Physical and Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science MEnvSc

Master of Environmental Science

Program Description

The MEnvSc is a 12-month degree program committed to the development of well-trained practitioners in environmental science in all fields, primarily to meet the needs of industry, governments, and environmental policy/education organizations.

The MEnvSc offers three enrolment options — research, internship, and part-time studies — in each of the three fields. The three designated fields of study are:

  • Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: Students are trained in the science, data analysis, and rigorous assessment process for the impacts of climate change on a wide range of natural and human systems.

  • Conservation and Biodiversity: A major focus is the application of ecological theory and principles to real-world conservation challenges.

  • Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems: A major focus is understanding the flux of contaminants and excess nutrients through surface and sub-surface environments and the methods/solutions needed to remediate contaminated or damaged environmental systems.

In all three fields, students can opt for an internship or a research option after eight months of coursework. The Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences has the support of two dedicated internship coordinators who help students find and successfully complete an internship by providing them with professional skills training and in-class workshops on topics that include job search preparation and skills such as: environmental labour market, workplace expectations, professionalism, networking, and more. The MEnvSc program works closely with a broad employer base for internship opportunities. Research-stream MEnvSc students receive intensive and individualized academic and research support from mentors of their choice.

Full-time and part-time study options are available in all fields of study.

 

Field: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

  • Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

  • A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

  • Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

  • A science or engineering undergraduate degree including at least two half courses or one full course in each of chemistry, physics, calculus, and biology.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science (0.5 FCE)

    • EES1117H Climate Change Impact Assessment (0.5 FCE)

    • EES1132H Climate Data Analysis (0.5 FCE).

      • Note: students who have completed EESD21H3 as part of their undergraduate degree, and achieved a minimum grade of 70%, should replace EES1132H with another elective graduate course of the same credit weight (0.5 FCE).

    • EES1133H Climate Change Science and Modelling (0.5 FCE)

    • Completion of two of the following three courses:

      • EES1131H Applied Climatology (0.5 FCE)

        • Note: students who have completed EESD31H3 as part of their undergraduate degree, and achieved a minimum grade of 70%, cannot complete EES1131H as part of the MEnvSc program; they should complete EES1134H and EES1136H.

      • EES1134H Climate Change Policy (0.5 FCE)

      • EES1136H Climate Change Adaptation (0.5 FCE)

    • Completion of either:

      • 0.5 FCE in elective courses (see course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y), or

      • 1.0 FCE in elective courses (see course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y). Students planning to complete the research paper option must complete the prerequisite (EES1114H).

  • Students will choose either a research or internship option.

    • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

    • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

  • A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S);
6 sessions part-time

Time Limit

3 years full-time;
6 years part-time

 

Field: Conservation and Biodiversity

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

  • Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

  • A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

  • Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

  • An undergraduate degree in biology or a closely related field, and successful completion of an undergraduate course in conservation biology. Students who have not successfully completed an undergraduate course in conservation biology will be required to complete an undergraduate course, BIOC63H3 Conservation Biology (0.5 FCE), as an extra (EXT) course.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science (0.5 FCE)

    • EES3000H Applied Conservation Biology (0.5 FCE)

    • EES3001H Professional Scientific Literacy (0.5 FCE)

    • EES3002H Conservation Policy (0.5 FCE)

    • EES3003H Topics in Applied Biodiversity (0.5 FCE)

    • Completion of either:

      • 1.0 FCE in elective courses (see the course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y) or

      • 1.5 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y).

  • Students will choose either a research or internship option.

    • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

    • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

  • A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S);
6 sessions part-time

Time Limit

3 years full-time;
6 years part-time

 

Field: Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

  • Applicants whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

  • A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

  • Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

  • A science or engineering undergraduate degree including at least two half courses or one full course in each of chemistry, physics, calculus, and biology.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

    • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science (0.5 FCE)

    • Complete either:

      • 3.0 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y) or

      • 3.5 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y). Students planning to complete the research paper option must complete the prerequisite EES1114H.

  • Students will choose either a research or internship option.

    • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

    • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

  • A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S);
6 sessions part-time

Time Limit

3 years full-time;
6 years part-time