Master of Science in Environmental Studies
Introduction
Kentucky State University’s Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MES) program's main goal is the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies. The program broadens the scope of scientific and technological studies of the environment through a multidisciplinary approach based on ecological principles encompassing the social and legal aspects of environmental concerns. The field includes, but is not limited to, studies of environmental degradation, population and community ecology, ecological modeling, toxicology, water and air pollution, waste management, environmental economics, environmental law, policy and justice, and aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland systems, and study of environmental problems using Geographic Information Systems (GIS and remote sensing tools and applications. The program emphasizes basic research on ecological processes and effects and applied research and teaching to solve the current environmental issues facing the Commonwealth and the nation.
Global environmental and climate change problems will be among the biggest challenges for mankind in the next millennium. Ecological issues involving environmental degradation and resource depletion are often the ultimate cause of economic and political upheaval. It is important to understand the processes and the principles of the environment to deal with these issues. This type of understanding requires research on the problems themselves and on the basic science underlying the problems.
The traditional farming and mining-based economy of Kentucky is changing rapidly. As the work force strives to find alternatives to tobacco farming for people who have depended on such practices for generations, higher education needs to consider not only current job opportunities in technology-oriented sectors but also future job market scenarios. Efficient use of current energy sources and exploration for alternative energy sources will constitute a major segment of the future job opportunities and challenges. Kentucky is blessed with substantial coal reserves. Use of this major domestic energy source in a way that minimizes degradation of land, water, and air quality will require highly trained scientists and engineers as well as graduates with a broad understanding of the complex interrelated issues.
Scientists and professionals are needed who, after achieving a solid disciplinary education in science-related fields as undergraduates, have learned integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to deal with these problems. The MES program is designed to cut across traditional academic disciplines and to provide sound and effective graduate education and research on these important environmental issues.
The MES degree requires the completion of 36 credit hours, including a 6-credit capstone project or 12-credit thesis research. The core curriculum deals with the interaction between environmental science and current environmental issues along with the development of appropriate policy responses. The electives and the capstone/thesis project give students the opportunity to develop specialized expertise in their area of interest.
Graduates of the MES program are expected to hold positions as environmental professionals in state and local government agencies and in non-profit and private enterprises. The MES program produces graduates who can provide critical leadership in improving the overall quality of life for all Kentuckians as they address the needs and demands of our growing demographics. The program is designed to appeal to students seeking meaningful employment with a commitment to human values and prepare them for a wide range of jobs and leadership opportunities. Some students will use the MES program to prepare for doctoral studies in a variety of related environmental fields.
Certificates in the Master of Environmental Studies Program
The Master of Environmental Studies offers three certificate programs to allow students to focus on specific areas of environmental studies which will assist in greater job readiness and competitiveness after graduation. These certificates are available to anyone who has a bachelor’s degree and wishes additional training and can be completed by any student regardless of area of study.
Graduate Research Assistantships
A number of graduate assistantships are available for qualified full-time MES thesis option students. Some of these assistantships are funded by state and federal agencies. MES graduate assistantship recipients are required to work 20 hours per week during the school year and 37.5 hours per week during the summer to receive a stipend.
Admission
The interdisciplinary nature of the program will allow students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds to enroll in the MES program. All applicants (part-time and full-time) must meet the minimum standards for admission to graduate study at Kentucky State University. However, applicants are admitted into the specific graduate program to which they apply. It should be noted that successful completion of a college mathematics course (e.g., statistics, algebra, etc.) is required as part of their undergraduate degree regardless of their major. The MES Graduate Admissions Committee will use the following materials for admission considerations:
- Applicants write a letter outlining their goals and career objectives. The application is through GradCAS and it can be found at https://gradcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/.
- Transcripts: Copies of all official transcripts must be submitted through GradCAS.
- GRE scores: Official scores should be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies or directly to GradCAS using the proper codes. It is the responsibility of the applicant to apply for and take the examination and have the test scores sent.
- Three letters of recommendation (professional and/or academic) included in GradCAS.
