Explore UNE’s Environmental Studies 4+1 B.S./M.S. Track on the Coast of Maine
UNE’s Environmental Studies 4+1 B.S./M.S. program allows you to complete your undergraduate and master’s degrees in environmental studies in a total of five years, saving you both time and money.
As a qualified 51Æ·²èundergraduate, this track enables you to obtain an M.S. degree, in addition to your B.S., through an expedited process that begins during your senior year of undergraduate work.
You’ll complete much of your master’s coursework during your fourth year, while also working on your thesis project. Your fifth year will be spent finishing your research and writing your thesis.
Why 51Æ·²èfor Your B.S./M.S. in Environmental Studies
UNE’s combination undergraduate/graduate program in Environmental Studies uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the connections between humans and nature. Observing the world through the lenses of natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, you will learn to develop and promote sustainable behaviors that improve life at all levels.
Prepare for Your Career With Unique Opportunities
From our optional first-year interdisciplinary Green Learning Community, which integrates courses in biology, environmental issues, literature, and economics, to our exciting study abroad experiences and our local, national, and international internships, which give you a chance to gain professional skills and hands-on experience, the sky is the limit at UNE. This multitude of opportunities prepares you to join the ranks of other 51Æ·²èEnvironmental Studies graduates who have entered exciting professional fields in environmental advocacy, air and water resource management, ecological restoration, habitat conservation, park management, and environmental impact assessment.
Marlie Perkins ’18
Why UNE
The summer before I came to UNE, a professor from the Department of Environmental Studies contacted me and asked me if I wanted to participate in the first-year Green Learning Community (GLC) program.
For the GLC, you take a series of 1.5-credit courses during your first year, and you are in all of your classes with the same group of people. There are two different groups — Group A and Group B. You take a different version of biology than the typical first-year requirement. Then there are other classes that you take with your specific group of people, like Literature of Nature, Environmental Issues, and Environmental Economics. You also take a lot of field trips together. Everyone in my group got so close during that first year. We spent a lot of time with the faculty too. It was really cool. After first year, I had built that foundation with my classmates, and it was so nice.
The whole Environmental Studies Department feels like a family. Everyone made me feel involved in the program on a personal level rather than strictly an academic one. The department stood apart to me at 51Æ·²èbecause of its genuine care. Every faculty member cares so much about their students. It fosters a great community.
Hands-on Learning
During my junior year at UNE, I didn’t know what to do about internship prospects, so my advisor — who is well connected with Maine conservation and preservation efforts — helped me. He thought I would be a good fit for Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge and put me in touch with the biologist there.
I went and shadowed and learned a lot. At the end of the semester, they told me that they loved having me and asked if I would participate in one of their summer internships, so the following summer I went back and was the Plover Intern.
From my experience, I realized that I really enjoyed the outreach part of the job. I think it’s so important to educate people and close the disconnect between scientists and the general public. I liked finding ways to make these issues matter to the general public during my summer internship. It’s not always complicated science. There is a way that everyone can understand the science and the importance of the environment and its parts.
At Rachel Carson, we work locally to make improvements, and we try to present that in a way that matters to the general public. None of the work we’re doing matters if people aren’t supporting it because there is a bigger picture. There are always going to be more issues — or bigger issues — that we could deal with, and getting the public involved helps the work we do greatly. It builds the impact that we can have.
Everyone made me feel involved in the program on a personal level rather than strictly an academic one. Every faculty member cares so much...It fosters a great community.
Discover Diverse Habitats Across Southern Maine
Within a short walk or drive from our Biddeford Campus, you may explore a variety of unique habitats, including UNE’s 350 acres of contiguous forest. The State of Maine’s Natural Areas Program has labeled the land a habitat of significant value due to its high density of pocket swamps and vernal pools. The area is comprised of both uplands and wetlands and is home to many species, including wild turkeys, deer, coyotes, and moose.
A bit farther afield, you may study some of Northern New England’s most intriguing ecosystems.
Our campus offers the chance to explore the lush coast and rich woodlands of Southern Maine.
- 51Æ·²èNature Trail: Our trail system on campus runs along the Saco River.
- UNE's 363 acres of forest: Explored in many classes, is also great for mountain biking.
- UNE's Ram Island: Our one-acre research island in Saco Bay.
- Basket and Stage Islands: Accessible at low tide over the sand flats.
- East Point Bird Sanctuary: Owned by the Audubon Society with views of Wood Island lighthouse.
- Biddeford Pool: The largest tidal pool in Maine, great for observing coastal wildlife.
- The Saco Heath: A raised peatland (bog), home to the carnivorous pitcher plants (protected by the ).
