MSc Environmental Science: Course Details, Fees, Eligibility, Admission Process, Syllabus, Career, Scope, and Jobs

MSc Environmental Science Course

MSc Environmental Science course is a two years postgraduate degree programme offered in India. It is an interdisciplinary course that covers concepts like Physical Science, Biological Sciences, Ecology, Biology, Geography, Atmosphere etc. MSc Environmental Science course is an advanced study of the environment and ecosystem.

Candidates who have a keen interest in understanding the detailed concept and principles of entities associated with the environment can choose MSc Environment Science course. MSc Environmental Science course is designed to help candidates find measures for environmental management, solution for environment protection and study about the environmental pollution and hazards.

MSc Environment Science course students gain in-depth knowledge and skills in many aspects like sustainable management, environmental pollution control, land and soil management etc. Students who pursue MSc Environmental Science course gain efficient management skills and get well versed in understanding complex challenges associated with the environment. 

After the completion of MSc Environment Science course, students can opt for further studies like M.Phil, PhD in the desired specialization like the environmental civil course, water resource management etc.

MSc Environmental Science Course Overview

MSc Environmental Science course is an advanced course in the science domain that makes us aware of the environmental issues in the present world. The students who want to pursue MSc Environmental Science must have a BSc degree from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% marks. The eligible students who meet the eligibility criteria can only apply for MSc Environmental Science admission.

There are several MSc Environmental Science college available to the students in both private and government sectors. MSc Environmental Science syllabus is divided semester wise and has a vast MSc Environmental Science subject list to cover during the course tenure. Msc Environmental Science syllabus is extensive and covers all the possible aspects. MSc Environmental Science fees varies from college to college. In many colleges and universities, MSc Environmental Science admission is done through entrance examination while there are many colleges that take admission on the basis of the merit. MSc Environmental Science course fee for the government is less as compared to private colleges.

MSc Environmental Science course has vast career options and the students get jobs immediately after completing the course. MSc Environmental Science is a flourishing course and it is opted by many students after class 12th and graduation. Many students specialize in the MSc Environmental Science as they want to make their career in the academic sector and opt for the teaching profession.

MSc Environmental Science Course Highlights

Following are the major highlights MSc Environmental Science course:

MSc Environmental Science Benefits 

MSc Environmental Science course is one of the important courses which are being promoted by the government of India as well. Most of the leading colleges and universities in India in the current scenario deal with MSc Environmental Science. Even though this course has its own importance, some of the prominent benefits of studying MSc Environmental Science are mentioned below. 

• MSc Environmental Science is the ultimate choice for the students who are concerned about the environment and wish to protect the environment. 
• After doing MSc Environmental Science at an advanced level, the doors for job opportunities in both private and public sector is opened for the students. 
• The students after completing their MSc in Environmental Science can also specialize in many areas such as Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Conservation, and Ecology. 
• The students can play a significant role in protecting the Earth’s resources and also help in relocating. 
• The students can also warn the public about the hazardous effect of different things on the environment and can also predict certain hazards and issue regulatory compliance for the same. 
• The students after completing MSc Environmental Science degree course can make their career as a Conservationist or can also work as an Environmental Engineer. 

MSc Environmental Science Eligibility Criteria

The student must be aware of the eligibility criteria for MSc Environmental Science degree before planning anything in advance as it is the most important aspect for MSc Environmental Science admission. MSc Environmental Science eligibility criteria is as follows:

• The student must hold a BSc or BSc Honors degree is relevant discipline. MBBS or B.Tech/ BE degree holders are also eligible to apply. 
• Minimum percentage required admission is 50% or equivalent GPA in class 10th, 12th and graduation.

MSc Environmental Science Admission Process

There are many institutes in India that offer the MSc in Environmental Science admission on the basis of marks obtained in graduation. Highly reputed universities/ college/ Institute conduct an entrance test and based on the score they are offered admission.

For admission in MSc Environmental Science course, candidates must meet the minimum requirements for admission and complete the admission process. 

MSc Environmental Science admission is based on merit and entrance examinations. The merit based examination is done on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying examination conducted at the state level or national level and university specific examination. The students are required to meet the cut off percentage released by the university or college where they want to take MSc Environmental Science admission. 

