Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 71.55
Liaison Kelsey Beal
Submission Date Jan. 18, 2024

STARS v2.2

Indiana University Bloomington
AC-4: Graduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Kelsey Beal
Sustainbility Analyst
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
Master in Environmental Sustainability

A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:

The Master of Environmental Sustainability (MES) program is an accelerated one-year, 36-credit-hour degree program that will prepare students for a career dedicated to transforming sound environmental science and policy into actionable solutions that promote sustainability practices in the public, private, or nonprofit sector.

In this program, students receive management know-how and technical training that will prepare them to meet the growing demand for “green” jobs across the nation. If students have relevant professional experience, they can complete the MES in a single academic year, starting with an intensive, one-week, 3-credit course before the fall semester, and then two semesters of 13-14 credits. Students without professional experience will be able to complete the MES degree in a single calendar year by starting the program during the summer semester.

The program focuses on project management for environmental sustainability, environmental management, and experiential learning. Students can choose one of four concentrations:
Environmental Quality and Toxicology
Municipal Sustainability
Sustainable Water Resources
Sustainability Natural Resource Conservation and Management

Capstone students work in groups on a complex problem, often for a real-world client. Some recent Capstones have included:
- Assessing climate change impacts on natural resources
- Evaluating and making recommendations for the National Water Quality Initiative
- Creating a Holistic Sustainability Index for Indiana and the Hoosier Environmental Council


Website URL for the graduate-level degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES)

A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):

The Master of Science in Environmental Science program consists of four components:
1. Core Competencies of Applied Ecology, Environmental Chemistry, Applied Math, Statistics, and Environmental Engineering with a selection of courses in environmental policy, management, law and/or economics and a skill course.
2. Concentrations include Applied Ecology, Energy, Water Resources, Environmental Chemistry/Toxicology/Risk Assessment, or Energy and Climate Change Science.
3. Experiential Requirement options include a summer internship, credit for prior professional experience or volunteer service, or research.
4. Capstone Course options include either: a final course involving an integrative and multi-disciplinary group project and presentation OR a research/thesis degree option.

The program may also be combined with the Master of Public Affairs program, for a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) and a Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) dual degree.
https://spea.indiana.edu/masters/degrees-certificates/mpa-mses-dual-degree/index.html


Website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
Ph.D. in Environmental Science.

A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):

O’Neill’s Ph.D. in Environmental Science Program provides skills and training in the basic and applied sciences to solve contemporary environmental problems. Students research and learn how to communicate solutions to policy makers, natural resource managers, and the general public. Through this interdisciplinary program, students benefit from collaborative research among scientists from various natural and social science disciplines.

As a student in the Ph.D. in Environmental Science Program, you’ll:
- Acquire substantial knowledge in a primary environmental science concentration
- Develop breadth in related environmental science fields
- Become proficient in advanced research methods and develop expertise in a chosen dissertation topic
- Develop expertise in a chosen research topic, composing a dissertation of original research with careful and thoughtful analysis and interpretation of the findings

Environmental science faculty conduct research in several areas including applied ecology, atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemistry, bioremediation and environmental microbiology, conservation biology, contaminant fate and transport, forest ecology, environmental chemistry, GIS applications, global climate change, surface and groundwater hydrology, limnology, mathematical biology and statistics, meteorology and climatology, and toxicology and developmental neurobiology. Dissertation research may be interdisciplinary or may focus on a sub-discipline of environmental science. Specific research projects are highlighted in individual faculty profiles.


Website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:

Master of Public Health Degree (MPH), Environmental Health Major
https://publichealth.indiana.edu/masters/degrees-majors/mph-environmental-health.html

More information about various degree offerings is available at the Integrated Program in the Environment website http://environment.indiana.edu/degrees/


Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Yes

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
Masters of Public Affairs, Sustainability & Sustainable Development Concentration

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:

With a concentration in Sustainability and Sustainable Development, students prepare to help organizations and people strike a balance between meeting immediate needs and ensuring a secure, livable future. The program combines environmental, economic, social, and political elements.

By completing this concentration, students are well prepared to work in a variety of settings, including governments and government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit entities, and other special-interest organizations that seek to sustain and improve current and future conditions for life on earth.


Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Masters of Public Affairs, Environmental Policy & Natural Resource Management Concentration

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):

The concentration in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management will prepare students to better understand and manage environmental problems.

Studies in this concentration combine skill-based courses in public policy, management, and environmental affairs with select training in the environmental sciences. Students develop a core area of knowledge in a sub-discipline such as lake and watershed management, forest ecology, environmental chemistry, or hazardous materials.


Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
M.S. in Geography with a specialization in Climate and Environmental Change

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):

Recent changes in the global atmosphere and land surface are dominated by human activities and are driving unprecedented changes in the modern environment. Courses and research within the Climate and Environmental Change concentration seek to better understand these processes and their impacts on natural systems and human society. To do so, we use instrumental data, satellite observations, field measurements, and computational models to understand the recent past and to make projections about the future.

Faculty in the Climate and Environmental Change concentration are active in cross-cutting areas, with research and coursework offered on climate change detection, climate change impacts, drought, physical hydrology, and tree-ring science. This coursework—especially when paired with courses that develop geographic skills such as GIS, remote sensing, and spatial statistics—prepares students for careers in government and private industry.


Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Geography with a specialization in Climate and Environmental Change: https://geography.indiana.edu/graduate/index.html

More information about various degree offerings is available at the Integrated Program in the Environment website http://environment.indiana.edu/degrees/


Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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