The five-year, combined degree program is open to Tulane students and offered jointly by the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Department of Earth and Environmental Science. It combines the Bachelor's degree with the terminal Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Environmental Science, condensing what would normally be about six years of study into five years.
Undergraduate students typically graduate after four years of study, having fulfilled all regular requirements for the Bachelor's degree. The accelerated master's degree component allows six graduate credits (two 600- or 700- level courses) completed during the senior year to be applied to the Bachelor's degree as well as to the M.S. degree. Each student pursuing the M.S. degree in Environmental Science then completes course work toward the master's degree during one additional year of graduate study. During the fifth (graduate) year the student typically completes a minimum of 24 credits (eight courses, four each semester) of graduate work for a minimum total of 30 semester hours (10 courses). The master's degree requires two semesters of independent study (problems) or internship courses instead of a written master's thesis.
Candidates for the program should apply for admission during the junior year, but students in their senior year also may apply. By the end of the junior year (or at the time of application), candidates should have completed all LAS proficiency and distribution requirements for the B.S. degree and all core requirements for the EEB major. Candidates are required to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and major GPA. To advance to the fifth (graduate) year, candidates must complete all requirements for the Bachelor's degree by the end of the senior year, while maintaining the minimum 3.0 cumulative and major GPA. Teaching assistantships are not available to students pursuing the master's degree in Environmental Science as they are only awarded to doctoral students.
Tuition for this M.S. degree program is a discounted rate. Contact the Graduate Division of the School of Science and Engineering for current tuition rates. Additional fees are not discounted and presently include an Academic Support Services Fee, Student Health Service Fee, Reily Recreation Center Fee and Student Activity Fee. These fees are subject to change. For current fee structure, click HERE.
Applications are made to the Graduate Division of the School of Science and Engineering. The Graduate Division application form may be downloaded HERE. Official transcripts and two letters of recommendation (unless waived by the EEB or EENS Department) must accompany the application. Scores from the GRE exam are not required for admission to this program. Admitted students will be assigned a graduate faculty advisor in one of the two departments. Students admitted to the program should be aware that in the fifth (graduate) year their academic progress is evaluated using the performance standards expected of all graduate students; consult the Graduate School catalog for details.
Credit / Course Total: 10 courses at 3 credits each = 30 credits, maximum of 6 credits counting from B.S. degree.
Note: The departments will consider admitting to the program students from Tulane and other institutions who had not completed six graduate credits in their senior year but potentially could complete the M.S. degree within one year.
Minimum of three (3) of the courses selected from the list below. One course must be selected from each category. Each core course to be interdisciplinary in nature.
Statistics
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Earth and Environmental Science
Elective Courses
Seven (7) courses are to be completed in either department, depending upon the interest of the student and the guidance of the student's faculty advisor.