Program
Description
Students have the
option of tailoring their course work to follow the academic, the
professional or the educational track.
The academic
track focuses on research and emphasizes the scientific aspects of
conservation biology; the professional track focuses on applied
conservation and emphasizes the policy aspects of conservation biology;
and the educational track focuses on engaging the broader public on
conservation biology issues.
In addition to
the three tracks, students may choose between a thesis-based or
course-based program. Students following the thesis-based program will
register for directed research and will spend a considerable portion of
their registered time working on a research project that leads to a
final thesis. Students following the course-based program will register
for 2 additional required classes beyond those currently required for
the M.A. (either in conservation science or environmental policy). To
complete their requirements, students write a take-home essay over a
period of two weeks during the Spring semester of their second year.
Program
requirements
The M.A. in
Conservation Biology is a 2 years program
The M.A program
requires two full-time residence units (a residence unit equals one
full-time semester). Part-time options are also available.
The total number
of points in the course-based option is 47, while the total number of
points for the thesis-based M.A. is 49 (the 2 points difference results
from the different course requirements for the two options, see further
down).
Core
courses
All M.A. students
take the following core courses:
- Fundamentals of
Ecology and Evolution (EEEB G4122) in year 1;
- 2-semester sequence
in Conservation Biology (EEEB 6905 in the Fall semester and EEEB
6990 in the Spring semester of year 1);
- Environmental policy,
politics and management (INAF U4727, in year 1);
- 4 semesters of the
CERC seminar (EEEB G6300, taken in both years);
Other
required courses
All students take
8 additional courses
- 3 electives in
conservation science
- 2 electives in
environmental policy
- 3 electives tailored
to the track chosen and to the interests and needs of the student
Students have the
option of replacing elective courses with Directed Reading or Directed
Research to get credits for internships and/or research experience
conducted outside of the normal coursework.
Students in all
tracks enrolled in the course-based degree program add 2 more electives
(for a total of 10): these 2 electives can be in either conservation
science or environmental policy (or in education and communication for
students in the educational track).
(For a complete
outline of the various options, refer to the E3B Student Handbook
available on the E3B website: www.columbia.edu/cu/e3b/)
M.A.
Thesis/M.A. Essay
Students in the
thesis-based program prepare an M.A. thesis based on original research,
which is evaluated by a 3-member thesis committee tailored to the
student’s interests. Students in the course-based program prepare
an M.A. essay, as a take-home assignment during their fourth semester,
which is evaluated by a faculty committee.
Reading
Assistantship
M.A. students
have the option of registering with the Department for paid Reading
Assistantship in undergraduate courses. Reading Assistants support a
course instructor throughout a semester. The Reading Assistantship will
allow students to develop additional skills for a variety of
professional directions that they may choose to follow. Reading
Assistantships are voluntary and limited in number based on the needs
of the department and allocations from the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences.
Examples
of Elective Courses
The following is
a list of possible electives. Please note: not all courses are taught
every year, actual offering may vary
Conservation
Science:
- The Biology of Small
Populations
- Conservation Genetics
- Topics in
Conservation Biology
- Case Studies in
Conservation Biology: the Hudson Valley
Ecosystem
- Amazonia Seminar
- Biogeography
- Biological
Systematics
- Population Genetics
- Behavioral Ecology
and Conservation
- Biotic Surveys and
Inventories
- Disease Ecology
- Invasion Biology
- Pre-Columbian New World Ecosystems
- Plant Ecophysiology
- Wetlands and Climate
Change
- Primate Behavior and
Ecology
- Research Methods in
Primate (and other animal) Behavior
- Special Topics in
Primate Behavior and Ecology
- History of Mammals
- Natural History of
the Mammals
- Seminar in Vertebrate
Paleontology and Evolution
- History of Amphibians
and Reptiles
- Insect Diversity
- Herpetology
- Tropical Field
Ecology
- Field Ornithology
- Remote Sensing
- GIS
- Biometry
- Statistics
- Game Theory
Environmental Policy
- Economics of the
Environment
- Environmental Law
- Seminar: The
Protection of Natural Resources
- Seminar in Hazardous
Waste Law
- Seminar:
International Environmental Law
- Natural Resource
Economics
- Economics of
Sustainable Development
- International
Environmental Law
- Environmentalism and
the Protection of Natural Resources
- Global Climate Change
- Topics in Science and Policy
- International
Politics of the Environment
- Case Studies in Risk
Assessment and Environmental Policy
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