Courses and assignments are designed to be applicable to both kinds of educators, and students can choose topics for projects and assignments along their area of interest. A majority of students are currently classroom teachers in public schools.
Required classes meet on weekday evenings or Saturdays during the school year. Summer courses are offered during the day. Many courses are conveniently offered at NIU's satellite campuses in Rockford, Naperville and Hoffman Estates. Different courses are offered at every location each semester, so if one location is convenient to you, many of your classes can be taken there. Although, you will likely have to travel to more than one campus to fulfill your class requirements. (Maps of NIU's main and satellite campuses are available online.)
Programs of study must include a minimum of 33 semester hours, of which a minimum of 18 semester hours must be within the major: Curriculum and Instruction. Students elect either the non-thesis or thesis option.
Non-Thesis Option
Thesis Option
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.
Note: Not all courses are offered each semester. Some are offered either once a year or only in the summer. Outdoor field courses are normally offered in the summer, or on Saturdays. Your advisor will help you get the courses you desire. To see what is being offered this semester, go to the NIU Course Finder.
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 that will enable them to design and implement environmental education programs in schools or non-formal education settings. The certificate requires 15 semester hours:
Required Courses (9)
TLCI 551 Environmental Education Theory and Practice (3)
TLCI 520 Environmental Quality Education (3)
TLCI 534 Integrating Community Resources into Curriculum and Instruction (3)
Two of the Following (6)
TLCI 500 Curriculum, Instruction, and Community (3)
TLCI 525 Teaching Physical Science in the Outdoors (3)
TLCI 526 Teaching Natural Science in the Outdoors (3)
TLCI 544 Teaching Energy Alternatives and Energy conservation (3)
Many graduates are classroom teachers who use the degree to become more effective at integrating environmental education and outdoor experiences into their teaching. Other graduates from the program have received positions with schools, zoos, nature centers, museums, government agencies (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture), resident centers, and private organizations.
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 an accredited U.S. college or university or recognized foreign institution. Applicants must have the approval of the Department of Teaching and Learning and also are required to have either (a) a minimum 2.75 overall grade point average (GPA), based on a 4.00 system, in their baccalaureate program or (b) completed 15 or more semester hours of graduate work at an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.20 or better. For more information or an online application, contact the Graduate School, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115; Phone (815) 753-0395.
Applicants are required to submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller's Analogy Test as part of their application package. 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 cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.
Required examinations may be taken through NIU's Office of Testing Services, or at other testing locations. For testing dates at this university and other locations, see the Graduate Record Examinations web site, or call (815) 753-1203. Up to eight weeks may be required for the Graduate School to receive scores after the administration of the tests, therefore applicants 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.
Your advisor will be a member of the outdoor and environmental education graduate faculty, and will be assigned to you when you are admitted. Your advisor will assist you in working out a program of studies. You will need to get your advisor's approval on all proposed courses, including any transfer courses, if applicable.
Your advisor will help answer your questions and guide you through the steps leading to your degree. You have a responsibility to contact your advisor as soon as possible and stay in contact throughout your program.
The minimum credits needed are thirty-three (33) semester hours. Completion depends upon how many credits are earned each semester. The normal spring and fall credit load is 9 semester hours (3 courses) for a full-time student. During the summer, a student may enroll for a maximum of ten semester hours in eight weeks. Credits may be earned in the May-June intersession period; through independent study; or through acceptable transfer credits from other institutions. Students holding assistantships are limited to nine semester hours during the spring and fall semesters.
Students taking courses before being admitted to a major are considered Students-at-Large (SAL). If you intend to apply for admission, be aware that no more than 15 SAL credits may apply to your degree program. Be sure that courses taken as a SAL will be acceptable in your degree program. A student may not use more than 15 SAL and transfer credits combined. More information is available from the Graduate College Office.
Yes; however, that is a completely different program of study, and it will require many additional classes. If you would like to obtain Illinois Teacher Certification, you must have your undergraduate transcript evaluated to determine the courses needed for certification. Check the NIU Teacher Certification web site for more details.
Each year graduate research/teaching assistantships in outdoor/environmental education are offered. Students must be admitted to the Graduate School to be eligible to receive graduate assistantships. Selections for fall semester graduate assistantships are made the previous spring. A few assistantships may be offered for the spring semester beginning in January. Assistantships provide a stipend for nine months (currently $720/month), plus a tuition waiver for the fall and spring semesters as well as one summer session. Application forms may be obtained online from the Graduate School web site or by writing to the Graduate School, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115. Phone: (815) 753-0395.