The MES program is made up of 36 credits including thesis or capstone project work. It should be noted that the capstone project is typically less comprehensive than a traditional master's thesis, so students choosing this option are required to take two additional elective courses. Students interested in pursuing the master's degree full-time should plan to spend about two years in residence. Students in the online MES program will complete all classes and capstone research without needing to be on campus.
The purpose of the thesis option is to demonstrate the student's ability to investigate a research topic and report the findings in proper scientific publication style. This enables the student to gain experience in a specific area of environmental studies and to report research results in a publishable document. The program has a student handbook that gives more specific requirements of the formatting and process which needs to be followed and is distributed at the group meeting at the beginning of your first semester. Experience in literature review, experimental design, data collection, record-keeping, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation are obtained by students completing the thesis option. Students who intend to further their graduate education (e.g., obtain a doctoral degree) should choose this option, because the doctoral programs often require students to have demonstrated their ability to successfully complete a master's thesis. Required courses and thesis topic must be approved by the student's committee.
Graduate students enrolled in the non-thesis option are required to complete a capstone project as determined by their major professor and approved by their committee. The MES graduate student handbook provides specific on formatting and other requirements and is available to all students during their first semester. Examples might include a literature review, a public service project, or Cooperative Extension work. A detailed proposal is submitted for approval to the student's committee before the project is conducted, and a final project report must be approved by the student's committee.