We offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Studies. We also offer certificates in specialized studies. Please choose from the list below to learn more about the program that most interest you.
Undergraduate Programs
- Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies
- Undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
- Undergraduate Certificate in Agroecology
Graduate Programs
- Masters of Science in Environmental Studies
- Masters International
- Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
- Graduate Certificate in Water, Environment, and Development
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
The Bachelor of Arts degree provides students who are interested in the humanities and social sciences with a broad overview of environmental issues. The B.A. degree's emphasis is environmental policy. Basic principles of environmental science are introduced in three courses taken by all majors. Students are required to choose a subject specialty, such as energy policy, international environmental policy, biological resource management, etc., or an appropriate minor such as economics or biology.
Degree Requirements | Academic Learning Compact | Applying to the B.A. Program.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
The Bachelor of Science degree provides students with a strong background in the natural sciences as preparation for technical work in the environmental field. The program is particularly strong in its chemistry and biology requirements and many students take a minor in either subject. However, the B.S. degree is interdisciplinary in nature, and majors are also required to take courses in environmental economics and policy, as well as a course in environmental ethics.
Degree Requirements | Academic Learning Compact | Applying to the B.S. Program.
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
The purpose of the Master of Sciences in Environmental Studies is to train students for work in the areas of environmental policy, natural resource science and management, and sustainable development, with particular focus on the South Florida region, the Caribbean Basin, and Latin America. An emphasis of the program is the cultural and political milieu in which environmental issues of the region are embedded. The program is, thus, interdisciplinary in nature, and emphasizes both natural sciences and social sciences of the environment. Students will be encouraged to take advantage of University-wide resources, programs, and courses in environmental issues, such as those in Public Administration, International Relations, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Political Science, Economics, and Sociology/Anthropology. The M.Sc. degree program offers two options: thesis track and non-thesis track. The thesis track involves rigorous, solutions-oriented scientific research into the functioning of environmental systems. This track is highly recommended for students who are coming directly from undergraduate programs and who are interested in doctoral research in the future. The non-thesis track is primarily designed for employed professionals who may want to enhance their careers and skills through additional academic training beyond their bachelor's degree and practical training through internships with agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations or academic institutions. It is not recommended for students who do not have job experience.
Degree Requirements | Applying to the M.Sc. Program.
Master's International Program (MIP)
The Master's International Program (MIP) is a collaborative arrangement with the US Peace Corps under which the FIU Departmental of Environmental Studies offers a Master of Science (MS) degree in environmental studies with a concentration in biological management with a specialization in tropical forestry. The MIP consists of 36 semester credits of academic study in which 18 - 20 credits are expected to be completed before students begin assignment as Peace Corps Volunteers. Courses include restoration ecology, sustainable development, environmental resource policy, environment and development, tropical forest conservation, and protected area management. The candidates for the MIP must simultaneously be selected by the FIU Environmental Studies Department and the Peace Corps.
Degree Requirements. Learn more about the MIP program at the Peace Corps Master's International website.
Undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
The Environmental Certificate is designed to provide students in various majors with the unique perspective of interdisciplinary environmental education to both enrich and expand the breadth of their primary training. The Certificate seeks to provide participants with an analytical basis for understanding local and global environmental problems and processes. The Program requires no prerequisite and is complimentary to majors in all disciplines and schools at the University. This Certificate is also appropriate for persons who already have a degree but would like to increase their knowledge of contemporary environmental issues.
Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
This certificate program is an interdisciplinary program focused on various environmental issues that is analogous to the undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies. It is aimed primarily at graduate students in International Relations, Economics, and Sociology/Anthropology as well as those doing an environmental concentration or track in graduate programs in Tourism, Liberal Studies, Journalism, Education (particularly Parks and Recreation Management), and Latin American Studies. The Certificate Program provides an analytic basis for understanding local, regional and global environmental problems and their solutions.
Undergraduate Certificate in Agroecology
This is a brand new undergraduate certificate program in interdisciplinary agroecology and urban landscapes offered by the Department of Environmental Studies in strategic alliance with the Miami-Dade College, MAERC, and USDA's Agricultural Research Service. The program requires a total of six courses (18 credit hours), of which two are core courses: (i) Sustainable Agriculture and (ii) Agroecology. These courses focus on theory, problems and issues in agriculture and urban development, involve farm/field apprenticeship, sampling and monitoring, and chemical and geo-spatial laboratory analysis. The program also requires a minimum of two courses in general environmental science, ecology and natural resource management. The remaining two courses will be devoted to quantitative techniques.
Certificate Requirements; Agroecology Web Site.
Graduate Certificate in Water, Environment, and Development Studies
Designed to add a water specialization to natural and social science graduate degrees in the university. The program requires features 15-credits of course work examining the occurrence, characteristics, and management of water resources in South Florida and internationally. Students learn about the natural occurrence and dynamics of surface and ground water, the key biological and chemical factors affecting water resource quality, and the fundamental linkages between water and development. The program promotes an integrated understanding of the theoretical and practical elements of water resources management. All students in the program are required to take one foundation course (3 credits) and at least one water-related course each in the natural and social sciences (6 credits). The remaining 6 credits may be satisfied with any combination of approved courses.