Environmental Masters Degrees
Green-collar jobs came into the national spotlight during the 2008 presidential election, according to a May 26, 2008, article in TIME Magazine. Presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton all promised to invest in jobs which would focus on moving the American economy away from a dependence upon carbon and oil to renewable sources. Because of this switch in national focus, earning a environmental master's degree can be a valuable route for finding careers in this niche.
Other People Are Reading
-
Choosing a Degree
-
Before you apply for an environmental master's degree, determine which one is right for your career goals and your experience. Some common programs include environmental science, a broad interdisciplinary program; environmental engineering, which studies solutions to environmental problems through human intervention; and environmental policy and management, which prepares students for careers in advocacy for the environment.
Finding a University
-
There are a number of online tools for finding a university and program. Online environmental graduate degree databases offer the ability to narrow your search according to state, degree and subject. Consider schools in other states to increase available options. Many programs offer online degrees which you can study anywhere with an Internet connection.
-
Applying
-
Typical pre-requisites for an application to an environmental master's degree often include a bachelor's degree in science, engineering or environment; a strong GPA as an undergraduate; strong GRE scores; multiple letters of recommendation; and a personal essay. Work or volunteer experience with an environmental focus will also give you a stronger application. If you are applying for environmental engineering, you'll also want to have taken high-level mathematics, physics and chemistry classes. Be wary of application deadlines and send them in on time. If you miss the deadline, you may have to wait several months longer before your application is considered for acceptance.
Program Expectations
-
Your expectations for coursework will vary widely depending upon the degree you want to study and the school, but you will have the opportunity to personalize them according to your interests. Classes you may study include soil science, ecotoxicology and regional ecosystems. Expect to participate in research projects and internships. You may have the option to further specialize within your degree by studying certain aspects of engineering like water treatment or by focusing on a specific environmental region like ocean coast or forest.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit modern city located in an environment of mountains image by Sergey Galushko from Fotolia.com
