Details and information of the environmental science program
MS environmental sciences (Major code: 5105)
Admission conditions
In addition to the university requirements for admission, the applicant must:
- Have a baccalaureate in biology, environmental sciences or in a related field of an accredited institution.
- Complete all the requirements for admissions to the Graduate School before the end of the first semester of higher education courses. (See “Higher studies entryยป)
- Have a global cumulative weighted average of a minimum of 2.85.
- Note: The MS environmental science program no longer requires GRE for admissions.
Admission can be granted for students with less than the minimum weight average or test results after a conditional period of 12 to 15 hours of registration for higher studies without a note below a “B.” Students holding undergraduate diplomas in fields other than biology or environmental sciences may be necessary to take specific leveling courses, such as organic chemistry, basic statistics (or equivalent mathematics; for example, math2413), physical geology, hydrogeology and / or microbiology.
Admission to the program is selective. Students interested in a master's research assistant are strongly encouraged to visit the campus and / or meet the faculty remotely in their proposed university study. Students are encouraged to identify / contact the chairman of the master's degree and / or the academic supervisor willing to supervise the courses and / or the project research.
In addition to meeting the admission requirements mentioned above, international students wishing to continue the Master of Science in biology or environmental sciences must submit one of the following minimum test scores (for all requirements, consult the international students' web page-candidates: http://wtamu.edu/stude-support/international-plicants.aspx):
- TOEFL – Score of 233 (computer -based computer); 90-91 (IBT); or 575-477 (on paper)
- IELTS – Score of 6.5 in total
- PTE – Score of 62
Domains of specialization::
- General environmental sciences
- Human and ecological risk assessment
- Air quality and atmospheric science
Requirements
The student must follow 36 hours of credit, including basic, specialization and choice courses.
Basic requirements for mastery in science – all specializations (20 hours)
Option I
MS environmental sciences, general specialization in environmental sciences
Basic requirements for mastery in science – elevated above (20 hours)
Choice of lessons in the specialization area (10 hours)
Agriculture, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering technology and environmental sciences.
Additional requirements for the thesis option (6 hours)
Additional requirements for the non-thesis option (6 hours)
Option II
SPE environmental sciences, specialization in human and ecological risk assessment
Basic requirements for mastery in science – elevated above (20 hours)
Course in the specialization zone (10 hours)
- Send 6304 Ecological risks assessment 3
- Send 5306 Evaluation of hazardous waste sites (if the student has not taken send 4306 as the first cycle) 3
- During agriculture, biology, chemistry, engineering technology or environmental sciences 4-7
Additional requirements for the thesis option (6 hours)
- Send 6301 – Thesis 3
- Send 6302 – Thesis 3
- The success of a thesis defense (thesis will focus on a specialized subject relevant to the evaluation of human ecological risks.)
Additional requirements for non-thesis (6 hours)
- Send 6395 – Research problems in environmental sciences 3 (Research will focus on a specialized subject relevant to assessing human ecological risks.)
- Send 6098 – Graduated internship in environmental sciences 1-3
- Successful completion of the complete written exams and oral
Option III
MS environmental sciences, air quality and atmospheric sciences specialization
Basic mastery requirements in science (20 hours)
Course in the specialization zone (10 hours)
- Send 5308 Fundamental air quality 3 (If not taken as sending 4308 at the level of the first cycle)
Note: the course numbers are likely to change.
- Send 6092 Special subjects – Atmospheric earth and chemistry or send 5311 Modeling of earth and environmental systems 3 (If not taken as sending 3092 or sending 4311 at the level of the first cycle)
Note: the course numbers are likely to change.
- During agriculture, biology, chemistry, engineering technology or environmental sciences 4-10
Additional requirements for the thesis option (6 hours)
- Send 6301 – Thesis 3
- Send 6302 – Thesis 3
- The success of a thesis defense (thesis will focus on a specialized subject relevant to air quality and atmospheric sciences.)
Additional requirements for non-thesis (6 hours)
- Send 6395 – Research problems in environmental sciences 3 (Research will focus on a specialized subject relevant to air quality and atmospheric sciences.)
- Send 6098 – Graduated internship in environmental sciences 1-3
- Successful completion of the complete written exams and oral
Note: For this specialization in air quality and atmospheric sciences, students are recommended to take the following courses as leveling work (if it is not already taken for the BS diploma):
- GESC / GEOG 3313 – Meteorology
- GESC 3303 – Oceanography
- Chem 3511 – Analytical chemistry
- Math 2413 – Calculation I (or equivalent)
It is encouraged that students who choose air quality and the specialization of atmospheric sciences have interests in the following specific fields:
- Atmospheric or oceanographic dynamics
- Atmospheric or oceanographic thermodynamics
- Physical meteorology or physical oceanography
- Synoptic meteorology (or meteorological systems) or synoptic oceanography
Or any advanced course linked to the aforementioned courses
For more information, please contact send Higher Study Program Advisers – Dr Naruki Hiranuma (nhiranuma@wtamu.edu) and / or Dr. William Jim Rogers (jrogers@wtamu.edu).
