Environmental Sciences (Graduate Program)

For information regarding the UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

Program Overview

The Department of Environmental Sciences is a multidisciplinary research and academic unit whose mission is to provide the academic talents and knowledge needed to solve environmental problems that are important to Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico region, and comparable areas throughout the nation and the world. The department offers a variety of courses relating to the environment. Faculty from other academic units participate in teaching some of the department’s courses. Likewise, departmental faculty serve as adjuncts in several departments that offer master and doctoral programs.

Administration

Graduate Minor in Environmental Sciences (GENVS)

A minor in Environmental Sciences is available to graduate students in other graduate degree programs. The minimum required credit hours for the minor are nine hours, with three credit hours from each of the three priority groups. ENVS 7700  (Integrated Environmental Issues) can be counted as either one of the three priority areas. Of those nine hours, at least three hours must be at the 7000-level.

Graduate Minor Wetland Science and Management (GWSM)

The Departments of Environmental Sciences and Oceanography and Coastal Sciences have joined together to establish a minor in wetland science and management. This minor, requiring 12 hours of approved courses, provides masters’ and doctoral students in both departments with a strong background in wetland science and policy and enhances their understanding of ecosystem processes in wetland ecosystem management.

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: LSU Office of Graduate Admissions, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Applications for admission are received from the Office of Graduate Student Services and evaluated by the department. Applicants must adhere to the application deadlines established by the Graduate School. To guarantee admission for the fall semester, application materials should be submitted prior to May 15th. Applications for the spring semester should be complete by October 15th. Admission is contingent on assignment to a faculty member.

Students seeking admission must submit satisfactory credentials from previous study, acceptable GRE and GPA scores, and three letters of recommendation. International students whose native language is not English must also submit an acceptable TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score. Admission requirements include:

• Bachelor’s degree with GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.0-point scale
• GRE verbal and quantitative score total of at least 300
• TOEFL score of at least 213 computer or 550 paper, or 79 Internet, IELTS score of at least 6.5; or PTE score of at least 59 (International students only)

The graduate programs in the Department of Environmental Sciences are designed primarily for students with backgrounds in science or engineering. However, students with exceptional academic records and backgrounds in other fields are encouraged to apply. Preparatory undergraduate coursework for the graduate programs includes: three hours of introductory statistics (EXST 2201  or equivalent); three hours of chemistry; three hours of biological sciences for science majors (e.g. BIOL 1201 ) and six additional hours of natural science courses. Students must have earned at least a C (or a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) in their pre-requisite classes for those classes to satisfy admission requirements, regardless of where those classes were taken. Incoming students who need to satisfy any prerequisite requirements are expected to have taken the appropriate course(s) by the end of their second semester of residency.

Graduate Faculty

(check current faculty listings by department here)

Kevin L. Armbrust (M) • Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
Christopher D’Elia (M) • estuarine ecology, energy and policy
Denise E DeLorme (M) • Qualitative social science research methods, stakeholder analysis and engagement; strategic environmental communication; health communication
David E. Dismukes (M) • Analysis of economic, statistical, and public policy issues in energy and regulated industries
Linda Hooper-Bui (M) • insect ecology
Aixin Hou (M) • microbial ecology
Ryan Blake Hudson (M) • Environmental, Natural Resources, and Ocean & Coastal Law and Policy
Crystal Johnson (M) • microbiology
Nina Lam (M) • remote sensing/GIS
Ed Laws (M) • phytoplankton ecology, aquatic pollution
Slawomir Lomnicki (6A) • atmospheric chemistry
Ed Overton (EM)
Ralph Portier (M) • environmental toxicology
Margaret Reams (M) • environmental policy
Barbara Shane (EM)
Brian F. Snyder (6A) • Renewable energy systems, climate policy, energy flow through human systems
Vince Wilson (M) • genetic toxicology 

Degree Programs

The Department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in environmental sciences plus M.S. and Ph.D. minor in environmental sciences. In order to provide students with a holistic training to meet today’s environmental challenges, the graduate curriculum is organized according to three priority areas: (a) Biophysical Systems (coupled biological and physical systems); (b) Environmental Planning and Management (coupled human and natural systems); and (c) Environmental Assessment and Analysis (coupled people and technology). The M.S. program consists of thesis and professional options. Collaborative graduate programs with Southern University and LSU-Shreveport are also available.

Research activities within the department include environmental assessment and resource sustainability, environmental microbial ecology, molecular phylogenetics, water quality, air quality and air transport modeling, bioremediation, environmental management, environmental toxicology, genetic toxicology, environmental regulations, policy development, hazardous waste management, development of mobile analytical instrumentation, the environmental impact of toxic chemicals, remote sensing, geographic information science, environmental health, and environmental decision-making.

Individualized programs of study for each student are developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee includes the student’s major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

Programs

• Environmental Sciences, Ph.D.

• Environmental Sciences, M.S.