Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program In Environmental Studies
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The Department of Environmental Studies offers a broad-based, multidisciplinary
post-baccalaureate program in environmental studies for professionals,
practitioners, citizens and students who wish to strengthen their knowledge
of the environment. The program is designed to provide critical and practical
skills to analyze, assess and propose solutions to environmental issues.
Students may participate in the environmental studies certificate program
while also enrolled in a master’s degree program in a specific discipline.
The objective of the certificate program is to provide students with policy
and planning information that may help them gain employment or advance
their current careers.
Admission Requirements
Applicants seeking admission to the environmental studies certificate
program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college
or university in this country or its equivalent in a foreign institution
based on a four-year program and have a strong overall academic record
with a “B” average or better in the basic courses prerequisite
to environmental studies. Applicants are required to submit the following
to the Graduate School.
1. An application for graduate admission
2. Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate)
3. An essay on the applicant’s goals in pursuing the certificate
4. Three recommendations by individuals in professionally relevant fields
Certificate Requirements
The program requires 18 hours. Students complete a team-taught core course:
Introduction to Environmental Problems and Policy (3 credits) and a capstone
course involving a Final Project (3 credits). Twelve hours from a list
of approved electives complete the certificate program. No more than nine
hours may be from the same department except Environmental Studies. A
maximum of 6 total credit hours from any combination of EVS 591, EVS 597,
and/or EVS 598 may be applied toward the certificate.
Required Courses
EVS 501 Introduction to Environmental Problems and Policy (3)
EVS 595 Seminar/Final Project (3)
Approved Electives
BIO 534 Advanced Ecology and Laboratory (4)
BIO 558 Biology of Recreational and Commercial Fishes (3)
BIO 560 Estuarine Biology (4)
BIO 561 Barrier Island Ecology (3)
BIO 562 Wetlands in the United States and Their Management (3)
BIO 563 Coral Reef Biology (4)
BIO 568 River Ecology (3)
CHM 574 Aquatic Chemistry (3)
CHM 575 Chemical Oceanography (3)
CHM 576 Chemical and Physical Analysis of Seawater (3)
CHM 578 Aquatic Toxicology (3)
CHM 579 Role of the Oceans in Human Health (3)
CSC 572 Scientific Visualization (3)
ENG 551 Topics in Professional Writing (3)
ENG 557 Theory and Practice of Technical Communication (3)
EVS 570 Advanced Environmental Law and Policy (3)
EVS 578 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HazWOpER) (3)
EVS 580 Research Diving (3)
EVS 591 Directed Independent Study (1-3)
EVS 592 Special Topics in Environmental Studies (1-3)
EVS 597 Practicum in Environmental Studies (1-3)
EVS 598 Internship (1-3)
GLY 520 Global Climate Change (3)
GLY 558 Introduction to Coastal Management (4)
GGY 522 Remote Sensing in Environmental Analysis (3)
GGY 524 Geographic Information Systems (3)
HST 533 Seminar: U.S. Environmental History (3)
GLS 532 Conservation and Culture (3)
GLS 533 The Environmental Crisis (3)
PHY 575 Physical Oceanography (3)
PLS 520 Seminar in Coastal Processes and Problems (3)
PLS 521 Legal Foundations of Coastal and Environmental Management (3)
PLS 522 Field Seminar in Coastal Management (3)
PLS 524 Managing Coastal Hazards (3)
PLS 525 Managing Coastal Ecosystems (3)
PLS 528 Resource Economics (3)
PLS 540 Environmental Policy and Management (3)
PLS 592 Special Topics in Public Administration (3)
MSA 566 Environmental Law (1-3)
MSC 526 Cruise or Field Sampling (1-3)
MSC 579 Role of Oceans in Human Health (3)
SCI 501 Concepts in Natural Science I, II (1,3)
SCI 577 Environmental Chemistry and Laboratory (4)
STT 505 Data Analysis (3)
STT 520 Biostatical Analysis (3)
Other courses as approved by the graduate coordinator
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Course Descriptions
EVS 501. Introduction to Environmental Problems and Policy (3)
Introduction to critical and practical skills necessary to identify, analyze,
and assess environmental problems. Includes study and review of environmental
policy issues.
EVS 570. Advanced Environmental Law and Policy
(3)
Prerequisite: EVS 501. Analysis of issues related to the regulatory process,
including research methods and current topics in environmental law and
policy. Methodology and impacts of current and proposed policies will
also be reviewed.
EVS 578 (478). Hazardous Waste Operations and
Emergency Response (HazWOpER) (3)
Study of the physical and chemical hazards present at hazardous waste
sites and those encountered during environmental clean-ups, as well as
OSHA regulations pertaining to those sites. The class will meet the 40
CFR 1910.120 requirements for 40+ hours of training and OSHA certification
will be issued.
EVS 580. Research Diving (3)
Prerequisite: SCUBA certification, medical exam and permission of Instructor.
Training in advanced diving, research diving enriched air nitrox, rescue
diving and oxygen administration techniques. Students will receive AAUS
(American Association of Underwater Scientists) dive certification.
EVS 591. Directed Independent Study (1-3)
See graduate coordinator for details and permission.
EVS 592. Special Topics in Environmental Studies
(1-3)
Topics of special interest in environmental studies not covered by current
courses. May be repeated for credit.
EVS 595. Seminar/Final Project (3)
Field, laboratory or literature-based research on selected topics in environmental
planning and policy developed, implemented and presented in collaboration
with selected faculty, staff and/or environmental professionals.
EVS 597. Practicum in Environmental Studies (1-6)
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Advanced field placement and experience
in non-profit, governmental or private sector. Provides extended opportunities
for fieldwork, research or creative projects and includes related theory
to practical applications.
EVS 598. Internship (1-3)
Supervised experience with credentialed professional in environmental
studies.
