Campuses:
Twin Cities campus
This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.
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Twin Cities Campus
Water Resources Science M.S.Water Resources Center
Graduate School
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Water Resources Science, University of Minnesota, 193 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul MN 55108 (612-624-7456)
Email:
wrs@umn.edu
Website: http://wrs.umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
This cross-campus interdisciplinary program provides comprehensive training in water resources science, with integration across scientific disciplines. A structured interdisciplinary graduate curriculum is offered. The program includes a set of core courses plus electives in the following areas of interest: aquatic biology, environmental chemistry, hydrologic science, limnology, water management technology, water policy, water quality, and watershed science and management. A Limnology and Oceanography track is also offered. Approximately 80 courses offered within 15 other graduate programs are available to students majoring in water resources science.
The goal of the program is to produce scientists with strong technical skills in disciplines relevant to water resources and a broad understanding of 1) the hydrologic cycle and associated ecosystems, 2) the interconnectedness of the sciences involved in managing aquatic resources, and 3) the interplay between the biophysical sciences and social sciences in developing and implementing public policies related to water.
Students in the program develop the breadth of scientific knowledge appropriate to understand the complicated aquatic ecosystems and watersheds on which they will work, as well as social dimensions of the topic, including the public policy and legal frameworks in which water resources are protected and managed.
The program involves faculty from the following departments on the Twin Cities campus: Applied Economics; Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering; Civil Engineering; Earth Sciences; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; Entomology; Environmental and Occupational Health; Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Forest Resources; Geography; Horticultural Science; Plant Biology; and Soil, Water, and Climate. It also involves faculty from the following departments on the Duluth campus: Biology; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil Engineering; Geography; Geological Sciences; and Physics; as well as the Large Lakes Observatory and the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program
is 3.00.
The program is flexible enough to accommodate students from a variety of backgrounds. Normally students have a bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or environmental science or engineering.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
Recommended academic preparation includes one year (or two semesters) each of calculus, physics, and chemistry, and one biology course.
Availability of funding and willingness of a member of the graduate faculty to serve as an advisor are important criteria for admission to the program.
Special Application Requirements:
Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation via the University of Minnesota's online application system. These letters should be from professors qualified to estimate applicant's class rank and evaluate their ability to complete a program of graduate study, or from persons who can assess their professional or research potential.
Applicants must also submit a résumé of their academic history and professional experience and a statement of purpose, including the proposed area of emphasis. Applicants should submit results of the GRE General Test. Students may be admitted any semester but are strongly encouraged to submit their application by December 1 for fall semester admission. More specific application instructions can be found on the program website: https://wrs.umn.edu/prospective-students/admissions-info.
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
The preferred English language test is Test of English as Foreign Language.
Key to test
abbreviations
(TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
Plan A: Plan A requires
22
major credits,
0
credits outside the major,
and
10
thesis credits.
The final exam is oral.
Plan B: Plan B requires
30
major credits and
0
credits outside the major.
The final exam is oral.
A capstone project is required.
Capstone Project:The Plan B project is defined by the faculty advisor. The Plan B option is well suited to students who have little undergraduate course work in water resources science and thus need more coursework to gain the combination of depth and breadth needed in this field. Plan B projects involve field, laboratory, or computer work and the analysis, synthesis, or interpretation of data.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses toward program requirements is permitted under certain conditions with adviser approval.
A minimum GPA of 3.00
is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 1 semesters must be completed
before filing a Degree Program Form.
Students with WRS-equivalent core courses taken as undergraduates may substitute other classes to meet program requirements, with advisor approval.
