The Online Master of Science in Applied Geosciences in the College of Liberal and Professional Studies and Department of Earth and Environmental Science (EES) is a 12-cu, graduate program designed to prepare mid-career professionals (preferably a minimum of 3-years’ experience) in geoscience organizations (consulting, geotechnical, government, non-profit/NGO) for the next step in their careers.

The Environmental Science minor is designed to achieve an understanding of the breadth of contemporary environmental issues through a series of courses in environmental studies, while ensuring that each student pursue a purposeful course of study in some traditionally defined area of scholarship. 

The Environmental Studies minor is designed to achieve an understanding of the breadth of contemporary environmental issues through a series of courses in environmental studies, while ensuring that each student pursue a purposeful course of study in some traditionally defined area of scholarship. 

The Geology minor is designed to provide the graduates with skills to determine the environmental and/or geologic events that have led to the structures and features of a location and to analyze a field site or geologic region. Areas of interest include mineralogy, petrology, volcanology, stratigraphy, economic geology and paleontology.

The Sustainability and Environmental Management minor is focused on sustainability and it is designed to help students understand the nature of environmental constraints which face organizations and individuals in the modern world, and to understand how these constraints can be effectively considered as part of the decision-making process in for-profit and non-profit organizations.

The Biology Graduate Program represents many areas of biology, and interactions with a diverse group of colleagues provide opportunities to broaden every student’s thinking and make connections between different fields and scientific approaches. Areas of research include microbiology, cell biology, development, physiology, neuroscience, animal behavior, plant biology, genetics, computational biology, evolution, ecology and biodiversity. 

The mission of the Graduate Group of the Department Earth and Environmental Science is to produce independent, well-rounded scientists that are exceptionally competent in their area of specialization and capable of understanding, solving, and communicating complex and interdisciplinary scientific issues.

The Biology Major allows students to explore the wide range of topics in Biology, while also providing a strong foundation in core subject areas such as cell and molecular biology, genetics, physiology, and ecology and evolution.

The Earth and Environmental Science major provides graduates with a broad understanding of the physical, chemical and biological processes that operate in and on the planet and how direct and indirect methods are used to examine, quantify and understand the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. 

Environmental Studies graduates understand how humans and ecosystems interact with the dynamic Earth, with grounding in the atmosphere and climate change, natural hazards, and the earth’s hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles, as well as environmental economics, sustainability, and policy.

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Interested in past Penn work on climate and environment? View content created by the former Environmental Innovations Initiative in our News and Blog sections.

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