PSM students will complete two graduate certificates in environmentally related areas and complete a project or internship, gaining applied knowledge in the discipline of professional management and practices.
PSM Requirements
University master’s degree requirements must be met. In addition, specific degree program requirements are listed in each program.
The graduate study program is designed around the completion of two graduate certificates and discussions involving the graduate student and the PSM program director. In addition to graduate certificates, the graduate study program will be culminated by a capstone project or internship that is advised by a graduate committee consisting of the PSM Director or their designee, the supervising faculty member for the student’s project or internship, and, if appropriate, a manager or partner from an external community entity who is helping to oversee the internship or project. The project adviser must be a member of the PSM graduate faculty. The graduate committee must be approved by the PSM Program Director.
To encourage the development of interdisciplinary graduate study programs, guidelines for course selection are flexible. PSM students must complete at least 48 graduate credits, to include the following:
- Complete two certificates (minimum of 32 credits; course overlaps between certificates are not allowed)
- Professional Development Courses (minimum 4 credits)
- ESM 551 (4 credits)
- ESM 506 Project or ESM 504 Internship (minimum 4 credits)
Total Credit Hours: 48-54
Depending on the certificates completed students may need to complete additional coursework to complete the 48 credit minimum required for the PSM. The additional credits can come from a list of professional development courses and/or an additional 4 credits of additional project/internship. A maximum of 8 credits in 504 or 506 will be allowed for the degree.
Graduate Certificates
The degree will require students to complete two graduate certificates from a menu of approved graduate certificates offered in the Environmental Science and Management, Geology, and Geography Departments, as well as other related graduate certificates.
For the first certificate, choose at least one graduate certificate from List A. For the second certificate, choose another graduate certificate from List A or a graduate certificate from List B. Courses used for one graduate certificate requirements cannot count towards the requirements of the second graduate certificate. Students are encouraged to work with the PSM director or certificate directors to identify appropriate course pathways.
List A:
List B:
Professional Development Courses
PSM students must complete a minimum of 4 credits in project management (ESM 551) and up to 8 other credits of professional development courses in student’s choice of seminar, science communication, data analysis, technical writing, scientific methods, or policy.
Required
ESM 551 Project Management for Scientists (4 credits)
Other Example Professional Development Courses (8 credits)
- ESM 507 Seminar (1-6 credits)
- ESM 509 Practicum (1-9 credits)
- ESM 555/ESR 655 Science Communication (1 credit)
- ESM 556/ESR 656 Advanced Science Communication Skills (1 credit)
- ESM 557/ESR 657 Science, Media and the Public: Working with the Media to Create Effective Scientific Messages (1 credit)
- ESM 566/CE 566 Environmental Data Analysis (4 credits)
- ESM 567 Multivariate Analysis of Environmental Data (4 credits)
- G 507 Seminar (1-6 credits)
- Geog 507 Seminar (1-6 credits)
- Geog 588/USP 591 Geographic Information Systems I: Introduction (4 credits)--Other graduate-level GIS courses may be substituted for Geog 588.
- Wr 534 Science Writing (4 credits)
Project or Internship
The culminating experience of the students seeking a PSM degree is the completion of a project or internship. This element of the curriculum serves to integrate coursework, further develop skills required to function effectively in a professional setting (e.g., communication, presentation, and project management) and provide an opportunity to participate in the solution of a real environmental problem.
Working with local agencies or/and organizations, and a faculty member, the PSM student identifies a project or internship, formulates a project or internship plan with a community partner, formally proposes the project or internship, completes the scope of work detailed in the proposal, and documents and presents the results or outcomes of the project to an appropriate audience. This 4-8 credit project or internship will be recorded as 506 or 504 credits, respectively, with a prefix appropriate for the advising faculty member (e.g., ESM 506 or ESM 504).