The overarching goal of all the degree programs offered in Earth System Science and Policy is to facilitate the acquisition of skills required to solve environmental problems or to seize opportunities presented by a changing environment. The degree requirements are therefore highly individualized. Much of the responsibility for designing a student's curriculum rests upon that student.

Students enrolled in the MEM, MS, and (in most cases) PhD degree programs will all take the sequences ESSP501, 501R, 501L (offered in the Fall) and 502, 502R, 502L (offered in the Spring). Thereafter the course selection will vary according to the degree sought and the specific interest of the student. Each student's academic advisory committee will help design a customized curriculum. Courses offered by other departments at UND or by other universities in the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (by petition) may be considered as well, depending again upon the student's specific needs.

Master of Environmental Management (MEM) Requirements.

Master of Science (MS) Requirements.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Requirements.


Master of Environmental Management (MEM) Requirements

The Master of Environmental Management is a professional degree for those who wish careers as environmental policymakers. Graduates of the MEM program will have a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of environmental and natural resource management, acquired through practical experience solving a particular problem. The practical experience will be acquired through an internship. A final written and oral report of the project completed must be submitted.

A minimum of 36 credits beyond the baccalaureate, including six to nine credits for internship is required. ESSP MEM students must file with the Graduate School an approved program of study before the completion of fifteen credits of coursework, maintain a GPA of 3.00, and comply with the Graduate Catalog. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation, and will have one semester to raise the GPA to 3.00 or above. Grades of C or poorer will not be accepted as fulfilling degree requirements.

All students must take a combination of oral and written examinations to qualify for candidacy in the MEM program. This will occur no later than the end of the first year of course work and will entail a 5 to 10 page written description and an oral presentation of their intended internship project. All exams will be administered and evaluated by the student's Advisory Committee. MEM students must fulfill all requirements outlined by the Graduate School for a master's degree. In place of a thesis, however, they must submit a comprehensive written report of their internship with an appropriate organization. The written report will be in the form of an Independent Study Report, following the guidelines and procedures for such a report set by the Graduate School. In addition, students shall make a final oral presentation to an audience from the ESSP program, stakeholders affected by their project, and relevant professionals.

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Master of Science Requirements

The Master of Science is for those who favor the acquisition of scientific information as the basis for supporting wise policy. The MS in ESSP is designed to accommodate a large range of research interests, all of which must be multi-disciplinary. Those who are highly focused in a particular discipline are encouraged to seek graduate opportunities in that discipline. Requirements for an MS degree will culminate in submission and defense of a thesis.

A minimum of 36 credits beyond the baccalaureate, including six to nine credits for thesis. By the end of the first semester the student will select a chair of her/his Advisory Committee and, in consultation with that chair, recommend membership on the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will have 3 members, at least one of whom must be from the ESSP faculty. If the student is pursuing a minor concurrently with the MS in ESSP, one of the committee members will be from the department of the minor.

ESSP students must file with the Graduate School an approved program of study before the completion of fifteen credits of course work, maintain a GPA of 3.00, and comply with the Graduate Catalog. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise the GPA to 3.00 or above. Grades of C or poorer will not be accepted as fulfilling degree requirements.

All students must take a combination of oral and written examinations to qualify for candidacy in the Master of Science program. This will occur no later than the end of the first year of course work and will entail a 5 to 10 page written description and an oral presentation of their intended research project. Successful completion, and oral defense, of a thesis is required for the MS degree. All exams will be administered and evaluated by the student's Advisory Committee.

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Doctor of Philosophy Requirements

The PhD in Earth System Science and Policy is intended to prepare innovative researchers and problem-solvers for the public and private sectors, as much as for academia. Its core requirement is an original contribution, presented in final form as a dissertation, that assesses, mitigates, manages, remediates, or prevents a significant environmental problem of the present and the future. The program is multi-disciplinary and practical nature, involving faculty from various disciplines and institutions, from public or private research laboratories, and from early-adopter stakeholders.

A minimum of 90 credits (30 of which must be taken in the Earth System Science and Policy Program) beyond the baccalaureate, including acceptable master's degree work and up to 18 credits for dissertation, is required for the PhD degree. All PhD students will be required to spend a minimum of two semesters, full-time, on the UND campus after receiving a master's degree. Because the ESSP program emphasizes (a) integration of the many components of earth systems into a single global system and (b) using Earth System Science to change practices in society, it is recognized that doctoral students may need to conduct significant portions of their research off campus.

By the end of the second semester in the doctoral program, the student will select a chair of her/his Advisory Committee and, in consultation with that chair, recommend membership on the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will typically have 5 members, at least two of whom must be from the ESSP faculty. One of the committee members will be appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. That member will be from outside the ESSP Department. The committee will assist the student in course selection and definition of a research topic and will also administer and evaluate all examinations that are required for completion of the degree.

ESSP students must file with the Graduate School an approved program of study before the completion of ten credits of course work beyond the master’s degree, complete at least six credits of the approved program per calendar year, maintain a GPA of 3.50 with no grades below B, and comply with the Graduate Catalog. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.50 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise the GPA to 3.50 or above.

All students must take a combination of oral and written examinations to qualify for candidacy in the ESSP PhD program. Part of the written requirement requires all students to write a dissertation proposal in a style appropriate for submission to a funding organization or agency. Students will present their proposal for review no later than one year from the date of admission to the ESSP doctoral program. To be advanced to candidacy the PhD student will also take a written qualifying exam, which will be administered early in the student's second year. Successful completion, and oral defense, of a dissertation is also required for the PhD degree. All exams will be administered and evaluated by the student's Advisory Committee.

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