- Clifford Park: A 52-acre woodland preserve owned by the city of Biddeford, great for mountain biking and cross country skiing.
These protected lands serve as ideal day-trips from our campus.
- Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region: 10,000 acres of biodiverse undeveloped forest.
- Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge: A national wildlife refuge that spans 50 miles of coastline between York and Cumberland counties.
- : Expands our knowledge about coasts and estuaries with an emphasis on ensuring healthy salt marsh ecosystems.
- : 800,000 acres of federally managed forest and mountains in western Maine and New Hampshire. A 75-minute drive from campus.
- : Comprised of a cluster of islands on the Maine coast, Acadia is positioned within the broad transition zone between eastern deciduous and northern coniferous forests and hosts several species and plant communities at the edge of their geographic range. A 3.5-hour drive from campus.
Reach New Levels of Research as a Environmental Studies 4+1 B.S./M.S. Student
Through in-depth, student-centered research, our five-year combined degree program in Environmental Science enables you to work closely with a faculty member who shares your specific interest, thereby providing you with not only a comprehensive undergraduate education in environmental studies but an opportunity to perform graduate-level work.
What will you study? Environmental Studies 4+1 B.S./M.S. Curriculum Overview
Academic and Technical Standards
Satisfactory Academic Progress
To remain in the M.S. in Environmental Studies program, the student's cumulative graduate GPA must be a minimum of 3.0. A student whose GPA falls below 3.0 or who receives a grade below B- in any course taken for graduate credit will be placed on academic probation.
Program Completion Timeline
Students have a maximum of five (5) years to complete the graduation requirements. After two (2) academic years (fall and spring terms), students who have completed their coursework but are still completing their theses are required to enroll in a minimum of three (3) Thesis credit hours per semester to remain in the program.
Probation/Dismissal
A graduate student whose grade point average (GPA) for any semester falls below 3.0, or whose cumulative grade point average is below 3.0, or who receives a class grade below a B- for any class taken for graduate credit is automatically placed on probation. A student placed on academic probation will be granted one fall or spring semester to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or above, will be required to achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the semester, and cannot receive a second class grade below B-. Any student who fails to meet these criteria will be considered for dismissal by the School of Marine and Environmental Programs and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Curriculum
The B.S./M.S. degree in Environmental Studies requires a total of 36 graduate credits, including
- A minimum of 12 thesis/research credits (ENV 590)
- 2 credits of Graduate Seminar in Environmental Studies (ENV 599; 1 in the fourth and 1 in the fifth year)
- 3 credits of Research Methods (BIO 503)
- Up to 19 additional course credits (minimum of 12-course credits)
Of the 12–19 additional course credits, a minimum of two classes must be offered through the Department of Environmental Studies. A maximum of 12 course credits can double-count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
| Program Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Studies | 108–120 |
| BIO 503 – Research Methods | 3 |
| Two (2) credits of ENV 530 – Graduate Seminar in Environmental Studies/Science* | 2 |
| Twelve (12) credits of ENV 510 – Master’s Thesis Research | 12 |
| Twelve (12) credits of electives in any 500-level or higher with the prefix ENV, BIO, MAR, or MAF where at least two (2) of the courses must be ENV | 12 |
| Seven (7) credits of ENV 510 – Master’s Thesis Research or Elective in any 500-level or higher with the prefix ENV, BIO, MAR, or MAF** | 7 |
| Minimum Total Required Credits | 36 |
|---|
*One (1) credit taken in the fourth year and one (1) credit taken in the fifth year
**Students can combine credits from both ENV 510 and electives in any 500-level or higher course with the prefix ENV, BIO, MAR, or MAF to reach the required seven (7) credits. They do not need to choose one (1) or the other.
51Æ·²è4+1 Tracks
51Æ·²èoffers 4+1 tracks for Marine Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or Environmental Studies.
Become Part of Our Environmental Studies Community
With our small class sizes, tight-knit students, and our caring faculty who strive to get to know you as an individual, you will feel at home in no time in the Environmental Studies family. Our program fosters a sense of community, and you can feel the spirit of collaboration in the air — both in the classroom and out in the field.
Live and Study in Biddeford, Maine
Students in UNE’s 4+1 B.S./M.S. track in Environmental Science study at our Biddeford, Maine, location, a gorgeous waterfront campus offering more than 4,000 feet of scenic shoreline where the Saco River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to benefitting from the ample research opportunities afforded by our proximity to the ocean, wetlands, and a privately-owned research island, you will enjoy spending time in this popular vacation destination with its friendly, welcoming people and a wide range of outdoor recreation activities.
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