As a reflection of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, a course of study will be tailored to each student’s own scholarly interest ,research, and proposed career direction. The specific quantity and content of each student’s course of study will acquire approval by the student’s Master’s Advisory Committee. General course requirements are outlined below and in the section of this Bulletin entitled Program of Study for the MS in Environmental Sciences. Applicants are advised that admission to the Graduate Programs does not imply admission to the MS in Environmental Sciences Program.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission into the Master of Science in degree program in Environmental Sciences must meet the admission requirements of Graduate Admissions and the specific program requirements. The Environmental Sciences master’s degree program accepts students with a variety of undergraduate and graduate majors, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. Preparation for the required program coursework should include the following courses:

Mathematics: applied statistics and introductory calculus.

Sciences: three quarters or two semesters in any combination of chemistry, biology, physics, earth science, or atmospheric science. At least one semester/quarter must be in chemistry.

Students lacking some of this preparation may be accepted for admission, but expected to address such deficiencies prior to entrance by means of formal coursework or other arrangements agreed upon by the applicant and the Graduate Program Committee. Potential students must have a sponsoring graduate faculty member within Arkansas State University, who will act as advisor until a thesis topic or practicum is designated. For advisor selection suggestions, contact the program office or go to the departmental web pages to research faculty research interests and then contact them directly and relate your interests.

Applicants are also expected to have a working knowledge of computer systems and software.

For unconditional admission, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of either of the following admission selection criteria:

1. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 in the last 60 hours or established graduate level proficiency.
2. Applicants should furnish two letters of reference from former professors or associates acquainted with their academic qualifications. Lastly, a letter of intent from the applicant is needed detailing the nature of their interests and career goals.

International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language if English is not their native language. To do so, they must submit a score of 213 (computer based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language or must satisfactorily complete Advanced Level II of the university’s Center for English as a Second Language program.

Applicants to the MS Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences must hold a baccalaureate or master’s degree (BA, BS, MA or MS) from an accredited institution in a relevant field of study. Applicants must submit the following to Graduate Admissions:

1. A completed application for admission to the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application no later than January 15 for the fall semester and July 15 for the spring semester. Forms are available from Graduate Admissions.
2. A $30 nonrefundable application fee for MS program. This can be paid online as part of the application or a check can be mailed to the A-State Treasurer’s Office with the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo line. Checks must be made payable to Arkansas State University. If applications are received without payment, Graduate Admissions will hold all application materials and notify the applicants that no action will be taken until payment is received. International students may utilize a check or an International Postal Money Order to remit payment in U.S. currency.
3. One copy of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate coursework attempted, to be sent directly from the institution(s) previously attended. Graduate Admissions will compute the graduate GPA by counting all graduate courses completed, including any repeated courses.
   
   Applicants to the MS Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution and meet the admission requirements of Graduate Admissions. Applicants should be aware that the breadth of the course work in this program demands that students have a basic background in several disciplines. Preparatory courses for this program may include:
   • Mathematics: Calculus I as well as an applied statistics course or second semester Calculus course.
   • Chemistry: A first and second semester chemistry course sequence.
   • Biology: A first and second semester biology course sequence.
   • Earth Science: A first and second semester earth science course sequence.
   • Economics: An introductory level economics course.
   • Political Science: American government, United States history or world history.
     
     Students should contact the Program Director for details regarding course requirements for specific focus areas within the program. Students lacking the appropriate courses for their chosen focus area can be admitted into the program but may be required to complete preparatory course work before enrolling in specific graduate core courses. Applicants are also expected to have a working knowledge of computer systems and software. In some cases, the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Committee may agree to substitute equivalent, documented work experience in the environmental field for specific courses and, in rare cases, other criteria for admission. Contact the Program Director for questions in these matters.
4. Two letters of recommendation to be reviewed by the Environmental Sciences Program Committee. Acceptance into the program will be made by the Environmental Sciences Program Committee.
5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the Verbal, Analytical and Quantitative tests. Scores from the Graduate Record Examination showing a score of 150 on both the verbal and quantitative tests or a combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections for scores that used the old scoring system are the minimum requirements. Although not required, scores from an advanced test related to Environmental Sciences may increase a candidate’s chance for admission.
6. International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language if English is not their native language.
7. Statement of Purpose. In essay form, state your reasons for undertaking graduate study in the Environmental Sciences. Please describe your qualifications for the academic program to which you are applying and your objectives in undertaking this program. Applicants should clearly outline their research interests and how the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences will help attain their goals. We are interested in how the applicant’s interests would complement those research interests of the faculty. It is strongly encouraged to contact faculty members in Environmental Sciences to see if they would have a position in their laboratory available.
8. Resume (C.V.) List all colleges and universities attended, major extracurricular activities and employment, detailing particularly those relevant to your proposed field of study; any honors or prizes awarded; and publications and research projects with which you have been associated.

