Overview

The Environmental Science Program provides preparation for students who wish to contribute to understanding and solving anthropogenic or natural problems associated with the environment. The program is designed to provide a rigorous foundation in the sciences that will prepare students for graduate school and careers in the environmental workforce. The program takes advantage of UTEP’s unique binational setting that allows students to apply their expertise in the search for solutions to regional, national and international environmental problems.

Admission Requirements

In addition to University-wide UTEP requirements for admission to M.S. degree programs, the admission requirements include:

1. Bachelor's degree in a Science or Engineering discipline
2. An official transcript, with the four-year baccalaureate degree posted, from the degree-granting institution and copies of transcripts for all other relevant upper-division and graduate work at accredited U.S. institutions or equivalent work and degrees at foreign institutions.
3. A statement of purpose outlining the prospective student's area of interest within Environmental Science
4. Three letters of recommendation
5. GRE is not a requirement
6. Applicants whose degrees are from non-English speaking institutions are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the Graduate School website for required scores.

All admission requirements will be reviewed holistically to assess the potential of the applicant.  Typically, the successful applicant will have a bachelor's degree in a discipline closely related to environmental science.  We strongly encourage applicants to contact the Environmental Science faculty for research opportunities. 

Degree Requirements

Each student must complete at least 30 hours including:

1. 24 hours in organized courses
2. 6 semester hours of thesis

The 24 hours of course credits can be graduate courses from any Department in the College of Science, with the following limitations:

• A minimum of 2 semester hours from  ESCI 5101 Graduate Seminar
• A maximum of 6 semester hours of approved upper-division undergraduate work
• A maximum of 9 hours of independent studies classes
• A maximum of 6 semester hours taken from courses outside the College of Science

 The graduate degree coursework will depend on the student's prior experience and B.S. coursework.  Students are required to form a Thesis Committee by the beginning of their second semester and file a Preliminary Degree Plan with the graduate school.  Each student's Thesis Committee will suggest and approve the specific courses to be taken.  During their first semester, courses will be selected from those approved by the Graduate Advisor.  All course work transferred from other institutions requires approval of both the student's Thesis Committee and the Graduate School.  A formal thesis proposal is required and should be approved by the Thesis Committee by the start of the third semester.

All candidates are required to pass an oral defense of their thesis in an open forum.  Candidates must submit a draft of the thesis at least 7 days prior to the defense date.

More information is available in the "Guidelines for Master of Science Students in the Environmental Science Program," which is available from the Graduate Coordinator.