Co-op/
Internship Encouraged
Salary and Career Info
Environmental Science MS
An environmental science master’s degree that balances environmental conservation, human well-being, and economic development to tackle the biggest problems plaguing our environment.
Program skills
Built on the concept that environmental issues are inherently interdisciplinary, the program is offered in collaboration with the College of Liberal Arts. The curriculum provides students with a deep understanding of the science behind our environmental problems, the complex set of circumstances that impact environmental issues, and how environmental decisions and policies must attempt to find a balance between environmental conservation, human well-being, and economic development. Students augment their hands-on classroom work with in-depth experiential learning through an individual thesis or project that provides students with the chance to work on real-world environmental problems under the guidance of skilled environmental scientists.
Program facilities equipment
Students have access to ten student/faculty research laboratories and a Greenhouse and plant tissue culture facility. Students are also equipped with GIS Software (ArcGIS & IDRISI, access to ENVI and ERDAS), Garmin and Trimble GPS receivers, soil sampling equipment, soil analysis equipment, water sampling devices, multimeters, individual probes for water quality analysis, LiCor light meter with 2 pi and 4 pi sensors, Hach LDO oxygen meters, ponar dredges, plankton samplers, macroinvertebrate nets/samplers, and a library of field reference texts. The Environmental Science program also runs and maintains an on-campus bird banding facility (RITBO).
Program job titles
Environmental Analyst; Fish and Wildlife Tech; Field Biologist; Physical Scientist; GIS Analyst; Health Policy Coordinator
Select program hiring partners
Veterinary Hospital; Science Systems and Applications, Inc.; Environmental Resources Management (ERM); Environmental Chemical Corporation (ECC); Carestream Health Inc.; Arizona Department of Environmental Quality; Arcadis, Inc.; American Farmland Trust
100%
Outcome Rates for Environmental Science MS
Total percentage of graduates who have entered the workforce, enrolled in full-time graduate study, or are pursuing alternative plans (military service, volunteering, etc.).
100%
Knowledge Rate
Total percentage of graduates for whom RIT has verifiable data, compared to national average knowledge rate of 41% per NACE.
| Outcome | % of Students |
|---|---|
| Employed | 88.89% |
| Full-time Graduate Study | 11.11% |
| Alternative Plans | 0% |
Experiential Learning
Cooperative Education
What makes an RIT education exceptional? It’s the ability to complete relevant, hands-on career experience. At the graduate level, and paired with an advanced degree, cooperative education and internships give you the unparalleled credentials that truly set you apart. Learn more about graduate co-op and how it provides you with the career experience employers look for in their next top hires.
Cooperative education is optional for environmental science majors, however, it offers students a great way to get a head start on their career with paid, professional work experience. Students can participate in cooperative education as soon as the summer after their second year of study. Co-op placements are typically with local, state, or federal government agencies, nonprofit environmental organizations, and a host of environmental consulting firms.
National Labs Career Events and Recruiting
The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education offers National Labs and federally-funded Research Centers from all research areas and sponsoring agencies a variety of options to connect with and recruit students. Students connect with employer partners to gather information on their laboratories and explore co-op, internship, research, and full-time opportunities. These national labs focus on scientific discovery, clean energy development, national security, technology advancements, and more. Recruiting events include our university-wide Fall Career Fair, on-campus and virtual interviews, information sessions, 1:1 networking with lab representatives, and a National Labs Resume Book available to all labs.