New Master of Science in Earth System Science will provide students a multidisciplinary education to prepare them for meaningful work in the environmental sector
A new interdisciplinary master’s degree program at Athabasca University will give more students the opportunity to pursue a career in the environmental sciences.
The Faculty of Science and Technology will offer a Master of Science in Earth System Science for students across Canada and around the world who want a high-quality, flexible, and online program.
Applications are now open for students who want to start Sept. 1, 2025.
Students will be able to customize their learning experience with six focus areas: Environmental Science, Quaternary Earth Systems, Environmental Analytics, Bioinformatics, Environmental Space Science, and Climate Change.
“The idea was to give everyone an opportunity by creating a multidisciplinary program that covers as many areas as possible,” associate dean Ken Munyikwa said. “It’s also sensitive to market demands and student demand in training in an area that’s highly relevant, and can fit into the economy of the future.”
Flexible graduate degree in science
This new program is an opportunity for AU students who value the flexibility an online asynchronous degree program provides, including students who have completed AU’s Bachelor of Science programs and want to continue their studies in a graduate program.
“There are students who went through our undergraduate programs because they have competing commitments,” Munyikwa said. “They have family or are living in remote areas. So, when they graduate, where do they go?”
The MScESS would also appeal to students who earned undergraduate degrees at traditional place-based schools, but who now may find themselves in a situation where they’re likewise looking for a flexible option to earn a Master of Science degree.
“We have had many inquiries from prospective students who have been asking if we have graduate courses and programs in this area, who I think will be perfect candidates for the program going forward.”
The idea was to give everyone an opportunity by creating a multidisciplinary program that covers as many areas as possible.
Dr. Ken Munyikwa, Associate Dean, Student Experience
Interdisciplinary science master’s degree
Munyikwa explained Earth system science is a field of study examining relationships between Earth’s main spheres, such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, to address various environmental and Earth-science challenges.
Recognizing that these systems do not exist in isolation, this program will help students gain knowledge and research skills that can help tackle big problems like climate change and human health with technology-based solutions and a systems-based approach.
This reflects the diverse research topics and specialties of FST professors and researchers—including multidisciplinary collaborations focused on topics like computational biology, environmental chemistry, health analytics, and space science.
“We wanted a new program that would cover sciences and be as inclusive as possible of all the faculty members in FST,” Munyikwa said.
The faculty has been home to many research chairs focused on environmental topics in recent years, including Dr. Scott Ketcheson, the Canada Research Chair in Hydrological Sustainability.
Prepare for a career in environmental sciences
A Master of Science degree focused on Earth systems and environmental topics will help prepare students to enter a growing job market in Canada.
The Environmental Careers Organization of Canada forecasts an increasing demand for scientists in the environmental sector who are qualified to address multifaceted problems in interrelated systems. A specific area of growing demand is scientists who are qualified to use increasingly sophisticated computing tools in this area.
Students will be able to further specialize by choosing a specific focus area within this degree program, although it will not be mandatory. This allows students the option to specialize in one of several key areas: Environmental Science, Quaternary Earth Systems, Environmental Analytics, Bioinformatics, Environmental Space Science, and Climate Change.
There is no graduate program in Alberta or in Canada that is similar to what we’re doing online.
Dr. Ken Munyikwa
Student research opportunities in environmental science
This new Master of Science program at AU will provide opportunities for current researchers and prospective students to collaborate on unique and innovative interdisciplinary research.
Without this kind of a master’s degree at AU, Earth- and environmental-science researchers have often relied on graduate students and research assistants from other institutions to support their work.
Likewise, students in this program will have opportunities for hands-on learning with world-class researchers whose work goes beyond any one individual discipline.
“There are some students who might be doing work that is aligned with this, but there is no graduate program in Alberta or in Canada that are similar to what we’re doing online,” Munyikwa said.
Learn more about the new Master of Science in Earth System Science