OU’s online Master of Environmental Science: Hydrology & Water Security was created through a partnership between the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science in the Gallogly College of Engineering, the School of Meteorology and the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, and the School of Geology and Geophysics in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy.
The online Master of Environmental Science: Hydrology & Water Security is a 30-credit, 21 month online program designed for working professionals. Students will have the option to select from three tracks: Water Quality, Water Quantity, and Water Management.
The Water Management specialization offers a practical degree for those working with water across multiple industries – and includes courses related to waters impact on business and society. The Water Quality track offers a quantitative degree in the fate and transport of water quality constituents as they move through the hydrologic cycle for those working in environmental quality, waste load allocation, water reuse, and geo-environmental/health impacts. The Water Quantity specialization offers additional technical background interested in predicting water availability and movement at various scales.
Students will choose between three specializations: Water Management, Water Quality, and Water Quantity allowing students to select the coursework most relevant to their career interests.
Water is globally recognized as one of the most valued natural resources, so water-based industries are seeking professionals with the knowledge and expertise to lead new innovations in emerging water-based industries.
Courses have been designed for working professionals and allow for flexibility while maintaining a high-quality learning environment.
Multidisciplinary hydrologic experience provides a unique perspective for industry professionals that cannot be found in other graduate programs.
Students and graduates have opportunities to build mutually beneficial networks throughout the OU Sooner family.
Tuition for the online M.E.S. in Hydrology and Water Security program is $29,550* for the entire program ($985/credit hour). Fees associated with the program are included in this cost. Books and materials are additional.
Once accepted into the M.E.S. program, students are required to submit a $350 non-refundable deposit within two weeks. Deposits are applied toward tuition expenses and secure a student’s place in the upcoming class.
*Tuition and fees are subject to change at the discretion of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
To apply to the online Master of Environmental Science in Hydrology & Water Security program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and be currently working as an educational professional. Admissions will occur on a rolling basis and is at the discretion of the admissions committee. Transfer credits will be accepted at the discretion of the admissions committee. Prerequisites for each course track are listed below.
Core Courses
Water Management Required Courses + Electives
This course encompasses water technologies and their extended innovation processes in three substantive sections. A basic understanding of technological innovation frameworks precedes discussion of water systems. The second section addresses water policy in general as well as specific cases of policy innovation. The final section covers organizations and how they can become more innovative with respect to water systems.
Water Quantity Required Courses + Electives
The course provides students with an in-depth study of precipitation estimation as well as data analysis and computational methods for hydrometeorology, including disaster prevention and decision making under uncertainty. The overarching goal is to train students to conduct critical thinking across atmospheric science and hydrology and across water science and engineering.
Water Quality Required Courses + Electives
Designed to reinforce and expand on fundamental skills and knowledge to improve our understand- ing of complex biogeochemical reactions and processes in natural systems. Both conceptual and numerical models will be developed and imple- mented as part of this course. This course covers the mathematical and thermodynamic basis for widely used geochemical modeling programs including PHREEQC, Visual MINTEQ, and Geo- chemists Work Bench (GWB). Various types of modeling approaches will use real geochemical data sets ranging from groundwater to contami- nated streams. Students in the course will set-up models to perform speciation calculations, wa- ter-rock reactions, cation exchange and sorption, acid-base equilibrium, organic matter interactions with metals, 1 and 2-D transport, and numerous other applications. At the conclusion of this course students will be able to successfully apply geo- chemical models to the following: Surface wa- ter (streams and lakes) chemistry; Groundwater chemistry; Hydrogeochemistry of contaminates; Rock-water interactions and Organic matter solute interactions.