The following types of admission will be available to candidates for the MES program:
- Regular: Requirements for this unconditional admission are:
- A complete application package in GradCAS including official transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation.
- A baccalaureate degree from an institution in the United States with regional accreditation or a foreign institution with equivalent accreditation.
- Satisfactory completion of course prerequisites for the MES program.
- An overall undergraduate grade-point-average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- GRE combined scores of 296
- TOEFL or ITLES score for international students.
- Provisional: If an applicant is unable to provide all the necessary documents before the application deadline prior to matriculation but otherwise meets the admissions criteria, he/she may be granted provisional admission. Provisional admission may not be permitted for more than one semester and all credentials must be received before the end of the semester in which the students has registered. To move from provisional status to regular admission status, students must meet all regular admissions requirements.
- Non-degree: non-degree seeking status is allowed for students that wish to take graduate courses or pursue a certificate but do not intend to seek the MES degree. The student must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Non-degree seeking students need to complete an application for admission to graduate studies through GradCAS.
Degree Requirements
The MES program is made up of 36 credits including thesis or capstone project work. It should be noted that the capstone project is typically less comprehensive than a traditional master’s thesis, so students choosing this option are required to take two additional elective courses. Students interested in pursuing the master’s degree full-time should plan to spend about two years in residence. Students in the online MES program will complete all classes and capstone research without needing to be on campus.
Thesis Option
The purpose of the thesis option is to demonstrate the student’s ability to investigate a research topic and report the findings in proper scientific publication style. This enables the student to gain experience in a specific area of environmental studies and to report research results in a publishable document. The program has a student handbook that gives more specific requirements of the formatting and process which need to be followed and is distributed at the group meeting at the beginning of your first semester. Experience in literature review, experimental design, data collection, record-keeping, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation are obtained by students completing the thesis option. Students who intend to further their graduate education (e.g., obtain a doctoral degree) should choose this option, because doctoral programs often require students to have demonstrated their ability to successfully complete a master’s thesis. Required courses and thesis topic must be approved by the student’s committee.
Capstone Project Option
Graduate students enrolled in the non-thesis option are required to complete a capstone project as determined by their major professor and approved by their committee. The MES graduate student handbook provides specific on formatting and other requirements and is available to all students during their first semester. Examples might include a literature review, a public service project, or Cooperative Extension work. A detailed proposal is submitted for approval to the student’s committee before the project is conducted, and a final project report must be approved by the student’s committee.
Time Limitation of Assistantships
Graduate students are expected to complete the requirements for the M.S. Degree within 2 years. Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA‘s) are generally awarded yearly for a maximum period of 3 years. The master’s degree program must be completed within six years of initial enrollment as a degree seeking graduate student. Please also see Section II under Graduate Academic Regulations and Policies in this publication.
Graduate Committee
The Graduate Committee consists of three School of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment (ACE) faculty, and can include one additional member from outside of ACE. Students are required to prepare a draft proposal and hold their first committee meeting during their first semester of study.
The major professor will guide the student on research, analysis, writing, and other scholarly aspects of the work. Members of the student's committee contribute, but the primary responsibility is that of the major professor.
Submission of a thesis or Capstone manuscript is defined as the time at which the first complete draft of such is submitted to the major professor for review. After the major professor approves the draft for committee revision, the student will then submit the manuscript for critical review by the committee. Each may suggest improvements and refuse approval pending additional work. When committee members and the major professor sign the Approval Page, they certify that the thesis or capstone manuscript is clear and accurate, that it represents an original and worthwhile contribution, that the suggestions made by them are incorporated into the final work, and that the work conforms to the standards of Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, Community, and the Sciences (CACS). No faculty member will sign a thesis until it is of foremost quality and meets all requirements. The major professor and committee members must sign their names personally. There can be no temporary substitute members and no other person may sign a committee member's name on an Approval Page, even with the authorization of the committee member involved and the major professor. Electronic signatures are allowed for students completing their degree online.
