Brigham Young University
AC-4: Graduate Program

A master’s degree in environmental science provides students with research and education opportunities in environmental protection and remediation and in plant growth and physiology. Students select graduate coursework in soil science, biology, and environmentally related courses taught in departments across the campus. Those completing program requirements are well prepared for employment in environmental science positions at the state and federal level, teaching at the junior college level, and continued graduate studies for the PhD. Research and teaching interests include environmental toxicology, pollination biology, improvement in teaching undergraduates in biology, plant growth under environmental stress, invasive species, plant physiology, urban landscape environments, bioremediation of contaminated soils and water, and both modern and ancient agricultural environments.

A master’s degree in wildlife and wildlands conservation emphasizes the scientific method in developing critical thinking and analytical skills applied to conservation and management problems related to wildlife ecology, wildlands, restoration science and/or rangeland ecology. Depending on the emphasis, advanced training in topic specialties may be complemented by courses in statistics, geographical information systems (GIS), soil sciences, model testing, systematics, or advanced ecology. All emphases require original research topics with the results presented in thesis format. This research is expected to be of a publication quality and thesis style best reflecting that of a professional journal, thus facilitating timely submissions for publication. Formal presentations at professional meetings are also encouraged.

A doctoral degree in wildlife and wildlands conservation emphasizes the scientific method in developing critical thinking and analytical skills applied to conservation and management problems related to wildlife ecology, wildlands, restoration science and/or rangeland ecology. Depending on the emphasis, advanced training in topic specialties may be complemented by courses in statistics, geographical information systems (GIS), soil sciences, model testing, systematics, or advanced ecology. All emphases require original research topics with the results presented in dissertation format. This research is expected to be of a publication quality and dissertation style best reflecting that of a professional journal, thus facilitating timely submissions for publication. Formal presentations at professional meetings are also encouraged. These graduate programs are supported by twenty-five faculty members within the department. Their research and teaching interests include genetics and biotechnology, plant growth under environmental stress, urban landscape environments, landscape ecology, bioremediation of contaminated soils and water, wildlands restoration methods, environmental pollution, wildlife habitat and ecology, and remote sensing.