The Master of Environmental Sustainability (MES) is an accelerated one-year, 36 credit-hour degree program that will prepare you for a career dedicated to transforming environmental science and policy into solutions that promote sustainability practices in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. You’ll get management know-how and technical training that will prepare you to meet the growing demand for “green” jobs across the nation.
The MES core courses provide training in managing environmental projects, as well as in the issues faced and approaches used by environmental agencies. These courses give students the ability to get things done and an understanding of the agency context in which projects occur.
| SPEA-E 543 | Environmental Management |
| SPEA-E 513 | Environmental Project Management |
The capstone course allows MES students to use their knowledge and skills to address a real-world, client-based problem. Students from various backgrounds work together on a semester-long project for an individual, organization, or agency. This course should be taken during the final spring semester.
SPEA-V 600 | Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs |
MES students select one of four concentrations. Each concentration comprises concentration-specific fundamental science courses (at least 6 credit hours) and applications courses (at least 6 credit hours). Applications courses may come from concentration-specific and general applications courses.
The environmental quality and toxicology concentration prepares students to address issues such as air pollution, water quality, contaminants, and solid and hazardous wastes using quantitative tools such as risk assessment and best practices such as risk communication. Graduates will be prepared to work in the public, private, or non-profit sectors; jobs are particularly common in consulting firms and agencies. States and municipalities are becoming increasingly innovative in this area, and O’Neill students will be well equipped to work at these levels as well as at national and international levels.
Fundamental Science: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the science courses on the Additional MES Electives list - page 35 of the Handbook.
Applications: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the applications courses on the Additional MES Electives list - page 35 of the Handbook.
Concentration Advisors:
Vicky Meretsky | |
Jonathan Raff |
The municipal sustainability concentration prepares students to address issues associated with air pollution, waste management, water management, and green-space management in towns and cities. Graduates will be prepared to work in the public, private, or non-profit sectors including positions with local government, consulting firms, and organizations that work with quality-of-life issues. Relevant employment will not come only at the municipal level; states and nations must also work with and plan for cities, so employment will be available at all levels from municipal to international.
Fundamental Science: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the science courses on the Additional MES Electives list - page 35 of the Handbook.
Applications: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the applications courses on the Additional MES Electives list - page 35 of the Handbook.
Concentration Advisors:
Aaron Deslatte | |
Vicky Meretsky |
The sustainable natural resource conservation and management concentration provides training in conservation and management of ecosystems and their biodiversity. Graduates will be prepared for public, private, and non-profit positions in agencies, companies, and organizations at local to international levels. Increasingly, positions are available in towns and cities (urban forestry, green space management, urban wildlife management) as well as conserved and managed natural areas. Land trusts are growing at the local and state level, and environmental consulting firms have jobs at all levels.
Fundamental Science: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list or from the science courses on the Additional MES Electives list.
Applications: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the applications courses on the Additional MES Electives list - page 35 of the Handbook.
Concentration Advisor:
Vicky Meretsky |
The sustainable water resources concentration provides training in water quality, water quantity, and aquatic ecology. Students may choose courses in all three areas or focus on one or two areas. Graduates will be prepared to work in the public, private, or non-profit sectors. States and municipalities are becoming increasingly innovative in this area, and O’Neill students will be well-equipped to work at these levels and national and international levels.
Fundamental Science: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six, but no more than 21, credits from the following list, or from the science courses on the Additional MES Electives list on page 35 of the Handbook.
Applications: (6-21 credits)
Choose at least six credits from the following list, but no more than 21, or from the applications courses on the Additional MES Electives list.
Concentration Advisor:
Sarah Powers | sarellis@iu.edu |
The following courses can be used as Fundamental Science or Applications courses for any MES concentration for which the student and advisor find it appropriate. Some courses listed here also appear on concentration-specific lists.
