11 MSES Program Requirements (48 credit hours)

MSES Requirement I: Environmental Science Core Courses (15 credit hours)

 

Each student should demonstrate a competency in the following areas of environmental science: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, engineering principles, and ecology. The selection of courses may vary according to the students’ background. Some or all of the following course categories may be appropriate to be determined in consultation with the gatekeepers for each course category.

 

Students may seek waivers via gatekeepers based on their background or former academic training. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.

 

NOTE: Each listed course is worth 3 credit hours unless indicated otherwise.

 

	P=Prerequisite, C=Corequisite, & R=Recommendations
SPEA-E 526 Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science	P: differential and integral calculus
SPEA-E 527 Applied Ecology
SPEA-E 536 Environmental Chemistry	P: undergrad chemistry course with lab
SPEA-E 538 Statistics for Environmental Science
SPEA-E 552 Environmental Engineering	R: E526, E536

 

MSES Requirement II: Economics, Management, and Policy Core Courses (6 credit hours)

 

Economics, Management, and Policy Core Competencies (6 credit hours) Each student should demonstrate competency in these areas of environmental management. The selection of courses may vary according to the student’s concentration and professional objectives. Courses should be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor; an advisor may approve other relevant courses not listed here.

 

	P=Prerequisite, C=Corequisite, & R=Recommendations
SPEA-E 543 Environmental Management
SPEA-R XXX All SPEA-R courses	Note: Any SPEA-R courses are automatically pre-approved
SPEA-S 596 Sustainable Development
SPEA-V 517 Public Management Economics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSES Requirement III: Tool Skill Courses (3 credit hours)

 

Tools courses provide students with quantitative and analytical tools to enhance problem-solving abilities. Strategic choices in tool courses can deepen or broaden your skill set; discussions with advisors, including the program director, may be appropriate. The course list below includes many of the most commonly used tools courses, but other courses may be approved by an advisor, including appropriate topics courses (E555 and V550).

 

	P=Prerequisite, C=Corequisite, & R=Recommendations
SPEA-E 518 Vector-based Geographic Information Systems
SPEA-E 529 Application of Geographic Information Systems	P: E518, or other introductory GIS course with lab, or equivalent practical experience
SPEA-E 554 Groundwater Flow Modeling
SPEA-E 555 Introduction to Coding for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Python Programming for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Using R for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)	P: E555 Intro to Coding for Env. and Pol.
SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis	P: E538, V506, or consent of instructor. A firm foundation in math and/or science is useful.
SPEA-P 507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs	P: E538 or V506
SPEA-P 539 Management Science for Public Affairs	P: E538 or V506
SPEA-P 541 Benefit-Cost Analysis	P: V517 or consent of instructor
SPEA-P 562 Public Program Evaluation

 

MSES Requirement IV: Concentration (15-18 credit hours)

 

MSES students must complete a concentration. They may select one of the four concentrations described in the pages that follow. Topics courses and independent study credits may be included in any concentration with the approval of a concentration advisor. MSES students also have the option of pursuing a specialized concentration or thesis.

 

MSES Requirement V: Experiential (0 – 6 credit hours)

Each candidate for the MSES degree must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options:

 

Internship – Students who are ready to complete an internship should consult with their academic advisor regarding the number of credits the student should register for and to confirm what degree requirements the internship may satisfy.  Additionally, students must consult the Career Hub before the internship begins. The Career Hub will provide details concerning eligibility, procedures and required paperwork.

 

• Registered Internship (0-6 credit hours) –To satisfy the MSES experiential requirement with an internship during the degree program, students must register for zero to six credits of SPEA-E 589 Practicum in Environmental Science. The amount of credit hours granted is determined by the number of hours worked. A student must work for 120 hours for zero and one credit, while each credit hour thereafter is earned by working an additional 80 hours. To satisfy the requirement, students must complete the proper paperwork with the Career Hub before starting an internship and must complete all progress reports and other required paperwork during the internship. In addition, Indiana University policy states “registration for the internship should be placed in the session during which the external event or experience on which it is based occurs.”  Internships that have been completed in the past cannot be registered for a current or future term.
• Research internships are also an option, with a supervising O’Neill faculty member or a researcher, agency, or organization outside O’Neill. Further details are available with the Career Hub. 

Internships for International Students – International students seeking to fulfill the experiential component should consult with Indiana University’s Office of International Services (OIS) to make sure they meet all necessary guidelines for participation. Please follow the links offered to read more about qualifications.

 

Curricular Practical Training (CPT): https://ois.iu.edu/student-employment/work-authorization/f1/curricular.html

 

Academic Training: https://ois.iu.edu/student-employment/work-authorization/j1/academic.html

 

International students will generally be approved for one internship and CPT request per degree program (e.g. an MPA student will likely be approved for one internship, and an MPA-MSES student will likely be approved for two internships even though the dual program only requires one internship). CPT requests are approved by OIS and therefore must be proven as integral to the student’s degree program(s). Therefore, any additional CPT requests outside of the one required to complete the experiential component of O’Neill degrees must be well-supported and will need to be approved by MPO staff and the designated Faculty Program Director. Please contact the MPO at agoneill@indiana.edu for any questions or inquiries.

Thesis Project – Students completing the MSES Thesis Concentration automatically complete the MSES experiential requirement. However, MSES thesis students who choose to take an internship should consult with an academic advisor.

 

Prior Experience (PE) – A student’s experiential requirement may be satisfied through Prior Experience (PE). There are three categories of PE (Professional, Military, and Volunteer). If a student is granted credit for PE, the experiential requirement is automatically satisfied. Credit is granted for experience gained prior to taking courses in an O’Neill graduate degree program. No more than 9 credits will be granted for any combination of PE waivers. Applications for the different types of PE can be found online via the Current Student Portal in the Forms section. Completed forms should be returned to the O’Neill Graduate Records Office (SPEA A328 or oneillrc@indiana.edu) so they may be advanced to the appropriate Faculty Program Director for review and potential award of credit. Students are encouraged to submit applications for PE within the first 24 credit hours. Please see the Director of the Master’s Programs Office for counsel and questions/concerns.

 

MSES Requirement VI: Capstone Course (3 credit hours)

 

MSES degree students should take a course during which they participate in a team to carry out an integrative project that addresses a multi-disciplinary problem. A concentration advisor may be consulted regarding an appropriate selection. This requirement may be met in one of the following ways:

SPEA-V 600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (there are typically sections with an environmental focus).

An alternative course with a similar structure, such as SPEA-E 546 Stream Ecology (P: SPEA-E 556) or SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis (P: SPEA-E 538 or SPEA-V 506) or other approved course.

MSES Thesis – Completion of the MSES Thesis Concentration satisfies the MSES capstone requirement.