Students are selected on the basis of merit in several institutes. The students get admission to MSc Environmental Science based on their performance in the graduation in a similar field and also on the basis of their performance in the entrance test and interview. The online test is conducted for 1-2 hour duration and consists of multiple-choice questions assessing students based on their proficiency in Analytical Reasoning, English, and Quantitative Ability. 

The stepwise process for taking admission to the MSc Environmental Science course is mentioned below. 

Step 1- The students need to apply for an entrance examination for the MSc Environmental Science course. 

Step 2- The students should prepare well for the entrance examination and appear for the entrance examination. Generally, the examination is based on multiple-choice questions wherein the students are asked about quantitative ability, analytical reasoning and English. 

Step 3 - The cut off list is released by the respective colleges for taking admission to MSc Environmental Science. The students must match their names once the cut off list is generated and apply for the examination. 

Step 4- In case of merit based examination, the students must score the minimum marks required by the colleges they are appearing to take admission. 

Step 5- The students will have to appear for the counseling session once they have qualified the entrance examination. Certain colleges also call for group discussion and personal interviews. 

Step 6- The students need to pay the relevant fee in order to confirm their admission in their choice of college. 

MSc Environmental Science Entrance Exams

There is no common entrance exam conducted for taking admission in MSc Environmental Science course but there are many recognized colleges and universities that conduct their separate entrance examination for admitting students. Both private and government colleges conduct their entrance examination as per their schedule and they release the notification for the same. 

Students who are keen on taking admission in MSc Environmental Science course must regularly check the notifications that are usually released in their official website. The students are shortlisted after the conduct of entrance examination which is usually of one to two hour duration and it checks student’s ability on multiple aspects such as general knowledge, subject language, proficiency in English, analytical ability, quantitative ability, and their problem solving skills. 

The students must note down the common format for the MSc Environmental Science Entrance exam that is usually followed by most of the exam conducting body. 

The students must also note down some of the important and popular MSc Environmental Science Entrance Exam conducted by Indian Universities and colleges are mentioned below. 

BHU UET- Banaras Hindu University conducts this Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Test annually for taking admission to different courses offered by them. The examination is usually conducted in the month of May – June. The students must prepare for this exam seriously as it is highly competitive because of the prestige of the college. 

Also Read,

PUBDET- Presidency University Bachelor’s degree entrance test is conducted by Presidency University for the aspirants of MSc Environmental Science. The examination is conducted in the month of June and July. 

UPSEE- Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination is conducted annually for the students of state of Uttar Pradesh. This entrance examination helps the students to enroll them in all the affiliated colleges of Uttar Pradesh Government. The examination is conducted in the month of June for all the students for taking admission in different courses including MSc Environmental Science. 

Also Read,

TS EAMCET- Telangana State government conducts a common entrance exam called as Telangana State Engineering, Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test for admission to different affiliated colleges and universities under Telangana government. 

Also Read,

How to Prepare for the MSc Environmental Science Entrance Exam?

It is important for the students to prepare for MSc Environmental Science and they must know the important tips for preparing and appearing for this course. Some of the common points to be kept in mind while preparing for MSc Environmental Science are mentioned below. 

• The question paper for MSc Environmental Science is both objective and descriptive based. The students must manage their time accordingly. 
• The pattern of the examination varies from colleges to colleges, so it is advisable that the students must check the examination pattern well in advance and prepare for the same accordingly. 
• The syllabus also varies from one university to another and hence the syllabus must be kept in mind while preparing for different state entrance examinations. 
• The students must be able to build their level of confidence for appearing in any entrance examination. 
• The cut off percentage and criteria is different for selection to different entrance examination. Most of these entrance examinations have multiple sections where the students are required to pass in all the sections individually. It is important for them to manage time efficiently for attempting all the sections and ensuring passing marks in all of them. 
• The students must appear for mock test papers in order to get confidence and perform well in the entrance exam.
• The students must practice previous year question papers and other sample papers before appearing for the MSc Environmental Science entrance examination. 

How to get admission in a good MSc Environmental Science College?

