Co-terminal (4+1) BS/MS Environmental Science
GPD: Lisa Rodenburg (lisa.rodenburg@rutgers.edu) 848-932-5774
For more information, click
here.
Overview
The Graduate Program in Environmental Science is pleased to announce the
creation of a 4+1 BS+MS program in Environmental Science (ES). Advantages to
students pursuing the BS to MS co-terminal degree include: the possibility of pursuing
graduate studies at a top-ranked university, the possibility of continuing undergraduate
research projects and transforming them into graduate-level research, the option to
complete graduate studies in a reduced timeframe and with cost-effective fee structure,
and the possibility to have the GRE application requirement waived.
Resources and logistics
The curriculum for the "+1" MS degree is the same as the general MS curriculum.
Currently, we offer both the plan A (thesis) and plan B (non-thesis) MS degree. We
expect that most 4+1 students will choose the plan B option, but the plan A will also be
available to 4+1 students. We expect that students who have performed undergraduate
research, especially those that have done this research as part of a George H. Cook
Honors Thesis, will continue this research and expand it into their plan A master's
thesis.
Procedures and Policies for Admission
Admission to the program is requested by the student in January of their Junior
year through the Graduate School application portal. At the time of application, the
student should have completed at least 75 course credits toward their BS. They will be
granted conditional admission while they are still undergraduates, and be formally
admitted to the MS program once they have successfully completed all the
requirements for their undergraduate degree. Students will have to explain in their
application how they plan to complete requirements for the BS and MS during their
senior year, and will be encouraged to plan for this in conversation with the Directors of
the undergraduate and graduate ES programs, and their undergraduate advisor.
Applications to this track will be reviewed by the admissions committee along with all
other applicants to the ES MS and PhD programs. The deadline for admissions to all of
these programs for a Fall semester start is January 15th. By allowing 4+1 students to
apply during their junior year, a full year before they would apply to outside programs,
we can ensure that they receive an admissions decision by May 1, well before they
need to think about applying to other graduate programs. The GRE requirement is
waived for students with a GPA of 3.0 or above in their ES major.
As with all MS students, 4+1 students accepted into the MS program have the option of
switching to the PhD program subject to the approval of the Graduate Director.
Students may choose to earn the MS degree on the way to the PhD, or may go directly
to the PhD program.
