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DEGREE Environmental Chemistry and Technology Research, MS

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Masters degree in environmental chemistry and technology

If you have a strong background in chemistry and want to apply your interest and expertise to challenges in environmental systems, our interdisciplinary Environmental Chemistry and Technology program will provide you the experience you need to make a difference. As a master’s student in the program, you’ll received advanced instruction and research training in environmental chemistry and environmental technology, along with exposure to faculty from a variety of disciplines.

View department Graduate handbook

At a glance

Civil and environmental engineering department

30
Professors of practice who mentor our students
10
civil engineering graduate ranking among public universities
9
environmental engineering graduate ranking among public universities
Facts & stats

Learn more about what information you need to apply.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Fall Deadline December 15
Spring Deadline October 1
Summer Deadline December 15
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) Required.*
English Proficiency Test Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency).
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) n/a
Letters of Recommendation Required 3
*

 GRE scores will not be required for Spring 2022-Fall 2023 admission due to challenges taking the exam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students seeking admission should have a background in the fundamental areas of general, organic, physical, and analytical chemistry. In addition, students should have some background in applied sciences which can be fulfilled with a minimum of 6 credits in natural sciences such as botany, zoology, bacteriology, earth science, material science, biochemistry, or engineering. Students who have not met these requirements must do so prior to the completion of the master’s degree. 

The application deadline is December 15 for the fall term and October 1 for the spring term. Late applications may not be reviewed for funding opportunities.

Required materials

  1. All applicants must use the UW–Madison Graduate School online application system. 
  2. Three letters of recommendation
  3. Statement of purpose.
  4. Please send GRE and TOEFL scores electronically to UW–Madison, institution code 1846.
  5. All items should be submitted through the online application. Please do not mail or e-mail materials directly to our program at the time of application. If you are admitted to our program, we will request an official copy of your transcript at that time.
 
  1. All applicants must use the UW–Madison Graduate School online application system.
  2. Three letters of recommendation
  3. Statement of purpose.
  4. Please send GRE and TOEFL scores electronically to UW–Madison, institution code 1846.
  5. All items should be submitted through the online application. Please do not mail or e-mail materials directly to our program at the time of application. If you are admitted to our program, we will request an official copy of your transcript at that time.

Tuition

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

View tuition rates

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Students accepted into the program can expect to be fully funded through through fellowships, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships on research projects. Admission decisions are based on the student’s qualifications and research interests, the availability of funding, and the focus of funded research projects. Funding includes a waiver of tuition (excluding segregated fees), health benefits (including family coverage), and a yearly stipend.

Civil and environmental engineers are changing the world. Aging infrastructure. Climate change. Clean water and air. Natural hazards. Energy. These are just a few of the grand challenges facing civil and environmental engineers, and our research is leading the way toward sustainable solutions.

We focus on eight cross-disciplinary research areas that involve collaborations with faculty and students from across the department, as well as other departments within and outside of the College of Engineering.

View our research

Minimum graduate school requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Minimum Credit Requirement 30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 16 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Details can be found in the Graduate School’s Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) policy (https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244).
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required.
This program follows the Graduate School’s GPA Requirement policy
(https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203).
Other Grade Requirements Students must earn a B or above in all courses counting toward degree requirements.
Assessments and Examinations The thesis track requires a formal thesis.
Language Requirements No language requirements.

Students are required to develop a plan of courses with their advisor. Additional courses beyond the core courses may be included with approval of the student’s academic advisor and the approval of the EC&T Academic Planning Committee.

All incoming EC&T students should have basic preparation in the fundamental areas of general, organic, physical and analytical chemistry. Students should also have previous coursework in the natural sciences, which can include botany, bacteriology, zoology, earth science, material science, biochemistry or engineering. Note that CIV ENGR 500 Water Chemistry, or an equivalent advanced Environmental Chemistry course, is a prerequisite for many of the core EC&T courses. If these requirements have not been met prior to entering the program, this should be considered when planning the coursework.

Core Courses
Environmental Inorganic Chemistry
CIV ENGR 703 Environmental Geochemistry1-3
or GEOSCI 875 Advanced Topics in Geology
Environmental Organic Chemistry
CIV ENGR/​M&ENVTOX/​SOIL SCI  631 Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects3
or CIV ENGR 704 Environmental Chemical Kinetics
Air Chemistry
CIV ENGR/​ATM OCN  701 The Chemistry of Air Pollution2-3
or CHEM 629 Atmospheric Chemical Mechanisms
Additional Coursework
CIV ENGR 909 Graduate Seminar – Environmental Chemistry & Technology 11
or CIV ENGR/​ATM OCN/​BOTANY/​ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI/​ZOOLOGY  911 Limnology and Marine Science Seminar
CIV ENGR 790 Master’s Research or Thesis 24
1

Students must enroll in CIV ENGR 909 Graduate Seminar – Environmental Chemistry & Technology or CIV ENGR/​ATM OCN/​BOTANY/​ENVIR ST/​GEOSCI/​ZOOLOGY  911 Limnology and Marine Science Seminar each semester. Ph.D. students are required to present a seminar at least once during their master’s program.

2

Students must complete minimum of 4 research credits of CIV ENGR 790 Master’s Research or Thesis with their faculty advisor. If supported with a graduate assistantship (TA, RA, PA), students should enroll in the appropriate number of research credits each semester to achieve full-time status as required by credit-load rules.

Admissions
ectgradadmission@engr.wisc.edu
3182 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706

James Hurley, Director of Graduate Studies
hurley@aqua.wisc.edu
271 Scott H Goodnight Hall 1975 Willow Dr Madison, WI 53706

View the Graduate Guide for program-specific information on policies, rules and regulations.
More information

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