Environmental Conservation MS - Environmental Observation and Informatics

This is a named option in the Environmental Conservation M.S.

The Environmental Observation and Informatics (EOI) named option integrates cross-cutting Earth observation, technologies, and big data analytics in one unique, 15-month, 32-credit program that combines hands-on, in-person training with distance learning. Our goal is to transform students' technical expertise intointegrative synthesis and leadership in environmental observation and interpretationto advance organizational response to environmental change at local, regional, and global scales. At UWMadison, we push the limits of remote sensing and geospatial analysis to encompass the skills that are increasingly in demand by industry, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and academia.

The EOI named option is designed for early- to mid-career professionals worldwide who wish to advance to positions of project or program manager, senior analyst, or similar rank. Individuals from diverse professional or educational backgrounds are encouraged to apply. EOI has been built to help individuals develop the expertise that the market demands, focusing specifically on three pillars:

1. Remote sensing and integrated technology: Learn to select and apply the most appropriate and powerful platforms and technologiesincluding LiDAR, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, cloud and social media, and crowd-sourced datato address today's most pressing environmental challenges.
2. Modeling and analysis: Construct scenarios of environmental phenomena to better understand natural processes and human actions, to predict and project future outcomes, and to conduct robust statistical analyses with distributed data to identify trends and inform management and policy decisions.
3. Innovative leadership: Drive strategic thinking to design and manage the use of observation technologies to advance policy, program direction, and executive decisions.

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. You must have completed your undergraduate degree, or similar, before starting graduate school.

A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. Applicants from an international institution must demonstrate strong academic achievement comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. The Graduate School will use your institution’s grading scale. Do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by paper.  Our office address is: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706.  Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

Applicants are exempt if: