Deadlines
Applications to the Masters Degree Program in Environmental Education are considered two times annually:
- January 15 – Priority admission or consideration for a graduate assistantship position or Master of Arts in Teaching dual enrollment.
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements
Below are the requirements to be considered eligible for the program:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher in last 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours) of study. Students with lower GPAs may be considered, but cannot be admitted directly to the program.
- The degree need not be in the sciences or education, provided the other requirements for admission are met.
- If you are still in the process of completing your degree, you may still apply and be provisionally accepted under the condition that you complete your degree before your first classes begin at SOU.
- 18 quarter hours (12 semester hours) of natural history course work. A year of introductory biology and 2-3 additional courses in natural history or ecology is preferred.
- Non-traditional preparation may be considered by the EE Admissions Committee. If asking for a portion of the required pre-requisite course work to be waived, a statement should accompany the application outlining the experiences that the applicant wishes the Committee to consider. The intent is to assure the Committee that the applicant is prepared to succeed in graduate-level courses in biology.
- Students may apply for post-baccalaureate status and enroll in a total of 12 graduate credits pre-approved by the Coordinator of the Environmental Education Program. Upon receiving a grade of “B” or better in each course, students may apply for change of status leading to full admission into the program.
- Note: Admission to take graduate course work at SOU as a post-baccalaureate student does not constitute admission to the Master’s Degree Program. A maximum of 12 post-baccalaureate credits may be applied to the graduate program.
Transfer Credits
- A maximum of 15 hours of graduate course work (at SOU or other institutions) completed prior to full admission to a SOU Masters Degree Program may be transferred into the program with the permission of the Program Director.
Application Requirements
Below are the materials required for an application to the Master of Science in Environmental Education program:
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- Completed SOU Application (apply for summer enrollment).
- Completed EE Application.
- Three letters of recommendation emailed to seec@sou.edu
- This should include at least one from a professor who can testify to your academic potential.
- Note: Letters must be addressed to Dr. Arielle Halpern and received directly from the references, not the applicant.
If you are an international student, you will need to submit the following additional materials to Admissions:
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- Official TOEFL scores.
- If you are from a native English-speaking country, you may be exempt. Check SOU’s International Students English Language Proficiency Requirements.
- The minimum score requirement for each test is as follows:
- IBT – 76
- CBT – 207
- PBT – 540
- A scanned copy of your university diploma.
- Official TOEFL scores.
Applications Requirements Reference
Below are the additional materials required for an application to the Master of Science in Environmental Education program:
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- A completed Environmental Education essay.
- Write a one to two page statement of purpose explaining why you have decided to pursue the Environmental Education graduate program at Southern Oregon University.
- Your statement should include information on your background in this field or related fields, as well as any short or long-term career goals you have related to obtaining this degree.
- You may also choose to speak to any lived experience you may have, personally or professionally, regarding the impacts of marginalization on communities as it relates to access and inclusion to the field of Environmental Education and the outdoors in general.
- A Resume or Curriculum vitae.
- (Optional) Official GRE scores
- If submitting GRE scores, SOU’s school code is R4702. Scores about the 50th percentile or higher are desired.
- (Optional) Graduate Assistantship Essay
- A completed Environmental Education essay.
Optional MAT Application Checklist
For applicants also applying for the Master of Arts in Teaching dual enrollment option, the program requirements can be found under the additional application requirements on the MAT Option page.
Please mail the following materials to the School of Education by January 13th, 2023:
- Dual Environmental Education-Teacher Licensure Supplemental Application
- Two teaching letters of recommendation (included in the application above)
To:
Applications Coordinator
School of Education
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd
Ashland, OR 97520
Nationally Accredited Graduate Program
by the North American Association for Environmental Education
