Academic Programs
The Department of Environmental Sciences (ENVS) is a multi-disciplinary research and academic unit whose mission is to solve environmental/toxicological problems both in Louisiana and the nation, and to apply modern environmental management and policy techniques to these problems.
The Department is committed to the training of graduate students in the M.S. Environmental Sciences program and Ph.D. minor in Environmental Sciences.
Admission of Students into the Graduate Program
The graduate program in the Department of Environmental Sciences is designed primarily for students with backgrounds in science or engineering. However, students with exceptional academic records and backgrounds in other fields (e.g. business or liberal arts) will be considered; these students may be required to complete additional preparatory work before admission to the graduate program.
Admission to the Graduate School is awarded on the basis of evidence of academic achievement and promise. To be admitted for the fall, application materials must be returned prior to May 15th. Admission materials for the spring must be returned prior to October 15th.
To be admitted to the Graduate School, students must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Bachelor's degree or Master's degree with GPA of at least 3.00 and
- GRE verbal and quantitative score total of at least 1000
- TOEFL score of at least 213 computer or 550 paper (International students only)
In addition, students must have taken all of the following prerequisites to enter the Environmental Sciences Core Curriculum Graduate Program:
- 3 hours of Introductory Statictics (EXST 2201 or equivalent)
- 9 hours of Basic Sciences including at least 3 hours of 2000 level or above in Biology, and/or Life Sciences
- 3 hours of Chemistry
Probationary Admission
Applicants with unsatisfactory undergraduate records who have completed a minimum of nine hours of graduate course work with at least a 3.3 graduate GPA in a graduate degree program and who have acceptable GRE scores may also be considered for admission.(p. 35, 2005-2006 Graduate Catalog).
The Department Chair may admit students who apply after the normal admission deadlines or, on a probationary basis, students whose credentials do not meet departmental standards. However, no student may be admitted on a probationary basis with an undergraduate GPA lower than 2.7. The Department Chair will provide the faculty with a copy of the letter of justification submitted to the Graduate School for admissions and/or a letter to the faculty explaining decisions made under extraordinary circumstances.
Once admitted, the period of probation will be a minimum of nine credit hours of graduate course work. All students who have been admitted on probationary basis will be re-evaluated at the completion of the probationary period. Students must achieve a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to be removed from probation. Upon completion of the probationary period, a memo will be sent to the student and the graduate school indicating the change to upgrade the student’s academic status.
Application materials must include all of the following:
- A completed Application for Admission form (available from the Office
of Graduate Admissions on-online) with a nonrefundable application fee of $25, transcripts from all accredited universities attended verifying and documenting graduation, and GRE scores to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 114 D. Boyd, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
AND
- Three letters of recommendation which must be sent directly to the department mailing address.
Department of Environmental Sciences
1285 Energy, Coast and Environment Bldg.
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
International students are also required to supply TOEFL scores and evidence of financial support.
Admission decisions are made upon receipt of all credentials.
Graduate Study Pre-Application Form
To pre-apply for the MS In Environmental Sciences program, go to the pre-application form page.
To request an application or for further information about our degree programs, contact Charlotte St. Romain, ENVS Academic Coordinator at cstrom4@lsu.edu or at 225-578-8522.
