For the M.S. degree (thesis option) in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, the student must complete at least 30 credits. The program of study must include a minimum of 6 credits thesis research, and a minimum of 18 course credits (12 credits 500 level or above), as determined by the student and her/his graduate advisory committee. The Graduate Coordinator will review the coursework for its rigor, interdisciplinarity, and ecology and environmental sciences focus.

Students are generally expected to form a graduate advisory committee, in consultation with their advisor, by the end of the first semester of study and to complete the M.S. degree program within two years of full-time study. The student’s graduate advisory committee will be composed of a minimum of three faculty from at least two different home departments. It is recommended that each full-time student submit a fully signed program of study, which lists his/her coursework, to the EES Graduate Coordinator by the end of the first semester.