Master's Program in Environmental Education
"A Wise Investment in Earth's Future"

Curriculum

We are preparing tomorrow's best environmental educators through our program that offers:
-- Coursework related to environmental interests
-- A dynamic learning environment
-- Innovative learning situations
-- Flexibility in reaching professional objectives.

A student must successfully complete a minimum of 48 quarter units within the following requirements:

Required Environmental Education Courses (14 units)
Students will be directed to register in specially designated sections of the courses below to take them as a program cohort group during the first year of the program.

EENV 635 - Environmental Education in the Curriculum (4 units)
EENV 636 - Teaching Environmental Issues (2 units).
EENV 642 - Developing the Curriculum through Outdoor Education (4 units)
EENV 643 - Community Resources for Environmental Education (4 units)

Other Required Environmental Education Courses (14 units)
EENV 650 - Selected Topics in Environmental Education (4 units)
EENV 679 - Fieldwork: Environmental Education (2 units), a service project/internship providing relevance to academic coursework. (Can be repeated for an elective.)

Select either Track A or B for culminating experience (6 units)
    Track A: Master’s Project Option
         EENV 664- Research in Environmental Education (4 units)
         EENV 600 - Master’s Degree Project (4 units)
    Track B: Master’s Thesis Option
         EENV 664 - Research in Environmental Education (4 units)
         EENV 699 - Master’s Degree Thesis (4 units)

Education Core Courses (12 units)
EDUC 603 - Effective Communication in Education (4 units)
EDUC 605 - Foundations of Education (4 units)
EDUC 607- Introduction to Educational Research (4 units)

Electives (8 units)
Our program seeks to personalize the education of each student, allowing for breadth of interests, abilities, and goals. Electives provide some flexibility within academically reasonable limits. Please discuss with Dr. Stoner.

Eight units of electives of which at least four must come from Group A.

Group A
EENV 601 - Graduate Independent Study (2 or 4 units)
EENV 620 - Using Children’s Literature to Teach Environmentally (4 units)
EENV 644 - Seminar in Environmental Education (4 units)
EENV 651 - Historical and Contemporary Readings in Environmental Education (4 units)
EENV 652 - Nature Study in Environmental Education (4 units)
EENV 654 - Fundraising Fundamentals in Environmental Education (4 units)
EENV 656 - Water Education in Environmental Education: Water (4 units)
EENV 679 - Fieldwork: Environmental Education (2 units) (may be repeated)

Group B
ANTH 375- Museum Methods
ASTR 311 - A Cosmic Perspective of Earth
BIOL 380 - Medical and Economic Botany
CHEM 304 - Chemistry in the Classroom
COMM 304 - Intercultural Communication
EELB 636 - Advanced Science Methods
GEOG 350 - Conservation and Natural Resources
GEOG 360 - Weather and Climate
GEOG 470 - Hydrology and Water Resources
GEOL 309 - Earth: The Blue Planet
GEOL 311 - The Dynamic Earth
HIST 630 - California Water History
HSCI 352 - Principles of Environmental Health
MGMT 324 - International Environmental Management
MGMT 326 - Natural Resource Management
NSCI 320 - Energy
PA 514 - Management of Private Nonprofit Organizations
Or others upon consent of advisor.

Professional Standards for Environmental Education provide the basis for the program. These standards were developed by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). The program is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

A Certificate in Environmental Education can be obtained by completing 18 quarter units.

Here is an Overview of courses offered during 2007 - 2008 academic year.

Supportive resources unique to this master's degree program in environmental education:

-- Environmental Education Resource Center with a library of environmental curricula and other resources.
-- Network for Environmental Science Teaching (NEST). This education network provides opportunities for networking and service learning. Our focus is on addressing the environmental education needs of the local region.
-- Environmental EXPO. This annual environmental education fair, the largest in California, provides leadership and teamwork learning opportunities related to "engaged service" through presenting an environmental event, building partnerships, and learning about community sources for environmental education.
-- Water Resources Institute (WRI) This campus interdisciplinary center provides an extensive library of water resources and is supportive of graduate degree programs through its speaker series, conferences, and partnership with NEST for water education.

This master's program was founded by Dr. Darleen Stoner who is the program's coordinator. She usually teaches the basic sequence of environmental education courses. Students receive instruction from a variety of faculty members when completing the three education courses and elective courses.

The program takes at least two years to complete if you attend part-time. Most students are part-time and take evening classes. If a student is enrolled full-time, the degree may be completed in one year. During the first year, students, as a cohort, complete a series of required environmental education classes.

The academic year runs late-September to mid-June. Each quarter is 10 weeks in length, plus a final's week, during the academic year. The summer session includes courses offered in 5-week blocks. None of the basic environmental education courses are offered during the summer. However, other courses in the program may be completed during the summer. Fieldwork can be completed during the summer, if desired, with the actual fieldwork course taken in the fall.

For information, contact Dr. Darleen Stoner, Program Coordinator, at (909) 537-5640 or e-mail