Master’s Advisory Committees

Each student is expected to identify a Master’s Advisory Committee chair during the first year of their program of study. The Master’s Advisory Committee will consist of members of the graduate faculty and other professionals as deemed appropriate and approved by the Director of the Environmental Sciences Program and must have graduate status as approved by the Graduate Council. Each committee must have at least three members and at least one member must be from outside the student’s emphasis area. Committee membership is subject to the approval of the Environmental Sciences program director, and review by the Dean. The committee is to review the student’s thesis or practicum proposal and to provide guidance toward the successful completion of the research of practicum project.

Membership of advisory committees may be changed if either the student or a member of their committee feels that such a change is appropriate and the requested change is approved by the Environmental Sciences Program Committee and the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. Such a change will not be approved except in clearly unusual circumstances. A Master’s Advisory Committee chair must be a member of the graduate faculty and must be approved to direct the research of graduate students by the Graduate Council and the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics.

Program of Study

A program of study, to be developed by the student in consultation with the Master’s Advisory Committee, is to be submitted to the Director of the Environmental Sciences Program for approval no later than one calendar year after admission to the program. Programs of study must change to meet course requirements and match the student’s academic goals, scholarly aspirations and career preparation needs. Each Master’s Advisory Committee will meet at least once every six months to review and provide record of the student’s progress.

Satisfactory Progress

Students are required to earn a grade of “B” or better in all graduate courses. Any student who receives a C must repeat the course (or equivalent) regardless of GPA. If a student receives a C and is placed on academic probation they will have one semester to increase the GPA above a 3.0 or will be removed from the program. A student who receives more than one C in one semester or who received an additional C prior to re-taking the course in which the first C was earned or who receives a C while on probation will be terminated from the program. Any student who receives an F or D in any course will be removed from the program. If the GPA is below 3.0 students will not be eligible for program support.

Time to Degree

A minimum of four semesters of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate degree is required. All requirements for the degree must be completed within eight calendar years of admission to the program. A student exceeding the time limit may be required to repeat the qualifying examinations, replace outofdate credits with up-to-date ones, and/or show other evidence of being current within both the core curriculum and the student’s emphasis area. Extension of the eight-year requirement will be granted only if a student has obtained prior approval from his or her Master’s Advisory Committee, the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Committee and the Graduate School.

Residence Requirement

One year of full-time residence at Arkansas State University normally will be required. This requirement may be waived under special circumstances if approved by the student’s Master’s Advisory Committee, the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Committee and the Arkansas State Graduate School.

Comprehensive Examination - Thesis Track

This examination is required by the Program, but takes a variety of forms in the case of individual students. The precise requirements is determined by the student’s choice of emphasis area and the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Director of the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences. The goal of the examinations is to assess the student’s preparedness for master’s level study and assess the student’s potential in their chosen field. The examination of may be written or oral in part or in whole. The subject(s) of the examination may include core course work and/or work relevant to the student’s specialty area. Possible outcomes of the examination are (i) pass, (ii) fail with the option to retake (one time only) the examination, or (iii) fail. Students who fail initially or after the second attempt will be removed from the program. It should be noted that there is a program requirement that ten calendar weeks must pass before a retake of this examination may be scheduled. This examination must be taken prior to the end of the third semester in residence.