Written Comprehensive Exams
All MES students pursuing a thesis track, will complete a written comprehensive exam to be administered by the faculty mentor with questions from the student’s faculty mentor and committee members. This exam must be administered before the student defends and must have a majority of the committee members award a passing grade to the questions that they have provided.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 501 | Intro to Environmental Studies | 3 |
| ENV 502 | Population/Community Ecology | 3 |
| ENV 503 | MES Student Team Project | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Exper. Design & App. Stats. | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| ENV 511 | Energy & the Environment | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 21-27 | |
| Capstone Project Option | ||
| Thesis Option | ||
| Total Hours | 36-42 | |
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 600 & ENV 601 | MES Research and MES Thesis | 12 |
| Select nine credit hours of elective courses | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Capstone Project Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 699 | MES Capstone Research Proj | 3-6 |
| Select 15 credit hours of electives | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 18-21 | |
Elective Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 507 | Agroforestry | 3 |
| ENV 508 | Intro Geographic Inf Systems | 3 |
| ENV/AQU 513 | Aquatic Ecology | 4 |
| ENV 515 | Environmnental Ethics | 3 |
| ENV 516 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| ENV 517 | Environ & Resource Econom | 3 |
| ENV 519 | Sustainable Agriculture Sys (moved from below) | 3 |
| ENV 525 | Organic Agriculture | 3 |
| ENV 535 | Urban Agriculture | 3 |
| ENV 540 | Ornamental/Landscape Plant Pro | 3 |
| ENV 542 | Plant Prop. & Prod. Systems | 3 |
| ENV 545 | Molecular Tech Envir/Aqua Stud | 3 |
| ENV 550 | Human Health/Environment | 3 |
| ENV 551 | Livestock Production Practices | 3 |
| ENV 555 | Food Safety and Microbiology | 3 |
| ENV 560 | Agricultural & Environ. Policy | 3 |
| ENV 565 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| ENV 585 | Special Topics in AFE | 3 |
| ENV 589 | Remote Sensing of the Env.0 | 3 |
| ENV 595 | Envir Sci/Bioremediation Tech | 3 |
Introductory course to the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies with special emphasis on the relationship between human activities and the environment.
This course covers advanced ecological theory and applications relating to population and community dynamics, including population growth, species interactions, diversity, disturbance, succession, food webs, and their relation to conservation biology.
The Student Team Project is a community service and educational program by the KSU MES Program. It is a one semester effort by teams of three to five students attempting to solve a current environmental problem facing a community organization or governmental unit in close proximity to KSU. Student team projects, required of all first-year students, mix students from different backgrounds and place them in contact with faculty members, government officials, and community leaders. Team members will gain experience initiating and terminating a long-term project, managing team members with diverse backgrounds, and collecting and disseminating information.
This course will cover principles of experimental design and statistical analysis of data, their application in a statistical program, and use in research.
Students will examine and have an understanding of how different agroforestry systems function with landscapes across multiple scales (plot, watershed, landscape) and how these systems contribute to achieving multiple benefits (environmental, social, economic, etc.). Credit: 3 semester hours.
This graduate course will expose students to the concepts, software, data and analysis processes of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students will develop a real world, working knowledge of GIS through hands-on work with mapping software, its potential, its limitations and future trends in the mapping industry. MES graduate students will develop a real world project that examines spatial data and utilizes modeling software to create a production quality, full scale, mapping product.
Basic principles of experimental design and data analysis with emphasis on their applications in environmental studies and aquaculture research.
Integrated study of the environmental impact of human energy use patterns. Overview of current energy resources, current energy production and use patterns, alternative energy production options, and environmental, social, and economic consequences of each.
This course investigates the interaction of aquatic organisms with their biotic and abiotic environment. Sampling and laboratory methods of limnological analysis will be covered.
This course explores a wide range of issues in contemporary environmental ethics. Employing one of the most respected anthologies in the field, the course will engage such important issues as the nature of environmental ethics, who counts in environmental ethics, and is sustainability possible.