Registration in courses outside of O’Neill requires an Outside-Program Course Request Form approved by the appropriate Faculty Program Director. See the Policies & Procedures page for more details.
| ANTH-E 527 | Environmental Anthropology | (Fundamental Science) |
| ANTH-E 621 | Food and Culture | (Applications) |
| BIOL-B 300 | Vascular Plants | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-L 376 | Biology of Birds | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-L 579 | Community Ecology | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-L 581 | Behavioral Ecology | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-Z 406 | Vertebrae Zoology | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-Z 460 | Animal Behavior | (Fundamental Science) |
| BIOL-Z 620 | Quantitative Biodiversity | (Fundamental Science) |
| GEOG-G 515 | Sustainable Urbanism | (Applications) |
| GEOG-G 544 | Climate Change Impacts | (Applications) |
| GEOG-G 549 | Political Ecology | (Applications) |
| GEOG-G 551 | Water Resources | (Fundamental Science) |
| GEOG-G 553 | Water and Society | (Applications) |
| GEOG-G 561 | Human Dimensions of Global Env. Change | (Applications) |
| GEOG-G 577 | Scientific Programming in MATLAB | (Fundamental Science) |
| GEOG-G 578 | Global Change, Food, and Farming Systems | (Applications) |
| EAS-A 547 | Atmospheric Instrumentation | (Fundamental Science) |
| EAS-G 550 | Surface Water Hydrology | (Fundamental Science) |
| EAS-G 576 | Climate Change | (Fundamental Science) |
| SPH-O 510 | Human Health and the Environment | (Applications) |
| SPH-O 517 | Ecosystem Management | (Applications) |
| SPH-R 511 | Organizational Leadership of Leisure Services | (Applications) |
| SPH-R 523 | Policy Studies in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | (Applications) |
| SPH-R 524 | Strategic Fundraising and Partnerships for Park, Recreation, and Public Lands | (Applications) |
| SPH-R 525 | Foundations of Conservation, Parks, and Recreation | (Applications) |
| SPH-R 530 | Comprehensive Park, Recreation, and Facility Planning and Design | (Applications) |
| SPEA-E 512 | Risk Communication | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-based Geographic Information Systems | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (Applications) | *Prerequisite: E518, other introductory GIS course with lab, or equivalent practical experience |
| SPEA-E 538 | Statistics for Environmental Sci. | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to E538/V506 prerequisite |
| SPEA-I 516 | Public Management Information Systems | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-I 519 | Database Management Systems | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-L 564 | Local Governance | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-M 547 | Negotiation and Dispute Resolution | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-M 654 | Public Program Management and Contracting | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-N 521 | The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-N 557 | Proposal Development and Grant Administration | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-N 558 | Fund Development for Nonprofits | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-P 507 | Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to E538/V506 prerequisite |
| SPEA-P 539 | Management Science for Public Affairs | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to E538/V506 prerequisite |
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit-Cost Analysis | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to V517 prerequisite, but possible with econ background |
| SPEA-P 562 | Public Program Evaluation | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 513 | Wildlife Law | (Applications) | *Recommended: V536 (prerequisite or concurrent enrollment) |
| SPEA-R 521 | Domestic Environmental Policy | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 531 | Water Law | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 533 | Public Natural Resource Law | (Applications) | *Recommended: V536 (prerequisite or concurrent enrollment) |
| SPEA-R 535 | International Environmental Policy | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 563 | Corporate Sustainability in a Tri-Sectoral World | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 564 | Environmental and Natural Resource Policy Design and Implementation | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to V517 prerequisite (fall course) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (Applications) | Not generally available for MES due to V517 prerequisite, but possible with econ background |
| SPEA-R 643 | Natural Resource Management and Policy | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-R 645 | Environmental Law | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-S 516 | Preparing for Climate Change and Resilient Urban Communities | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-S 596 | Sustainable Development | (Applications) | |
| SPEA-V 517 | Public Management Economics | (Applications) |
| SPCN-V 550 | Communications for Public and Nonprofit Sectors | (Applications) |
| SPCN-V 550 | Environmental Policy | (Applications) |