Thesis Proposal - Thesis Track

Each MS Thesis track student must pass the oral research proposal defense examination. Possible outcomes of the examination are (i) pass, (ii) fail with option to retake (one time only) the examination, or (iii) fail. The oral defense of the research proposal occurs after successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Students who have not defended their proposal by end of their third semester or who have not passed by the end of their forth semester will no longer be in good standing in the MS Program. It should be noted that there is a program requirement that ten calendar weeks must pass before retake of the oral proposal defense may be scheduled.

It is imperative that each student register the time and date of the oral proposal defense with the Environmental Sciences Program two weeks in advance of the proposal defense seminar. Announcements of the public portion of the proposal defense must be posted a minimum of two weeks in advance of the presentation. The timing of this examination should be in coordination with the student’s advisory committee.

Internship - Practicum Track

Students on the MS Practicum Track must complete their internship no later than the fourth semester in residence. Internships must be approved by the Director of the Environmental Sciences Program and internship supervisors must complete the required paperwork no later than the semester prior to the internship. Students will complete an internship report to be defended to their internship supervisor and MS committee. Internship reports, once approved, must be submitted to the Program Office no later than the forth semester upon completion of the internship. The Internship examination will follow the defense of the report. Possible outcomes of the examination are (i) pass, (ii) fail with option to retake (one time only) the examination, or (iii) fail. Students who fail initially or after the second attempt will be removed from the program. It should be noted that there is a program requirement that ten calendar weeks must pass before a retake of this examination may be scheduled. This examination must be taken prior to the end of the forth semester in residence. The final internship approval will be based on the supervisor’s report, approval of the report by the MS committee, and passing the internship examination.

Continuous Enrollment

The Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences has a continuing enrollment policy. Students must enroll for a minimum of 1 hour of thesis credit each semester after passing the comprehensive examination to remain in the program (Fall or Spring) and must only register for these hours during the summer sessions if graduating during a summer session.

Thesis Defense - Thesis Track

After the research is completed, the student will submit a draft of the thesis to his or her advisory committee. Upon the recommendation of the committee, the candidate will arrange with the chair of his or her advisory committee to schedule and conduct a presentation of the results. The candidate will also be required to orally defend the thesis before the Master’s Advisory Committee, members of the faculty, students, and interested persons. Arrangements for the thesis defense will be made and announced by the Environmental Sciences Program. Students are advised to be aware of the deadlines set by the Registrar for submission of defense results and theses. The defense must occur at least four weeks before the date of graduation. A successful defense receives no more than one negative vote by the members of the Master’s Advisory Committee. Failure of the defense requires a one semester probation before a second defense can be scheduled. A second failure of the defense constitutes elimination from the program.

Internship Report and Defense - Practicum Track

Students will complete a written internship report to be defended to their internship supervisor and MS Committee. Internship reports, once approved, must be submitted to the Program Office no later than the fourth semester or upon completion of the internship. The Internship examination will follow the defense of the report. Possible outcomes of the examination are (i) pass, (ii) fail with option to retake (one time only) the examination, or (iii) fail. Students who fail initially or after the second attempt will be removed from the program. It should be noted that there is a program requirement that ten calendar weeks must pass before a retake of this examination may be scheduled. This examination must be taken prior to the end of the forth semester in residence. The final internship approval will be based on the supervisor’s report, approval of the report by the MS Committee, and passing the internship examination.

Submitting Thesis

The completed thesis must follow the style and format requirements of Graduate Programs as contained in the Guide Theses and Dissertations: Preparation and Electronic Submission. Before submission to the Registrar, the completed thesis must be approved by the advisory committee. Candidates will also be responsible for the preparation of an abstract of the thesis, not to exceed 150 words, which will be submitted with the completed thesis. The student is required to purchase three copies of the bound thesis for the A-State library, the Environmental Sciences Program and the thesis advisor.

Internship Completion and Approval - Practicum Track

The final internship approval and award of degree will be based on the supervisor’s report, approval of the report by the MS committee, and passing the internship examination.

Checklist for the Last Semester Before Graduation

• In the last semester before graduation, candidates must register for the graduation fee.
• File an Intent to Graduate Form with the Office of the Registrar by the relevant deadline.
• Complete the oral defense of the dissertation.
• Submit the dissertation by the relevant deadline.