Programs

Bloomington Campus

Master of Science in Environmental Science Joint Degree Programs

Dual M.S.E.S.-M.S. in Physics

Master of Science in Environmental Science–Master of Science in Physics (M.S.E.S.-M.S.)
Department of Physics

This dual master’s program is a 51-credit hour (two-year) program that gives the student more depth and breadth than is possible in a single degree. The student must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours in each of the degree programs. M.S. in Physics and M.S.E.S. degrees are awarded concurrently after the student has completed the requirements for both degrees.


Application, Admission, and Degree Planning

The student must apply to the Department of Physics and be accepted into the MS in Physics degree program and apply to the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and be accepted into the Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) degree program. The students must design their dual-degree curriculum in consultation with the graduate advisor of the Physics Department and the program director for the MSES program in O'Neill. Both must approve the course choices on a semester-by-semester basis. The students will use a multi-semester planning form and a degree program checklist for this purpose; a blank copy of each is attached to this proposal. The dual-degree program is designed to be completed in two (2) years, but must be completed within six (6) years.
Physics MS admissions requirements:
Physics P221, P222, P301 (or equivs)
Math M211,212,311 (or equivs)

O'Neill MSES admissions requirements:
Differential and integral calculus - Math M211 or equivalent
One semester of inorganic chemistry with lab - C103 or C117 and C127, or equivalent

Requirements
The dual M.S. in Physics and M.S.E.S. in the O'Neill program requires a minimum of 51 credit hours distributed among six components: physics core; O'Neill core; economics, policy, and law competencies; tool skills; a physics or O'Neill concentration; and professional experience. At least 2 of the physics courses must be at 500-level or higher. Details provided below.

Physics Core (9 credit hours)

Choose three of the following (core choices may not double count in the concentration)

PHYS-P 331 Theory of Electricity and Magnestism I (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 340 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 350 Applied Physics Instrumentation Lab (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 453 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 454 Modern Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 460 Modern Optics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 510 Environmental Physics (credit not given for both P 510 and E 574 within a student's program) (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 511 Quantum Mechanics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 551 Modern Physics Laboratory (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 556 Statistical Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 575 Introduction to Biophysics (3 cr.)
O'Neill Core (9 credit hours)

Choose three of the following (core choices may not double count in the concentration)

SPEA-E 515 Fundamentals of Air Pollution (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 536 Environmental Chemistry (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 538 Statistics for Environmental Science (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 552 Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 574 Energy Systems in Transition (credit will not be given for both E574 and P510 within a given student’s program) (3 cr.)
O'Neill Economics, Management, and Policy Competency (6 credit hours)
SPEA-E 513 Enivornmental Project Management (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 543 Environmental Management (3 cr.)
SPEA-R 532 Water Policy and Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA-R 625 Environmental Economics and Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA-R 645 Environmental Law (3 cr.)
SPEA-R 674 Energy Economics and Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA-S 596 Sustainable Development (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 550 Energy Law (3 cr.)

Other courses may be approved by the O'Neill advisor

Tool Skill Courses (Typically 3–6 credit hours)

Students are encouraged to acquire competency in analytical methods by focusing on tool skills appropriate to their professional objectives. Courses should be selected in consultation with faculty advisors from both programs. Tool skill courses may double count with the concentration, but degree credit totals must still be met.

PHYS-P 540 Analog and Digital Electronics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 548 Mathematical Methods for Biology (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 583 Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 609 Computational Physics (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 502 Water Quality Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 518 Vector-based Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 529 Application of Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 554 Groundwater Flow Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA-P 507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA-P 541 Benefit Cost Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA-P 562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

Other courses may be approved by the O'Neill advisor

Capstone course (3 credit hours)

Students must enroll in a 3-credit O'Neill capstone course (SPEA-V 600 – only environmentally-oriented sections as approved by the O'Neill program director, SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis, or SPEA-E 517 Best Management Practices for Healthy Urban Watersheds). The capstone course may double-count in concentration, if desired, but degree totals must still be met. The capstone requirement may be waived for students who apply for Professional Experience credit.

Experiential Requirement  (0-3 credit hours)
  1. Approved internship (SPEA-E 589)
  2. MS research (PHYS-P 802) or MSES research internship (SPEA-E 589)

The experiential requirement may be waived for students who file for Professional Experience credit.

Physics-O'Neill Concentration (21 credit hours)

Must include at least 6 credit hours from Physics and at least 6 credit hours from O'Neill. Remaining courses to be chosen from graduate classes from either unit, with advisors’ consent.

O'Neill concentration options

Any O'Neill core course from the list above that was not used for core credit.

SPEA-E 501 Human Behavior and Energy Consumption (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 502 Water Quality Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 503 Natural Gas: Technical and Policy Challenges (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 505 Renewable and Nuclear Energy and Climate Change (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 514 Changing Landscape of Toxic-Chemical Regulation (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 517 BMP Design for Healthy Urban Watersheds (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 518 Vector-based Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 520 Environmental Toxicology (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 539 Aquatic Chemistry (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 542 Hazardous Materials (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 554 Groundwater Flow Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Intro to Coding for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Python Programming for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Using R for Environment and Policy (1 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 555 Watershed Hydrology (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 562 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 564 Organic Pollutants: Environmental Chemistry and Fate (3 cr.)
SPEA-E 591 Climate Change Impacts on Natural Resources (3 cr.)
 Physics concentration options
PHYS-P 508 Current Research in Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 510 Environmental Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 551 Modern Physics LaboratoryStatistical Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 556 Statistical Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 557 Solid State Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 572 Radiation Oncology Physics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 578 Radiation BiophysicsModeling and Computation in Biophysics (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 581 Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 583 Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology (3 cr.)
PHYS-P 609 Computational Physics (3 cr.)
Concentration options from other departments
GEOG-G 551 Physical hydrology (3 cr.)

Other courses from Physics, O'Neill, (including research courses SPEA-E 625 or PHYS-P 802 or other departments may be used in the concentration with approval of both advisors.

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