Indiana University-Bloomington: Environmental Science

Areas of Emphasis: Policy and Law (in the works), Biology, Physical Sciences

Indiana University seems like a good choice for those interested in environmental science. The course selection is excellent, the program is highly interdisciplinary, and there are many areas on which one can focus. However, for those with backgrounds in anything other than science and even those who have a science background in an area different from what they want to pursue in environmental science, may have a hard time getting accepted.

The school offers a variety of MS degrees as well as a PhD. Specific concentrations include Applied Ecology, Water Resources, Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology, and a student-chosen combined emphases program for the MS degree. The PhD program is more interdisciplinary and sounds difficult to get into, but it may be easier to get into after one has been working towards a master's for awhile.

Overall, the school offers a wide variety and good selection of courses. Interesting-sounding courses include Wetlands Biology and Regulation, Forest Ecology and Management, Environmental Toxicology, and Lake and Watershed Management. For chemistry there are many cool-sounding courses, such as Chromatography, Hydrology, Biological Chemistry, Subsurface Microbiology and Bioremediation, Fate of Organic Contaminates in the Environment, and Soil Mechanics and Science.

Tuition and fees for out-of-state students total around $32,514. For in-state students, the amount is about $23,582.

Financial Aid includes stipends, tuition remission, assistantships, and internships. These awards are competitve; only 56% of the previous year's incoming students received such aid. However, the university claims that students who didn't receive aid often receive it their second semester or year. Those who receive assistantships working at least 15 hrs/week also receive free health insurance. Scholarships, need-based aid, and fellowships are also available. No estimates of the costs covered by such awards are given. It appears that TA'ing is not a requirement.

Pre-requisites:

This is perhaps the most disheartening of the things about this school. For admission to the PhD program, one MUST have all of the pre-reqs (the school doesn't tell us what they are) made up. For the MS, they require an undegrad. degree with courses relevant to the area of emphasis chosen by the student. Students interested in research need to have, "an adequate background in quantitative natural science subjects (e.g., math, chemistry, or biology)." Although they don't say there are exceptions to these requirements, they imply that there are not. I recommend contacting them for further information.

General GRE: There is not minimum required score. However, admitted students average around 600 on each section (verbal and quantitative). The subject GRE is not required.
GPA: Information not available.
PhDs.org states that 73% of PhD graduates in Agriculutral and Natural Sciences find jobs immediately after graduating.