Environment and Natural Resources Master of Science

About us

The Master of Science degree is a thesis-based degree that prepares students for a variety of professional outcomes or further research training. Graduates of the program enter careers in environmental science, resource science, policy and management, administration, research, or education, and many continue graduate studies at the doctoral level.

A Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources offers flexibility and diversity in meeting students’ educational, research and career objectives. Students in the program work with a primary faculty advisor leading an advisory committee to guide the student's selection of a research topic and progress toward completing a thesis research project. Students will become familiar with literature relevant to the research topic, identify questions that can realistically be pursued as a thesis, design and carry out studies or experiments to address those questions, analyze the results, and incorporate those results into a coherent master’s thesis.

Working with their advisory committee, students have extensive freedom to customize the course selection in their program of study and include interdisciplinary coursework from other university departments. Research by students and faculty members in this program run the gamut across these diverse research areas:

  • Ecological Restoration
  • Ecosystem Science
  • Environmental Social Sciences
  • Fisheries and Wildlife Science
  • Forest Science
  • Rural Sociology
  • Soil Science

For more information: senr.osu.edu/graduate/master-science-ms

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

International graduates of this major are approved by the Department of Homeland Security for three (3) years of work permission in the United States after graduation. Visit the Office of International Affairs website for more information.