MS Environmental Sciences

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 all our program options and specializations 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 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 intensive and hands-on studies of particular environmental issues. 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 or air quality and communicating with the public. Our students have great success finding 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 consulting and engineering firms.

These program requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their program advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.