The students must check the below mentioned tips for getting admission in good MSc Environmental Science College. The students can prepare accordingly. 

• In order to get admission in good colleges for pursuing MSc Environmental Science course, the students must qualify Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university and must have studied any of the related subjects such as Environmental Science, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Fisheries Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Geography, Geology, Life Sciences, etc. 
• The students must score a minimum of 50 percent marks at undergraduate level in order to qualify for the entrance examination. There is a relaxation of 5 percent for SC/ST candidates. 
• The students must work hard for clearing the cut off marks of the university and colleges they wish to take admission in MSc Environmental Science course. 
• The students must be updated about the relevant dates related to the exams so that they do not miss on anything important.

 MSc Environmental Science Top Colleges

There are approximately 200 colleges in India that offers MSc Environmental Science course. It is a two year course being offered as regular in campus and distance education mode. Most of the leading privates and public institutions offer MSc Environmental Science course. Some of the top colleges are located in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. 

Students are advised to research about the good colleges and then consider taking admission in one of the top colleges in order to avail better placement opportunities. The students must check the list of top colleges that offer MSc Environmental Science course in the table given below. Also, mentioned here is the average fee structure of these colleges and their location. 

MSc Environmental Science Distance Education

Students can take admission to MSc Environmental science course either through regular mode or through distance education. It is important for the students to clear the cut off marks in order to take admission in MSc Environmental Science. There are only handful of institutions that offer MSc Environmental Science course through distance education mode. 

Distance education in Environmental Science is done by either working professional or those who are not financially very strong but still wants to pursue MSc Environmental Science. The MSc Environmental science fee structure varies from institute to instittute and ranges from 10,000 per annum to 1 lakh per annum. Some of the institutes that offer MSc Environmental Science course are mentioned below. The fee structure is also mentioned against the name of the college that offers MSc Environmental Science. 

MSc Environmental Science and MSc Botany Course Comparison

There are few courses that are similar to MSc Environmental Science such as MSc Botany, MSc Zoology, etc. The students must know the basic difference between these courses so that they do not get confuse while selecting the right course for themselves. The students must look at the course comparison of different courses on the basis of certain parameters as discussed below. Though there are no major significant differences, certain points are worth noting down. 

MSc Environmental Science Syllabus

MSc Environmental Science is a two years degree programme that is split into 4 semesters.  MSc Environmental Science subjects are taught during this 2 years tenure. The candidates are given both theoretical and practical knowledge in MSc Environmental Science subjects. Candidates learn MSc Environmental Science subjects gradually and the examinations are taken at the end of every year to know the learning outcome of the candidate. The semester-wise MSc Environmental Science syllabus followed by most of the institutes is given below: 

First Year MSc Environmental Science Syllabus 

MSc Environmental Science Subject List for Semester I

• Ecology and Environment
• Environmental Biogeochemistry
• Energy Resources and Conservation
• Environmental Pollution
• Environmental Management

MSc Environmental Science Subject List for Semester 2

• Water Pollution Management
• Air Pollution Management
• Ecological Impact Assessment
• Environmental Hazards and Risk Management

Elective Subjects

• Restoration Ecology
• Environmental Economics
• Industrial Training

Second Year MSc Environmental Science Syllabus 

MSc Environmental Science Subject List for Semester 3

• Biodiversity Conservation
• Environmental Legislation
• Social issues and the Environment
• Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology
• Environmental Health Management

MSc Environmental Science Subject List for Semester 4

• Biostatistics and Computer application
• Human population and Environment
• Dissertation, Seminar, survey-based projects

MSc Environmental Science Required Skills

There is a lot to study in the MSc MSc Environmental Science course. The students must know the skills that are required for them to make this course and learning effective.  MSc Environmental Science course requires a lot of extensive academic reading. The students apart from reading habits must also possess lots of skills that will support them in doing MSc Environmental Science course. The skills mentioned below will also help them in enhancing their personality and finding a suitable position in the industry. The students should check the required skills that they should have in order to do the MSc Environmental Science course.

