As biodiversity is the life support system of our planet, it is important to prepare students for careers that require knowledge of both ecology and public policy. This certificate focuses in the fields of conservation biology, land use policy, conservation planning, and modern tools and approaches used in GIS to prepare students to tackle complex environmental challenges in a changing world.
This certificate is suitable for traditional students as well as for student-professionals (such as environmental scientists, managers, practitioners in government, and experts in non-governmental organizations) who wish to acquire further knowledge to advance their careers.
This certificate may be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis.
Admissions
University-wide admissions policies can be found in the Graduate Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
To apply for this program, please complete the George Mason University Admissions Application.
Applicants for this certificate should hold a BA or BS in a related discipline from a regionally accredited institution.
Policies
For policies governing all graduate programs, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 18
Refer to the Admissions & Policies for policies specific to this program.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Geospatial Requirements | ||
| GGS 553 | Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| or GGS 692 | Web-based Geographic Information Systems | |
| Remote Sensing Requirements | ||
| GGS 579 | Remote Sensing | 3 |
| or GGS 680 | Earth Image Processing | |
| Conservation Requirements | ||
| EVPP 518 | Conservation Biology 1 | 3 |
| Statistics Requirements | ||
| GGS 560 | Quantitative Methods | 3 |
| or CONS 625 | Statistics for Ecology and Conservation Biology | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | This course may be substituted with advisor approval. |
Practice-oriented Conservation Coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Spatial Ecology, Geospatial Analysis Remote Sensing for Conservation | ||
| Species Monitoring Conservation | ||
| Adaptive Management for Conservation Success | ||
or CONS 660 | Effective Conservation Leadership | |
or CONS 665 | Conservation Conflict Resolution | |
| Estimating Animal Abundance and Occupancy | ||
| Special Topics in Conservation | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |