rafael Moreno-Sanchez, Geography and Environmental Science
Brian Page, Geography and Environmental Science
Gregory Simon, Geography and Environmental Science
Brian S. Wee, Geography and Environmental Science

Assistant Professors:
Christy Briles, Geography and Environmental Science 
Benjamin Crawford, Geography and Environmental Science
Katharine Kelsey, Geography and Environmental Science

Senior Instructors:
Thomas Duster, Geography and Environmental Science
Amanda Weaver, Geography and Environmental Science

Instructors:
Kirsten Christensen, Geography and Environmental Science
Matthew Cross, Geography and Environmental Science

Lecturers:
Richard DeGrandchamp, Geography and Environmental Science

Faculty Affiliates to the M.S. in Environmental Sciences Program

Professors:
N. Y. Chang, Civil Engineering
Diana F. Tomback, Integrative Biology

Associate Professors:
Leo P. Bruederle, Integrative Biology
Greg Cronin, Integrative Biology
Michael J. Green, Integrative Biology
Timberly M. Roane, Integrative Biology
Michael Wunder, Integrative Biology

Assistant Professors:
Annika Mosier, Integrative Biology
Alan Vajda, Integrative Biology

Environmental Sciences is a multidisciplinary study of the natural/physical environment. Academic fields involved in environmental sciences include chemistry, biology and ecology, physics, geology, geography, anthropology, engineering, political science, law, economics and the health sciences. Students planning to pursue the MS in Environmental Sciences must either have earned a bachelor’s degree or have taken significant course work in the natural/physical sciences or engineering and completed several other prerequisites (see the following graduate information).

Environmental careers encompass a broad range of professions, from those with a strong foundation in the natural/physical sciences or engineering to those based in the social sciences and/or humanities. Students interested in environmental issues and careers should investigate the whole field before deciding which path to follow. At CU Denver, the MS in Environmental Sciences emphasizes the natural/physical sciences and engineering with the addition of the social sciences and humanities.

The MS in Environmental Sciences degree is designed to provide training in engineering, natural/physical sciences and social sciences. The goals of the program are (1) to enhance the interdisciplinary communication and analytical skills of the student, and (2) to provide a multidisciplinary approach for more intensive study of a particular environmental issue. Students will receive instruction in the physical and biological dynamics of various ecosystems, environmental engineering and socioeconomic issues associated with environmental analysis.

Graduates of the MS in Environmental Sciences program are involved in many different areas, such as reviewing environmental impact statements, monitoring groundwater quality and communicating with the public. Many students have found employment in various agencies (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado State Department of Public Health and Environment) and private-sector environmental and engineering firms.

Requirements for Admission

The program is for students who either have baccalaureate degrees or have a significant background in one of the natural/physical sciences or engineering. In addition, minimum undergraduate science and math requirements are:

  • one semester of calculus and one semester of upper-division statistics (if applicant is missing the statistics course, he/she can be admitted but must take ENVS 5600, Applied Statistics, or an approved statistics course as an elective before receiving the MS in Environmental Sciences degree)
  • either two semesters of general chemistry with lab or two semesters of general biology with lab
  • one semester of physics

If only two semesters of the prerequisite courses are lacking, students may be admitted, but must take them in the first year in the program. Applicants who have fulfilled all prerequisites have a better chance of acceptance. Applicants may be required to take additional prerequisite courses (necessary for completing particular core or elective courses). The prerequisite courses will not count toward the MS in environmental sciences degree. As part of the admission review process, applicants are required to submit a graduate application, a minimum of three letters of recommendation and transcripts from all institutions previously attended. CU Denver has a minimum requirement of a 3.0 undergraduate GPA for applicants to the Graduate School. The program admits new students for the fall semester only, and the number of students admitted to the program depends, in part, on space availability. Applicants must submit all materials by the February 1st deadline.

Financial Aid

There are three types of financial aid available: student hourly teaching assistantship; research assistantship positions funded by grants to specific program faculty; and the regular package of financial aid (primarily loans) available through the financial aid office on the Denver campus. Incoming students will be automatically considered for program-distributed assistance at the time of admission to the program. Continuing students will be regularly apprised of available aid and positions. All other aid should be requested through the CU Denver Financial Aid Office, Student Commons Building 5th floor, Campus Box 125, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217-3364. Telephone: 303-315-1850.

Internships

Students in the MS in Environmental Sciences program are strongly encouraged to contact the Experiential Learning Center for internships and paid positions related to environmental sciences. The Experiential Learning Center is located in the Tivoli Student Union, Suite 260. Telephone: 303-556-2250. Many students have had internships in federal agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Program Requirements

The MS in Environmental Sciences is a 39-hour program that provides students with two alternate plans: Plan I requires a thesis, while Plan II is a non-thesis program. General requirements for the program include a set of core courses (9-12 semester hours) and elective courses (24-27 semester hours minimum). Students choosing to complete the thesis option must also complete 3 hours of thesis credit, while those choosing the non-thesis option must complete 3 hours of additional elective coursework.

The degree is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with the cooperation of the College of Engineering, Design and Computing. In addition, some courses offered by the College of Architecture and Planning, the School of Public Affairs and the Business School are relevant and applicable to the program.

Thesis Option

Non-thesis Option

Elective Courses

(See the MS in Environmental Sciences website for a complete list of elective courses for the MS in Environmental Sciences program.)

Students, with the coordinator and/or an advisor, will complete a program plan that will include 24-30 semester hours of elective requirements that will meet their interests. Students may choose to use four of the electives to fulfill one of the following options offered in environmental sciences: air quality, ecosystems, environmental health, environmental science education, geospatial analysis, hazardous waste or water quality. Students must have the prerequisites for each course and must meet the requirements listed in the notes below. Contact the option advisor for the particular option of interest before starting. Upon graduation, the option will be noted on the student’s transcript.

Following are the requirements for each environmental sciences option:

AIR QUALITY OPTION

Option Advisor: Frederick Chambers
E-mail: Frederick.Chambers@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours 

ECOSYSTEMS OPTION*

Option Advisor: Christy Briles
E-mail: Christy.Briles@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours

* BIOL 5445, Applied Environmental Biology, is required as a prerequisite for the ecosystems option.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OPTION*

Option Advisor: Peter Anthamatten
E-mail: Peter.Anthamatten@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours

* ENVS 6200, Risk Assessment, is required as a prerequisite for the environmental health option.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE EDUCATION OPTION

Option Advisor: Bryan Wee
E-mail: bryan.wee@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours
Option Total: 12 Hours

GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OPTION*

Option Advisor: Rafael Moreno
E-mail: Rafael.Moreno@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours

* GEOG 3080, Introduction to Mapping and Map Analysis, is required as a prerequisite of the geospatial analysis option.

SUSTAINABLE URBAN AGRICULTURE OPTION

Option Advisor: Amanda Weaver
E-mail: amanda.weaver@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours

WATER SYSTEMS OPTION*

Option Advisor: Anne Chin
E-mail: anne.chin@ucdenver.edu

Required Courses
Total: 6 Hours
Electives

Choose two:

Total: 6 Hours

Option Total: 12 Hours

*CHEM 5700, Environmental Chemistry, or appropriate chemistry background is required as a prerequisite of the water quality option.

Notes:

  1. Many of the elective courses have prerequisites; student must have met these requirements in order to take the course.
  2. One course may not be used for more than one option, even if it is listed in several options.  Other courses may be offered that will be acceptable as electives with approval of the option advisor and the director of the program.
  3. Courses applied to either a certificate* or an MS degree may later be applied toward the other if all pertinent coursework is completed within a five­ year time period.
  4. Students should fill out and submit all relevant department forms for their files. Importantly, all petitions for course substitutions and identification of where courses fit as electives, with the subsequent approval/denial, should be submitted to this file.
  5. By the end of the first semester, each student should identify and declare whether or not s/he is pursuing the thesis or non-thesis option. If intending to pursue the thesis option, the student should identify and gain agreement from a content advisor for guiding the thesis, filling out and submitting the appropriate departmental form.
  6. Many of the electives have pre-requisites; students must have met these requirements in order to take the course.
  7. Students may transfer up to 9 hours of approved graduate-level credit into the program. These courses must be approved by the Graduate Director and they may not replace core courses
  8. Students may count up to 6-credit hours of independent, with a maximum of 3-credit hours per independent study towards elective credit in the major as approved by the Graduate Director. No more than 3 credit hours of independent study may be taken with the same instructor and they may not be taken in the same term.
  9. Students may count up to 6-credit hours of internship in total, but 3-credit hours per internship and per entity (sponsorship may be with same professor sponsor)
  10. Students may not count 4000-level courses towards electives in the program; this may be petitioned to the Graduate Committee in exceptional cases.
  11. Students may take a maximum of 2 online courses, or petition to the GES Graduate Committee beyond two.
  12. Students may enroll in thesis preparation and writing hours only after submission of signed committee form, which requires approval of the thesis proposal.
  13. Students will not receive a grade for thesis preparation and writing hours until the thesis is successfully defended.
  14. Students must follow the graduate school deadlines for submission of paperwork for the graduation application, comprehensive exam, and any other deadlines. Links to these can be found on the GES/MS website.
  15. Work submitted for the environmental sciences options must have a grade of B (3.0) or better.

* The Geospatial, Environmental Education, and Urban Agriculture options of the program lead towards independent graduate certificates.  These certificates may be earned without entrance into the MS in environmental sciences program. (See the Geographic Information Science Graduate Certificate  , Sustainable Urban Agriculture Graduate Certificate , and Environmental Science Education Graduate Certificate  descriptions.)