UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Master's
Degree

Environmental Geology Online Master’s Program

Overview

The Department of Earth Science & Environmental Change offers a flexible online, non-thesis Master of Science degree in Environmental Geology to serve remotely located learners and working professionals who are unable to attend on-campus. This degree is focused on environment-related expertise required for applied industry careers, including modeling of groundwater flow, characterization of contaminant migration, groundwater and contaminant geochemistry, and environmental geophysics.  These are areas of long-standing strength in the Department of Geology, which also has faculty expertise in innovative online pedagogy. The program also includes geospatial and data science components that are synergistic with two new programs in the Departments of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences and Geography and Geographical Information Science.

Career Opportunities

Environment-related careers are the dominant area of employment in the geology field, and include environmental consulting, government regulatory jobs, non-profit organizations, as well as government and research jobs.  Technological advancements, regulations and other factors continue to play a role in the changes within the field, so this program provides an opportunity for those that completed their B.S. degree a while ago to update their skills and potentially advance in the field.  A master’s degree is often required to advance within the profession and this program is designed to satisfy demand from non-traditional students so they may maintain personal and professional obligations.

Application Deadlines

  • Spring 2024 term — December 15, 2023
  • Summer 2024 — April 15, 2024
  • Fall 2024 — August 1, 2024

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year are $740 per credit hour. The master’s degree minimum requirement for completion is 32 credit hours. Estimated tuition and fees for the online Master’s degree depend on the number of courses and hours taken.

See Illinois Online for complete tuition and fee information.

Cory Pettijohn
"One of my favorite roles as the Online Faculty Coordinator for the certificate and master's programs is partnering our students with Illinois faculty and project mentors in the public and private sectors on customized capstone research projects. These dynamic projects demonstrate our students’ abilities to become industry leaders, excel in project management, and work in dynamic team environments."
— Cory Pettijohn
Teaching Assistant Professor
Faculty Program Director, Environmental Geology Online M.S. and Certificate Programs

Coursework

Students pursuing the Environmental Geology Online Master’s degree will complete 32 total credit hours of coursework which will include courses from the [course rotation download] and may also include other adviser-approved electives. The program requirements will conclude with 4 to 8 hours of the program capstone course (GEOL 598 Capstone Research Project). If courses were taken previously for the Environmental Geology certificate sequence, they may be applied to the Master’s degree requirements. Students should consult with a program advisor to discus a program plan of study for the Master’s program to meet their personal and/or professional goals.

Click here to learn more about the course offerings and the Capstone Research Project.

Are you ready to be a leader?
Come join us and apply today!

Prerequisites