The Master of Environmental Studies may be pursued with full or part time attendace by one of two program options: the research paper or thesis option. Admission and degree requirements are outlined in the following information.
Admission Requirements
Applicants for the Master's program should hold an undergraduate honours degree or equivalent with at least a 75% average (full B). Normally, the undergraduate degree will be in Geography, but applications are welcomed from superior students regardless of background. However, applicants must demonstrate that they have the necessary background to pursue graduate work in their field of specialization. For specific requirements see the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography Guide for Prospective Applicants.
International Students - English Language Proficiency
A score of at least 600 is required in the Test of English as a Foreign Lanuage (TOEFL) and 4.0 on the TWE. A score of 250 is required on the computerized version. (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification for other acceptable tests of English.)
Deadline for applications to the Master's program should be made as early as possible in the fall. The Program Admissions Committee begins to consider and evaluate applications at the beginning of February
Degree Requirements
Students are admitted to either the Thesis or the Research Paper option. If a student wishes to switch from Thesis to Research Paper, or vice versa, the change must receive approval by the W-LGPIG Executive Committee by the end of the first term after initial enrollment. The MES with Thesis requires the student to complete 9 units of credit (a unit of credit is the equivalent of a half-credit course). The Research Paper MES requires the student to complete 10 units of credit. Both programs are available on either a full-time or a part-time basis. MES students are required to select a portion of their credits from a specified set of courses.
For master's students, failure to obtain a grade of 70% (B-) or better in each course they take means an automatic review of the student's status in the Program. The review committee will consist of the student's advisor, the Program Director, and the Graduate Officer. The review committee may require that the student withdraw from the Program.
For full-time students, the Research Paper option will have a limit of three terms. For part-time students, the Research Paper option will have a limit of six terms.
Thesis MES
- Requires the successful completion of 9 units of credit comprised as follows:
- Research Seminar (1 unit) selected from Geography 600, 620, 640, 660; this must be selected from those research seminars identified by an * in the Course Descriptions.
- Geography 691 Graduate Student and Faculty Seminar in Geography (1 unit)
- Three electives (3 units); for MES degree, a minimum of two geography courses must be selected from those courses identified by an * in the Course Descriptions.
- Thesis (4 units) Students will automatically be enrolled in the Master's Thesis during the first term of their graduate program
- Note: One Geography 675 course can be taken for credit
Research Paper MES
- Requires the successful completion of 10 units of credit composed as follows:
- Two Research Seminars (2 units) selected from Geography 600, 620, 640, 660; at least one of these must be selected from those research seminars identified by an * in the Course Descriptions.
- Geography 691 Graduate Student and Faculty Seminar in Geography (1 unit)
- Five electives (5 units); at least three of these must be selected from those courses identified by an * in the Course Descriptions.
- Master's Research Paper (2 units) Students will automatically be enrolled in the Master's Research Paper during the first term of their graduate program
Note
Two Geography 675 courses can be taken for credit.
Each Research Paper MES student will have a Supervisor and a Committee Member. The student will develop a research proposal for approval by her/his Supervisor and Committee Member prior to the end of the first term. The research paper will normally be completed in the Spring (third) term. The paper should be approximately 12,000 words/50 pages in length, and include clearly defined sections on 1) problem statement, 2) status of research, 3) research procedure, 4) findings, and 5) conclusions.
The Research Paper must be defended successfully before an Examination Committee composed of the student's Supervisor, Committee Member and one Reader.