University of Colorado DenverCollege of Liberal Arts and SciencesUniversity of Colorado Denver

M.S. in Environmental Sciences Specialization Options

Overview

The M.S. Options are structured sets of elective courses, which expose students to important environmental issues and technologies. The Options focus students into environmental specialties that will enhance their professional career development. Availability of courses required in the options may change as the disciplinary programs that offer them alter departmental schedules; in these circumstances, option advisors will work with students to substitute appropriate courses. Note: M.S. students are not required to select a structured option; with the assistance of an academic advisor, students may select any combination of elective courses that satisfy degree requirements.

Air Quality Option (Advisor: Larry Anderson, 303.556.2963)

Required:

CHEM 5710 Air Pollution Chemistry
ENVS 5730 Air Quality Modeling and Analysis 

Electives: (Take two of the following)

URP 6686 Air Quality Planning and Policy
C E 58XX Air Pollution Control
CHEM 5720 Atmospheric Sampling and Analysis

Environmental Health Option* (Advisor: Deborah Thomas, 303.556.6370)

Required:

ENVS 6230 Environmental Epidemiology
ENVS 6220 Toxicology (See Note 2)

Electives: (Take two of the following)

ENVS 6210 Human Health and Environmental Pollution
ENVS 5500 Ecological Risk Assessment (See Note 2) 
ANTH 4010 Biocultural Foundations of Health & Disease
P AD 5633 Sem. in Natural Resource and Environmental Health Law (See Note 4)
 
*ENVS 6200 Risk Assessment required as a prerequisite of the Environmental Health Option

Ecosystems Option* (Advisor: Herm Sievering , 303.556.4277)

Required:

ENVS 5020 Earth Environments and Human Impacts
BIOL 5415 Microbial Ecology

Electives: (Take two of the following)

BIOL 5154 Conservation Biology
BIOL 5050 Seminar in Aquatic Ecology
ENVS 6220 Toxicology (See Note 2) 
ENVS 5500 Ecological Risk Assessment (See Note 2) 
GEOG 5060 Environmental Remote Sensing
 
* BIOL5050 Applied Environmental Biology required as a prerequisite of the Environmental Ecology Option

Hazardous Waste Option* (Advisor: Anu Ramaswami, 303.556.4734)

Required:

C E 5480 Hazardous Wastes and Site Remediation
CE 58XX Hazardous Waste Regulations

Electives: (Take two of the following)

C E 5402 Multimedia Fate and Transport
BIOL 5051 Advanced Topics in Environmental Microbiology
ENVS 5403 Unsaturated Zone Hydrology

Water Quality Option* (Advisor: Jon Barbour, 303.556.4520)

Required:

ENVS5500-3 Aquatic Chemistry
BIOL 5416-3 Aquatic Ecology

Electives: (Take two of the following)

ENVS 5403 Unsaturated Zone Hydrology
C E 5333-3 Applied Hydrology
C E 5393-3 Water Resources Development and Management

 * CHEM 4700 Environmental Chemistry or appropriate chemistry background is required as a prerequisite for the Water Quality Option.

Geospatial Analysis Option* (Advisor: Rafael Moreno, 303.556.3762)

Required:

GEOG 5080 Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 5090 Environmental Modeling

Electives: (Take two of the following)

CE 5382 GIS Spatial Database Development
CE 5385 GIS Relational Database Systems
CE 5386 GIS Lab

*GEOG 3080 Introduction to Cartography and Computer Mapping is required as a prerequisite for the Geospatial Analysis Option.

NOTES

1. Many of the courses have prerequisites, student must check the catalog for prerequisite requirements for these courses. Some options have a prerequisite course requirement.
2. One course may not be used for more than one option, even if it is listed in several options. Other courses may be offered that will be acceptable as an elective with approval of the option advisor and the Director of Environmental Sciences .
3. No more than three courses may be from the any one disciplinary department, i.e., chemistry, biology, civil engineering.
4. Courses used by the student to fulfill an M.S. core requirement may not be used to fulfill the option.
5. All work submitted fFebruary 28, 20080) or better.
6. All courses for the Environmental Sciences Certificate must be completed at UC Denver.
7. Courses counting toward a Certificate must be completed within a five year time period.
8. Courses applied to either a Certificate or an M.S. degree may later be applied toward the other if all pertinent coursework is completed within a 5 year time period.