• Research Skills
• Scientific Acumen
• Conservationist skill
• Philanthropic qualities
• Biological skills
• Leadership Skills
• Listening Skills
• Attention to Details
• Interpersonal Skills
• Biosphere acumen
• Wildlife protection acumen
• Time Management SkillsA
• Team building skills
• Patience
• Hard work
• Decisiveness

MSc Environmental Science Books

Books play an important role not only in preparing for the entrance examination but also in understanding the subject in best possible way. The books for studying MSc Environmental Science will vary from state to state and from country to country. However, there are some very common and popular books which are widely read all across the nation because of their well written concept and content. The lists of popular books are mentioned below. 

MSc Environmental Science Career Options

Students opting MSc Environmental Science course develop skills to become efficient managers and become capable to handle complex situations. After the completion of the course, they can work in the government sector or private organizations.

The course opens up various opportunities for candidates and they can choose from one of the job roles mentioned below:

• Environmental Officer
• Waste management officer
• Water Resource Specialist
• Climate controller
• Water Resource Expert
• Researcher
• Environmental Science Professor

Average Salary after Pursuing MSc Environmental Science Course

After the completion of MSc Environmental Science course, candidates can expect a starting salary ranging from Rs. 4.00 Lacs to 6.00 Lacs per Annum.

The pay scale varies according to the job role and increases with the number of years of work experience.

MSc Environmental Science Job Profiles and Salaries

The key reason behind MSc Environmental Science emerging as a popular choice among the students are the different job profiles that are open to students after completing their degree in MSc  Environmental Science. The job opportunities are enormous as one can do teaching job in school after MSc Environmental Science. They can also clear their NET exam and become eligible for teaching at university level as well. The students can also opt to be a researcher if they have interest in the area and can even complete their doctorate in the area of their interest. 

The students after completing their course find jobs in multiple profiles such as Environmental Technician, Senior Program Officer, Wildlife Film-maker, Environment photographer, etc. Some of the popular areas of employment opportunities are mentioned below. 

• Colleges and Universities
• National Zoological Parks
• Wildlife Journalism
• Forest Department
• Wildlife Photography
• Animal Research Centres

The students can also go through the list of important job profiles along with their salary structure and prepare themselves accordingly. 

Environment Photographer- The role of environment photographer is to produce images of plants and animals in their natural environment and let people know about the habitants of different species. They work really hard to capture the moments sometimes even by risking life but taking safety precautions. Their work helps the forest authorities for doing many surveillance activities. The average salary for this profile ranges from 6-8 lakhs per annum. 

Research Assistant- The main profile of the research assistant is to assist the professors in their research work. They note down important point and carry out research and experiments along with the team members. The average salary for this profile ranges from 4-5 lakhs per annum. 

Environment Journalist- The profile of the job includes reporting about all the news and information related to forest. They report hard news and investigative journalism and sometimes reveal about the information that the normal public should know. They are also responsible for doing background research and interviews. The salary structure of environment journalist ranges from 4-5 lakhs per annum. 

Wildlife Filmmaker- It is one of the most fascinating job profiles as it includes capturing the life and journey of wildlife creatures. They observe, understand, and record fascinating wild creatures. There cannot be a fixed salary structure for this profile as the filmmakers work on project basis. However, they get 4-5 lakhs per project. 

Product Manager- They are responsible for making the products of the wildlife available and accessible to everyone with transparency. This job profile is one of the highest paid jobs and the average salary structure ranges from 15-16 lakhs per annum. 

MSc Environmental Science Top Recruiters

MSc Environmental Science is a popular and demanding course because of the job and career opportunities that are available to the students. Many companies or recruiters look for graduates who have specialized in Environmental Science. Students get placed in variety of organizations as health managers, trainers, teachers, conservationist, etc. The students must check the list of top recruiters that offer different positions after completing MSc in Environmental Science as mentioned below. 

• Fluor Corporation Pvt Ltd.
• Jacobs Engineering Group Inc
• John Deere Pvt Ltd
• Parsons International Ltd
• Ramboll IMIsoft Pvt Ltd
• ABB India Ltd
• Emerson Electric  Co. India Private Ltd
• Ashok Leyland
• Ernst & Young
• Wipro
• Tata
• HDFC Bank
• HCL Technologies