Master of Ecological Restoration

Our Program

The Master of Ecological Restoration (MoER) degree empowers students to jump start their career in ecological and watershed restoration. Our comprehensive program combines rigorous coursework, hands-on internships, and practical design exercises to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the field of ecosystem restoration. A master’s degree has become the preferred entry point for aquatic ecosystem professionals, and our program offers the unique opportunity to earn a master’s in just one year.

By leveraging the research and teaching excellence of our esteemed faculty from WATS, QCNR, and USU, who are internationally recognized leaders in ecosystem restoration, the MoER program provides an applied educational experience. The carefully crafted curriculum and professional development opportunities give our graduates a competitive edge when pursuing careers in restoration and ecosystem management.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

The Master of Ecological Restoration program is no longer accepting students. Please contact Joe Wheaton, joe.wheaton@usu.edu, if you have any questions.

Tuition

Tuition costs for graduate students are based on USU's tuition and fees table.

Course Requirements

Program participants are required to take a total of 30 credits. Twelve credits of courses that comprise the core curriculum of the program. The remaining 18 credits will be selected from the four blocks (Ecology, GIS and Remote Sensing, Quantitative Methods, Design) of elective credits. Elective credits require a minimum of two credits per block. Through advising, students will be encouraged to develop depth (e.g., ten credits in one block and two to three credits in each of the other blocks), but the electives are intended to be flexible so students can tailor their education to the topics and skill sets that will be most marketable for their specific job and career goals. Not all elective courses will be offered every year. 

Curriculum

Required Courses (10-11 Credits)

• WATS 5620 - Introduction to Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes  (1 credit)
• WATS 5625 - Adaptive Management and Monitoring of Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes (1 credit)
• WATS 6240 - Graduate Internship/Co-op (4 credits)
• WATS 6350 - Capstone Mentoring (1 credits)

• WATS 6700 - Restoration Ecology (4 credits) OR
• WATS 6310 - Wetland Ecology & Management (3 credits)

 

Elective Courses (19-20 Credits)

General elective courses are intended to be flexible so students can tailor their experience to the knowledge base and skill sets they need for their desired career path. Courses not found on this list can be used for elective credit upon approval by the Department Head. Not all electives are offered every year.

Job Shadowing & Internship

The goal of the MoER program's job shadowing and internship requirement is for students to graduate with real-world aquatic restoration experience, grow their professional network, expose them to different restoration career tracts, reinforce and apply new techniques, and build skills that are difficult to develop in the classroom.

Requirements for the MoER Internship:

The MoER internship requirement is typically fulfilled by doing an aquatic- or wetland-oriented restoration summer internship off-campus. MoER students are encouraged to complete the internship during the summer between their senior year and the start of the MoER program, but students are permitted to complete the internship at any time during their MoER year, including during the summer at the end of their one-year MoER program.  Internships can be performed at local, state, or federal agencies, consulting firms, or non-profit organizations that are external to Utah State University. Internships with USU as the employer are not eligible.

For internship credit towards the 30-credit MoER program requirements, prior to initiation of the internship students must submit a completed MoER Internship form to joe.wheaton@usu.edu. Following their internship, students should create a personal portfolio website that pulls together projects from their applied internship and coursework into one publicly available and professional webpage.  

Work that is counted towards the MoER internship requirement should meet the following requirements:

• MoER students are required to complete a minimum of 4 credits of WATS 6420 - Graduate Internship/Co-op. Generally, USU defines one credit hour as equal to 45 hours of work. Thus, 4 credits of internship translates to 180 active work hours.
• A maximum of 8 internship credits can count towards the 30 credit requirement for the MoER.
• Students are welcome to complete job shadowing opportunities by observing a professional in their work environment for a day. These hours can be included in your internship hours if they are formally documented.

MoER Faculty Advisor