ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS
This page is for individuals interested in graduate studies at the School of Natural Resources & Environment (SNR&E), specifically with regard to environmental education and communication.
For general information on graduate studies within our school, please visit the SNR&E home page. That page provides information about the different concentrations within the school, faculty research, and application information. I especially encourage you to contact the grad team at snre.gradteam@umich.edu in the Office of Academic Programs for further information or to arrange a campus visit. The grad team is an excellent resource as it is staffed by current graduate students.
Environmental education and communication fits into the School under the "Resource Policy and Behavior Concentration" within the "Behavior" sub concentration. There are two basic models for completion of a Master's degree. The Master's thesis option involves individual student research with a specific faculty member. The Master's project option involves a group of 4-6 students using a team-oriented approach to apply their research to an interdisciplinary problem. These groups work with one or two faculty members who can best advise them based on their project of choice.
When you apply to the School, your "statement of purpose" should address your specific thesis or project interests and how these interests match with mine. You can use my home page to learn more about my research interests. You will also find links to my publications there. Click on the following if you would like to learn about the graduate student research that has been conducted under my direction. You can also learn more about current and past graduate students' work by reading past newsletters and by contacting these students via eelab@umich.edu and ee-alum@eelink.net, respectively.
In addition to weekly meetings with individual thesis students, I currently meet twice a month with all environmental education and communication students conducting either theses or projects. These meetings serve as a forum to discuss current topics and research. I have found this to be an excellent way to exchange ideas and promote a sense of community.
Funding for graduate students is always a challenge. SNR&E has a limited number of research and teaching assistantships available, which are fairly competitive. Students in the past have found teaching positions outside of SNR&E in Biology, Education, Languages, Statistics, and Anthropology. With my assistance, motivated students have written and were awarded grants to support their research. We have compiled a list of some past funding sources for environmental education and communication graduate students that you may find helpful.
To learn more about how our program compares with other environmental education programs, review:
Zint, M. and A. Giles. 2000. Environmental education undergraduate and graduate programs and faculty in the United States, 2nd edition. North American Association for Environmental Education, Rock Spring, GA, 133 pp.
- and - with other environmental communication programs, check out:
(This page was inspired by the prospective student advice web page of Dr. David
Allan in the School of Natural Resources & Environment)