A minimum of 9 semester hours in the student's specialization as approved by a student's adviser. The successful completion of a comprehensive examination. Same as the non-thesis option except that a minimum of six semester hours of program course work must be devoted to the Master's Thesis. Students may opt to earn a Certificate of Graduate Study in Environmental Education as part of the master's degree. The certificate is designed for teachers and other educators who wish to gain additional competencies which will enable them to design and implement environmental education programs in schools or other, non-formal education settings.
Many graduates are classroom teachers, and remain in the classroom after they complete the program.
To be admitted as a graduate student, an applicant must have obtained a baccalaureate or higher degree, prior to the start of the NIU term for which the student is admitted, from a U.S. college or university that is accredited by one of the regional agencies that evaluates such institutions or from a recognized foreign institution. Test scores may be waived for an applicant who has already earned a graduate degree from an accredited institution or for an applicant who is pursuing or has completed a baccalaureate degree at NIU with a major in that department with a cumulative NIU undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00. Required examinations may be taken through NIU's Office of Testing Services, or at other testing locations. Up to eight weeks may be required for the Graduate School to receive scores after the administration of the tests. An applicant should plan to take the tests early enough so that scores can reach the Graduate School before the final application deadline for a given semester.