Master of Science in Environmental Science (thesis option)

Master of Science in Environmental Science (thesis option)

Objectives
The M.S. (Environmental Science) Program aims to develop students for careers in environmental assessment and planning and in environmental education. The proposed program envisions to fill the need for highly trained environmental scientists in the government, private industries and educational institutions.

Admission into the Program

  1. Admission into the M.S. Program shall require:
    • A Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering or their equivalent from a recognized institution of higher learning
    • A high degree of intellectual capacity and aptitude for graduate study and research
    • Satisfaction of additional University requirements such as a health clearance and other special admission requirements that may be imposed by the Graduate Committee.
  2. Application for admission into the M.S. program must be accomplished in the Official College Application form and accompanied by official transcript of records, written recommendations from two (2) former professors or experts in the field, and the officially prescribed application fee.
  3. All applications shall be submitted to and processed by the Graduate Office, referred to the Graduate Committee concerned for evaluation and endorsed by the latter to the Dean for official action.

General Requirement
To qualify for the M.S. (Environmental Science) degree under the Thesis Option, a student must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) units of formal graduate courses;
  2. maintain a Cumulative Weighted Average Grade (CWAG) of “2.0” or better in his/her graduate courses at the end of each academic year;
  3. complete one (1) unit of a graduate seminar course;
  4. successfully defend a Master’s Thesis in a Master’s Examination and
  5. submit at least six (6) bound certified copies of the approved Master’s Thesis

Course Curriculum
Every student under the M.S. program shall be required to complete at least twenty-four (24) units of formal graduate courses consisting of eighteen (18) units of core courses and at least six (6) units of specialization or elective courses. (pdf of POS)

Master’s Thesis

  1. Nature
    Each student in the Thesis Option shall be required to submit a master’s thesis which must be scholarly work embodying a supervised scientific research by the student and presenting, in a scholarly manner, a worthwhile contribution to scientific knowledge in Environmental Science.
  2. Thesis Adviser and Reader
    After a student in the Thesis option finds a suitable Thesis Adviser, he/she will be assigned a Thesis Reader by the Environmental Science Graduate Committee. In special cases requiring joint advising, a Thesis Co-Adviser may be assigned to the student in addition to a Thesis Reader. Either the Thesis Adviser of Co-Adviser, but not both, may belong to an external institution. The Thesis Reader may also belong to an institution outside UP Diliman. The Thesis Adviser and the Thesis Reader (as well as the Co-Adviser, if any) shall be formally appointed by the Dean upon the recommendation of the Environmental Science Graduate Committee. They shall be responsible for:
    • advising the students in the preparation of his/her thesis proposal,
    • guiding and supervising his/her thesis research, and
    • endorsing his/her master’s thesis for defense in Master’s Examination

Thesis Process

  1. Thesis Proposal
    Before the thesis research can be formally started, the student must first prepare a written thesis proposal with the advisee of his/her Thesis Adviser and Thesis Reader (as well as thesis Co-Adviser, if any) and submit it to the Environmental Science Graduate Program Committee for approval. Upon approval of his/her Thesis Proposal, the student may then proceed to carry out his/her thesis research. A certified copy of the approved thesis proposal must be submitted by the Environmental Science Graduate Committee to the Graduate Office of the College.
  2. Defense of Master’s Thesis
    Upon completion of the master’s thesis and its endorsement by the Thesis Adviser and the Thesis Reader to the Environmental science Graduate Program committee, the latter shall recommend to the Dean the formal appointment of two (2) Thesis Examiners who, together with the Thesis Adviser and Thesis Reader (plus the Thesis Co-Adviser, if any) shall constitute the Master’s Examination Panel of four (4) or five (5) members. The Thesis Reader or one of the Thesis Examiners shall be designated by the Thesis Adviser to chair the Master’s Examination Panel.