Ecology

Overview

Key Features

Within this Area of Specialization, numerous scientists throughout the University System of Maryland are actively involved in teaching and research, with collaboration common between these scientists and those in the other areas of MEES.

Ecology is a broad discipline encompassing terrestrial, aquatic, estuarine and marine environments. Specific areas of study include behavioral, community, evolutionary, marine, benthic, limnological, systematic, and physiological ecology. Variations and/or combinations of one or more of these subdisciplines are common (e.g., marine benthic community ecology as one area of study or the evolution of terrestrial communities as another). 

Students successfully completing this Ecology program from University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science could go on to academic appointments in a variety of departments (e.g., Environmental Sciences, Ecology, Biology, Zoology, Botany, etc.), or work for environmental consulting companies, as well as federal or state government agencies.

Due to the nature of the MEES Program, heavy emphasis is placed on the student's unique research goals within this AOS. As such, core course requirements are kept to a minimum. The remainder of a student's course load is determined by that student and his or her Research Advisory Committee on the basis of the individual's research topic and previous academic experience. The University System of Maryland has a wide and diverse set of course offerings in ecology and related areas, making it possible for students in almost any area of ecology to create a beneficial program of study.