Environmental Education (4+1)
Why Environmental Education (4+1)?
The world needs nature educators and conservationists now more than ever.
You’ll spend time working with environmental education teams to develop teaching modules and support other educational programming. Specific topic areas include local fauna, climate change, evolution, biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability.
Our nationally recognized faculty give students individual attention, including weekly check-ins with your program directors. Each student is handpicked and paired with various partner institutions like Delaware State Parks, Longwood Gardens and Mt. Cuba Center.
How this program works
Students will join the University of Delaware as an undergraduate student in either the Insect Ecology and Conservation BS program or Wildlife Ecology and Conservation BS program. Once those students have earned at least 60 credits (i.e., junior standing) they may apply to the +1 component, the Insect and Wildlife Environmental Education MS program. Admissions decisions are made by an Admissions Committee and require a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. During their senior undergraduate year, students will take six credits of coursework that will dual-count toward both their BS and MS degrees. During their graduate year (year five), students will take the remaining 24 credits of MS coursework.
578%
Related job listings have increased since 2010.
$70,420
The average salary of nature educators with master's degree.
Hands-on collaboration
with possible future employers before graduation.
What makes our program unique?
Our program is unique in that it equally combines a background in education and the environment with an emphasis on wild fauna. The students will complete an intense nine-credit hour internship with a partner agency or organization and develop an education program for that partner.
Our program is a collaboration between the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology and the School of Education. Unlike other programs that are too science- or education- heavy, our balance is right down the middle; you’ll be advised by faculty from both departments and receive an equal amount of science and education courses to prepare you for environmental education.
Career Outcomes
The program is designed to prepare students to teach at nature centers, state parks, and other environmental education outlets in the strong job market of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Over the past decade, more than 9,800 postings have been listed in this region; the total number of postings has increased 578% since 2010. The average salary of nature educators with master’s degrees is $70,420 in comparison to $57,134, the average salary of nature educators with bachelor’s degrees.
Our program content and structure were born from direct discussions with environmental agencies and organizations, therefore our students will be networking and collaborating with possible future employers before they even graduate.
For more information, contact Dr. Debbie Delaney.
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