This course attempts a critical investigation of major issues in envronmental justice, including tensions between justice for ecosytsetms and justice for urban populations; regional as well as global issues are examined.
This course will cover topics such as application of microeconomics on environmental problems, elements of renewable resource and forestry economics, cost-benefit analysis of environmental renewal projects, economics of the environmental impacts of different agricultural practices such as livestock farming, aquaculture, and chemical use in row crop farming.
Exploration of the ecological effects of modern intensive agriculture, and the challenge of attaining a secure supply of food through ecologically sound and sustainable practices. The definition, emergence, and growth of sustainable agriculture will be discussed along with pertinent soil, crop and livestock management practices.
Principles and practices of organic agriculture are presented in the context of their historical, philosophical, economic, and scientific underpinnings. Students will develop a broad theoretical and practical understanding of organic agriculture. Credit: 3 semester hours.
Examine contributions of food gardens to community health and food system sustainability. Explore potential of compact urban agriculture to offset community food needs through high and low input production. Gain hands-on experience with tools, techniques and practices used to grow and process food and ornamental crops in urban environments.
Provides a thorough understanding of the identification, morphology, classification, nomenclature and adaptability of ornamental plants used in landscape environments. Students will examine the use of plants in home, business, and public landscapes to reduce water use, pollutants, energy and labor inputs.
This course provides an understanding of both traditional plant propagation and tissue culture as well as sustainable plant production systems. Plant propagation is a critical part of nursery and greenhouse management not only to reduce production costs but also to maximize the potential profit. Sustainable practices and production of horticultural crops is also examined to reduce water use, pollutants, energy, and labor inputs. Topics covered also include soil, plant nutrition, pest, and disease management that are essential for small scale farmers. Credit: 3 semester hours
This course examines how molecular biological approaches are used to address major issues in environmental biology. Lecture/laboratories examine how molecular methods can be applied to wildlife management, ecology, pollution control and remediation, and environmental health.
A comprehensive study of physical, chemical and biological factors that impact human diseases. Includes hands-on training in areas such as Occupational Safety, Health Implications of Environment, Food Safety, and advanced Molecular Biological techniques.
Explores ways in which animal management impacts the environment, and ways to utilize animal behavior to modify such impacts. Students will gain hands-on experience working with livestock to learn basic handling and management procedures.
This course in intended for those with theoretical and practical interest in the field of food sciences, especially those interested in a wide range of subjects and hands on/practical approaches in microbial food processes, general food safety, public health and epidemiology. Various aspects of food production, maintenance, supply chains, potential contaminations, introduction to food borne toxins and outbreaks of food borne infections, safe food handling and preparation techniques will be introduced to the students. Credit: 3 semester hours.
This course provides an introduction to issues in agricultural and environmental policy, with emphasis on environmental management strategies, environmental and human health risks such as toxicity, environmental issues in agriculture, and climate change.
This course provides an introduction to major issues in the field of environmental law with particular emphasis on federal environmental law and the role of states in enforcement.
Intensive examination of an environmental science topic chosen by a faculty member in the Master of Science in Environmental Studies Program. Requires intensive reading and discussion, as well as writing at a graduate student level.
The course introduces fundamental principles of remote sensing applications for recording electromagnetic energy from the earth’s surface for studying vegetation, soil, water, and urban infrastructure. Credit: 3 semester hours.
This course is intended for those with theoretical and practical interest in environmental issues and is designed to provide a wide range of subjects and practical work experience using standard methods, concepts and equipment in environmental science. The fate and transport of pollutants in the environment and their final destination, dilution, dispersion, adsorption, persistence, degradation, their adverse effects, and the route that the toxin in question takes in the environment will be discussed and possible solutions and remediation techniques will be presented.
Laboratory or field research on approved thesis topic.
Preparation of research based thesis on approved topic.
The independent research capstone project would be designed in collaboration with an interdisciplinary advisory committee of two or three selected KSU faculty/research members. This is a yearlong project which will serve as the culminating activity for the MES degree. Pass/Fail only. Must be repeated once for a total of 6 hours.