Program Description
M.A. Program Overview
The M.A. in Conservation Biology is a 2-year program; it requires two full-time residence units (a residence unit is equal to one full-time semester). Part-time options are also available.
Master's Students have the option of tailoring their course work to one of three tracks: the academic, professional or educational track.
Academic track - Focuses on research and emphasizes the scientific aspects of conservation biology. This track is designed for students who wish to pursue a Ph.D. program in the future.
There are no additional required courses for the Academic track, but students need to take at least:
- 3 electives in Conservation science
- 2 electives in Environmental policy
*Students can choose to substitute one of the electives in Conservation with a course in directed reading or a directed research. Students cannot substitute any of the required electives in Environmental Policy with either a directed research or a directed reading.
Professional Track - Focuses on applied conservation and emphasizes the policy aspects of conservation biology. This track is for students who plan to enter the conservation profession immediately after obtaining the M.A. degree, or who are already working in this area.
Students in the Professional track are required to take Economics of the Environment (ECON W4625) as one of their electives; plus they will need to sign up for at least:
- 3 electives in Conservation science
- 2 electives in Environmental policy.
Any one of the electives (both in Conservation science and in Environmental policy) can be substituted with a directed reading or a directed research.
Educational Track - Focuses on engaging the broader public on conservation biology issues. This track is designed for students who plan to enter the education field (e.g., teaching conservation in k-12 schools) or communication (e.g., exhibits and displays at museums, zoos, botanical gardens aquaria, and parks).
Students in the Educational track are required to take Teaching Conservation Biology (EEEB 4800) as one of their electives; plus they will need to sign up for at least:
- 2 electives in Conservation science
- 2 electives in Education and communication
- 1 elective in Environmental policy.
Any one of the electives (in Conservation science, in Education and communication and in Environmental policy) can be substituted with a directed reading or a directed research.
Students in the Educational track are encouraged to have a hands on experience by taking advantage of training internships with one (or more) of our partner institutions; these include:
- CERC's Middle School 88 project
- AMNH Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners
- WCS Exhibits, Graphics and Design Department
- WCS Educational Department
- AMNH Exhibition or Education departments
- New York Botanical Garden Displays Department
In addition to the three tracks, students may choose between a thesis-based or course-based program.
Thesis-based program - Students who choose this option 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.
Total points required for thesis-based program: 49
Course-based program - students who choose this 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.
Total points required for course-based program: 47
Core courses
All M.A. students take the following core courses:
- Fundamentals of Ecology and Evolution (EEEB G4122) in year 1;
- Conservation Biology, 2-semester sequence (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);
- Research seminar, 4 semesters (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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