Master of Arts (MA) Program Admissions Criteria

Application Deadlines

The Graduate Applications Committee for the Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) Programs will continue to review applications on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Those applicants interested in being considered for financial assistance from the MA Program should ensure their complete applications are received by the USFSP Office of Graduate Studies no later than 15 March each year.

Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis for students who qualify. Students must be formally admitted to the MA in ESP program and must be full time (nine credit hours) for the term in which the assistantship is held. To apply for graduate assistantships, please complete this form and send to Dr. Barnali Dixon at bdixon@usfsp.edu by 15 March in addition to submitting your complete application to the USFSP Office of Graduate Studies.

Application Requirements

All applications to the MA Graduate Program in ESP should include the following:

• One (1) official transcript showing proof of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate institution with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and demonstration of an appropriate undergraduate background in the disciplines supporting the applied environmental sciences.
• A statement (no longer than one page, single spaced) of your reasons for applying to this MA program, a brief discussion of your academic interests,  professional goals, and how you think the MA degree will help you attain those goals, and whether or not you intend to study full-time or part-time. Remember that a full-time course load for graduate students is 9 credit hours (usually three classes) and you must maintain 5 credit hours a semester to be eligible for financial aid.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation from people well qualified to assess your potential for graduate study.
• GRE test score—the GRE must have been taken within the previous five years.

Applicants seeking admission to the MA graduate program in Environmental Science and Policy will be expected to meet the following criteria:

Bachelor’s Degree and GPA

Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate institution with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and be able to demonstrate an appropriate undergraduate background in the disciplines supporting the applied environmental sciences. The Graduate Program Advisory Committee will review all applications to determine adequacy of undergraduate backgrounds. However, in general, an individual pursuing a graduate degree that emphasizes basic and applied sciences would be expected to have the following prerequisites:

1.     Math: one semester each, calculus and statistics

2.     Biology: two semesters with labs

3.     Chemistry: two semesters with labs

4.     Disciplinary Science: one semester (environmental science, environmental policy, geology, ecology, other)

For specific examples of the equivalent courses within our system, please click here.

Graduate Record Exam Scores

Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the past five (5) years with a combined score of at least 1000 (GRE test taken in old Format) from the verbal and mathematical sections and a score of 4 or better on the writing section. The corresponding acceptable GRE scores in the new scale will be 151 for verbal reasoning and 150 for quantitative and a score of 4 or better on the writing section.

Applicants with significant science background as an undergraduate student, a minimum of 3.0 cumulative grade point average as an undergraduate, and at least two years of full-time work experience in an environmental field deemed relevant by the graduate committee are encouraged to apply even if their GRE scores are less than 1000 on the old scale (151 in verbal and 150 in quantitative on new scale). If the Graduate Committee determines that an applicant has a significant science background and relevant work experience, then it may waive the requirement of earning at least 1000on the old scale (151 in verbal and 150 in quantitative on new scale) on the GRE as long as test scores are submitted during the application process.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who have earned an appropriate baccalaureate degree, but whose undergraduate GPA is less than 3.0 or whose GRE scores in verbal and mathematical (combined) is less than 1000 in old scale (151 in verbal and 150 in quantitative in new scale)may be granted conditional admission by the graduate admissions committee in accordance with USF policy.

Conditional admits may be given specific coursework or independent study requirements in order to make up deficiencies but, at a minimum, must complete nine semester hours of graduate-level program courses with a grade of B or better. Conditional graduate students will not be eligible for graduate assistantships until they have obtained full admission to the program.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this program, applicants will be expected to demonstrate undergraduate backgrounds sufficient to meet entry requirements (See Bachelor’s Degree and GPA section for prerequisites). At the discretion of the Graduate Advisory Committee, applicants without adequate background may be granted conditional admission (even though GPA and GRE scores are adequate for admission) with the expectation that undergraduate deficiencies (as determined by the Committee) will be removed within the first two semesters of graduate work.

Exception Admission Criteria

The University may admit up to 10% of new enrollees as exceptions tothe Board of Trustees minimum requirements.

To be considered for an exception, an applicant should present evidence that their academic preparation was such that it might account for less than the minimal University and/or program requirements and evidence of potential for academic success such as excellent letters of recommendation from trusted academicians, performance in graduate courses taken as a post-bachelor’s student, professional experience in his/her discipline for a period of time, etc.

Each request for a 10% exception must include a statement describing the special circumstances of the applicant. It is the discretion of the program and college to accept exception application requests.