Water Resources Seminar
WRS 8100 - Interdisciplinary Seminar in Water Resources
(0.5 cr)
Water Resources Ethics
WRS 8581 - Research and Professional Ethics in Water Resources and Environmental Science
(0.5 cr)
Hydrology Core
Take at least 3 credits from the following:
BBE 8513 - Hydrologic Modeling of Small Watersheds
(3.0 cr)
or
CEGE 4501 - Hydrologic Design
(4.0 cr)
or
ESCI 4702 - General Hydrogeology
(4.0 cr)
or
FNRM 5114 - Hydrology and Watershed Management
(3.0 cr)
or
FNRM 5153 - Forest Hydrology & Watershed Biogeochemistry
(3.0 cr)
Limnology Core
EEB 5601 - Limnology
(3.0 cr)
Water Resources Policy Core
WRS 5101 - Water Policy
(3.0 cr)
WRS Electives
Plan A students select at least 9 credits, and Plan B students select at least 17 credits from the following list:
AGRO 5121 - Applied Experimental Design
(4.0 cr)
BBE 5513 - Watershed Engineering
(3.0 cr)
BBE 5523 - Ecological Engineering Design
(3.0 cr)
BBE 5535 - Assessment and Diagnosis of Impaired Waters
(3.0 cr)
BBE 8513 - Hydrologic Modeling of Small Watersheds
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4351 - Groundwater Mechanics
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4352 - Groundwater Modeling
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4501 - Hydrologic Design
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 4502 - Water and Wastewater Treatment
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4511 - Hydraulic Structures
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4512 - Open Channel Hydraulics
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4562 - Environmental Remediation Technologies
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5541 - Environmental Water Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5542 - Experimental Methods in Environmental Engineering
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5551 - Environmental Microbiology
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8504 - Theory of Unit Operations
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8505 - Biological Processes
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8506 - Stochastic Hydrology
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8507 - Advanced Methods in Hydrology
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8511 - Mechanics of Sediment Transport
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8542 - Chemistry of Organic Pollutants in Environmental Systems
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8572 - Computational Environmental Fluid Dynamics
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
CONS 8004 - Economic and Social Aspects of Conservation Biology
(3.0 cr)
EEB 4611 - Biogeochemical Processes
(3.0 cr)
EEB 5601 - Limnology
(3.0 cr)
EEB 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
EEB 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
ENT 5081 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
ENT 5121 - Applied Experimental Design
(4.0 cr)
ENT 4361 - Aquatic Insects
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4702 - General Hydrogeology
(4.0 cr)
ESCI 5204 - Geostatistics and Inverse Theory
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 5705 - Limnogeology and Paleoenvironment
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 5971 - Field Hydrogeology
(2.0 cr)
ESCI 8511 - Mechanics of Sediment Transport
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
ESPM 4216 - Contaminant Hydrology
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5015 - Invasive Plants and Animals: Ecology and Management
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5061 - Water Quality and Natural Resources
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5111 - Hydrology and Water Quality Field Methods
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5211 - Survey, Measurement, and Modeling for Environmental Analysis
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5256 - Natural Resource Law and the Management of Public Lands and Waters
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5295 - GIS in Environmental Science and Management
(4.0 cr)
ESPM 5402 - Biometeorology
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5555 - Wetland Soils
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5575 - Wetlands
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5601 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5114 - Hydrology and Watershed Management
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5131 - Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources
(4.0 cr)
FNRM 5153 - Forest Hydrology & Watershed Biogeochemistry
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5262 - Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis of Natural Resources and Environment
(3.0 cr)
FW 4136 - Ichthyology
(4.0 cr)
FW 5459 - Stream and River Ecology
(3.0 cr)
FW 8459 - Stream and River Ecology
(3.0 cr)
FW 8465 - Fish Habitats and Restoration
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 5426 - Climatic Variations
(3.0 cr)
HORT 5071 - Ecological Restoration
(4.0 cr)
LAAS 5311 - Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy
(3.0 cr)
PMB 4121 - Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 6190 - Environmental Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 6450 - Biostatistics I
(4.0 cr)
PUBH 6451 - Biostatistics II
(4.0 cr)
SOIL 5232 - Vadose Zone Hydrology
(3.0 cr)
SOIL 5555 - Wetland Soils
(3.0 cr)
STAT 5021 - Statistical Analysis
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5302 - Applied Regression Analysis
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5303 - Designing Experiments
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5401 - Applied Multivariate Methods
(3.0 cr)
WRS 5150 - Watershed Specialist Training
(2.0 cr)
Plan A Option:
Take 10 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
WRS 8777 - Thesis Credits: Master's
(1.0-18.0 cr)
·
Plan B Option
Select additional courses in consultation with your advisor to compete the Plan B option.
Program Sub-plans
A sub-plan is not required for this program.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Limnology and Oceanography
The science of inland waters, or "limnology," includes the study of streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. While Lake Superior falls into this category, the style of research, particularly the nature of sampling and the scale of the processes investigated, makes the study of Lake Superior and other Great Lakes more akin to oceanography than to classical limnology.
A program that focuses on the study of both limnology and oceanography strengthens understanding of both systems, through comparative studies and by fostering interaction between groups that focus more strongly on one or the other system. Limnology and oceanography are by necessity interdisciplinary fields, with major components contributed by biological, geological, physical and chemical sciences. Such interdisciplinary fields in the modern research university require mechanisms to ensure cross-fertilization of ideas, approaches, methods, techniques, and knowledge. The limnology and oceanography track in WRS provides just such a much-needed mechanism. The goal of the program is to produce scientists with strong technical skills in aquatic science and a broad understanding of limnology and oceanography.
Students with WRS-equivalent coursework taken as undergraduates may substitute other classes to meet minimum credit requirements.
The faculty advisor must be a member of the limnology and oceanography track faculty.
