Environmental Science Masters Degree

 

Our Master's degree in Environmental Sciences provides a holistic, integrated approach to interdisciplinary environmental research and education. Learn to confront complex environmental issues with an education that combines rigorous scientific and analytical training with a deep understanding of policy, planning and law. Our program is flexible, offering both a Thesis and Professional option.


Our Masters Degree options

No matter which option you select, you will take courses on all aspects of environmental science, including natural and social systems, the relationships between the two, and the analytical and assessment tools used to better understand them.

THESIS OPTION

an environmental sciences student conducts an experiment

Our Thesis option offers a traditional two-year Master's degree. As you complete coursework, you will select a research topic and complete an original academic thesis, written under the direction of one of our distinguished faculty members.

Funding opportunities are available.

PROFESSIONAL OPTION

a group of environmental sciences graduates stand with their faculty members

Earn a Master’s degree while you work with our Professional option. In addition to coursework, you will complete an exam and write a capstone paper on a topic of your choosing.

This degree is available in-person or online.

 

Admissions Requirements

To be admitted to a Department of Environmental Sciences Master's degree program, you will need the following courses:

  • Chemistry (C or higher)
  • Statistics (C or higher)
  • Biology (C or higher)

You will need a GPA of 3.0 or higher. GRE scores are optional.

 


Suggested Coursework

The Department’s course offerings reflect the priority areas identified by the 2003 National Science Foundation’s report on environmental research and education (NSF 2003: Complex Environmental Systems: Synthesis for Earth, Life, and Society in the 21st Century).  

These are: 

  • Biophysical Systems (Coupled Biological and Physical Systems)
  • Environmental Planning and Management (Coupled Human and Natural Systems)
  • Environmental Assessment and Analysis (Coupled People and Technology)

 

ENVS 7700 Integrated Environmental Issues

ENVS 7995 Environmental Seminar (1 credit hour)

ENVS 4010 Applied Ecology

ENVS 4035 Aquatic Pollution

ENVS 4101 Environmental Chemistry 

ENVS 4045 Air Pollution (proposed)*

ENVS 4477 Environmental Toxicology – Introduction and Application

ENVS 4500 Health Effects of Environmental Pollutants

ENVS 4600 Global Environmental Change

ENVS 7110 Toxicology of Aquatic Environment

ENVS 7112 Concepts in Marine Ecotoxicology

ENVS 7151 Watershed Hydrology and Floodplain Analysis

ENVS 7623 Toxicology I

ENVS 7626 Genetic Toxicology

ENVS 4261 Energy and the Environment

ENVS 4262 Environmental Hazard Analysis 

ENVS 4264 Regulation of Environmental Hazards 

ENVS 4266 Ocean Policy

ENVS 7040 Environmental Planning/Management

ENVS 7041 Environmental Policy Analysis 

ENVS 7042 Environmental Conflict Resolution

ENVS 7043 Environmental Law and Regulation 

ENVS 7061 Water Quality Management and Policy

ENVS 7044 Regulation of Toxic Substances

ENVS 7045 Land Use Law and Regulation

ENVS 7046 International Environmental Law

ENVS 7047 Environmental Economics and Policy

ENVS 4145 Remote Sensing Fundamentals for Env. Scientists

ENVS 4149 Design of Environmental Management Systems

ENVS 4900 Watershed Hydrology

ENVS 7050 Spatial Modeling of Environmental Data Or  EXST 7003; 7004; or 7005 Introduction to Statistical Methods

Graduate Courses by Area

Suggested Course Sequence

Year MS Thesis MS Professional
Year 1

ENVS 7700 (3 hours)

ENVS 7995 (1 hour)

Group A (3 hours)

Group B (3 hours)

Group C (3 hours)

Priority Group (3 hours)

Electives (ENVS/outside) (3 hours)

ENVS 7700 (3 hours)

ENVS 7995 (1 hour)

Group A (3 hours)

Group B (3 hours)

Group C (3 hours)

Priority Group (3 hours)

Electives (ENVS/outside) (3 hours)

Year 2

Group A (3 hours)

Group B (3 hours)

Group C (3 hours)

Electives (ENVS/outside)  (3 hours)

ENVS 8000–Thesis research (6 hours)

Thesis Defense

Group A (3 hours)

Group B (3 hours)

Group C (3 hours)

Electives (ENVS/outside)  (6 hours)

ENVS 7997*–Team/Intern Project (2 hours)

Exit Examination

 

MAT-S Certification Pathway

Share your passion for environmental science with a career teaching at the secondary level.

an environmental sciences teacher with a group of students outdoors

 

With this program you earn:

  • A Master of Environmental Sciences
  • A Master of Teaching
  • A certification to teach Environmental Science for grades 6 - 12 in Louisiana

You will need to:

  • Be accepted and enroll as a student in the LSU DES Master Program
  • Fill out the LSU Dual Enrollment paperwork
  • Complete required MAT-S courses and a residency as a student teacher

 

Interested students should contact Dr. Emily Dare with the Lutrill and Pearl Payne School of Education or Dr. Brian Snyder of the Department of Environmental Sciences.