Ecosystem science is crucial to maintaining sustainable agriculture, the environment, and the health of people, animal and plant life. In this program, you’ll study the ecology, microbiology and biogeochemistry of soil, groundwater and surface water, with an emphasis on how the different components of an ecosystem interact. Our M.S. in ecosystem science will prepare you for careers in environmental consulting, regulatory oversight, environmental protection and land management, and for research in the academic or private sectors.

WHY CHOOSE UNH FOR YOUR DEGREE?

You’ll be supported by a productive and internationally recognized faculty at UNH, as well as outstanding laboratory facilities, including the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station. Our main campus is located near the White Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean with access to a diverse array of terrestrial, marine and freshwater field sites. UNH is ranked among the nation’s highest-performing research universities, having earned a Carnegie Classification R1. The university’s research portfolio brings in more than $110 million in competitive external funding each year.

POTENTIAL CAREER AREAS

Conservation stewardship
Education
Environmental consulting
Environmental regulation
Land-use planning
Research
Resource management
Sustainable agriculture
Water conflict management

Students in the Ecosystem Science option typically have a strong background in environmental science, earth science, ecology, or related fields. Areas of interest include the ecology, microbiology and biogeochemistry of soils, groundwaters, and surface waters, with an emphasis on how the different components of an ecosystem interact to produce system-level responses to management, global change, and other perturbations. Understanding controls on carbon storage, nutrient transformations, water quality, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions is central to much of the research conducted by students in this option.