Water Resources Seminar
WRS 8100 - Interdisciplinary Seminar in Water Resources
(0.5 cr)
Water Resources Ethics
WRS 8581 - Research and Professional Ethics in Water Resources and Environmental Science
(0.5 cr)
Environmental/Water Chemistry Core for Limnology/Oceanography Students
Take at least 3 credits from the following:
CEGE 5541 - Environmental Water Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
or
ESCI 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry
(3.0 cr)
or
LAAS 5311 - Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6190 - Environmental Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
or
EEB 4611 - Biogeochemical Processes
(3.0 cr)
Limnology Core
EEB 5601 - Limnology
(3.0 cr)
Water Resources Policy Core
WRS 5101 - Water Policy
(3.0 cr)
WRS Electives
Plan A students select at least 9 credits, and Plan B students select at least 17 credits from the following list and in consultation with the L&O committee.
AGRO 5121 - Applied Experimental Design
(4.0 cr)
BBE 5513 - Watershed Engineering
(3.0 cr)
BBE 5523 - Ecological Engineering Design
(3.0 cr)
BBE 5535 - Assessment and Diagnosis of Impaired Waters
(3.0 cr)
BBE 8513 - Hydrologic Modeling of Small Watersheds
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4351 - Groundwater Mechanics
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4352 - Groundwater Modeling
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4501 - Hydrologic Design
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 4502 - Water and Wastewater Treatment
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4511 - Hydraulic Structures
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4512 - Open Channel Hydraulics
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 4562 - Environmental Remediation Technologies
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5541 - Environmental Water Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5542 - Experimental Methods in Environmental Engineering
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 5551 - Environmental Microbiology
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8504 - Theory of Unit Operations
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8505 - Biological Processes
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8506 - Stochastic Hydrology
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8507 - Advanced Methods in Hydrology
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8511 - Mechanics of Sediment Transport
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8542 - Chemistry of Organic Pollutants in Environmental Systems
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8572 - Computational Environmental Fluid Dynamics
(4.0 cr)
CEGE 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
CEGE 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
CONS 8004 - Economic and Social Aspects of Conservation Biology
(3.0 cr)
EEB 4611 - Biogeochemical Processes
(3.0 cr)
EEB 5601 - Limnology
(3.0 cr)
EEB 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
EEB 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
ENT 5081 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
ENT 5121 - Applied Experimental Design
(4.0 cr)
ENT 4361 - Aquatic Insects
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4401 - Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4402 - Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 4702 - General Hydrogeology
(4.0 cr)
ESCI 5204 - Geostatistics and Inverse Theory
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 5705 - Limnogeology and Paleoenvironment
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 5971 - Field Hydrogeology
(2.0 cr)
ESCI 8511 - Mechanics of Sediment Transport
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 8601 - Introduction to Stream Restoration
(3.0 cr)
ESCI 8602 - Stream Restoration Practice
(2.0 cr)
ESPM 4216 - Contaminant Hydrology
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5015 - Invasive Plants and Animals: Ecology and Management
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5061 - Water Quality and Natural Resources
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5111 - Hydrology and Water Quality Field Methods
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5211 - Survey, Measurement, and Modeling for Environmental Analysis
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5256 - Natural Resource Law and the Management of Public Lands and Waters
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5295 - GIS in Environmental Science and Management
(4.0 cr)
ESPM 5402 - Biometeorology
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5555 - Wetland Soils
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5575 - Wetlands
(3.0 cr)
ESPM 5601 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5114 - Hydrology and Watershed Management
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5131 - Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources
(4.0 cr)
FNRM 5153 - Forest Hydrology & Watershed Biogeochemistry
(3.0 cr)
FNRM 5262 - Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis of Natural Resources and Environment
(3.0 cr)
FW 4136 - Ichthyology
(4.0 cr)
FW 5459 - Stream and River Ecology
(3.0 cr)
FW 8459 - Stream and River Ecology
(3.0 cr)
FW 8465 - Fish Habitats and Restoration
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 5426 - Climatic Variations
(3.0 cr)
HORT 5071 - Ecological Restoration
(4.0 cr)
LAAS 5311 - Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy
(3.0 cr)
PMB 4121 - Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 6190 - Environmental Chemistry
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 6450 - Biostatistics I
(4.0 cr)
PUBH 6451 - Biostatistics II
(4.0 cr)
SOIL 5232 - Vadose Zone Hydrology
(3.0 cr)
SOIL 5555 - Wetland Soils
(3.0 cr)
STAT 5021 - Statistical Analysis
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5302 - Applied Regression Analysis
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5303 - Designing Experiments
(4.0 cr)
STAT 5401 - Applied Multivariate Methods
(3.0 cr)
WRS 5150 - Watershed Specialist Training
(2.0 cr)
Plan A Option:
Take 10 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
WRS 8777 - Thesis Credits: Master's
(1.0-18.0 cr)
·
Plan B Option
Select additional courses in consultation with your advisor to compete the Plan B option.
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